Composer

John Philip Sousa

1854–1932

881 works in the index

Born: 1854
Died: 1932
Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
Citizenship / historical state: United States
Period (estimated from birth year): Romantic

Biography

Sousa wrote 136 marches and effectively defined what a concert band is. Everything he wrote is out of copyright in the United States, which is why the catalogue is thick with free editions.

The Stars and Stripes Forever, The Washington Post and Semper Fidelis are the ones everyone plays. Band sets are published complete with parts; individual instrument parts and piano reductions are separate purchases, and buying a "score" when you needed a full set of parts is the standard error here.

Modern editions sell on the editing rather than the music: the original parts have inconsistencies and errors that a century of performance has corrected, and a good recent edition incorporates them. For a school band, a graded simplified arrangement is usually the right choice over the original, which is harder than its familiarity suggests.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments: Trumpet, Piano, Orchestra, Trombone, Flute
Genres represented: Classical, American, Pop, Jazz, Country
Works with composition dates: 31 of 881

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 1 of 19

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
Work	Year composed	Catalogue / opus	Key in title	Listed instruments	Genre	Editions
The Liberty Bell	1893Wikidata	—	—	Piano, Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, bass, Tenor, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Alto, Lute, Piccolo, pe	Classical	142
The Stars and Stripes Forever	1896-97Wikidata	—	—	Piano, Organ, Guitar, Flute, Oboe, violin, Vocal, Orchestra, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, per	Jazz, Classical, Pop, American	120
Semper Fidelis	1888IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Voice, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Piccolo, percu	Classical, American	116
The Washington Post	1889IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Flute, Voice, Orchestra, Trombone, Trumpet, Saxophone	Jazz, Classical, Pop, American	105
King Cotton	1895IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Flute, Oboe, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Piccolo, percussion, Cornet, Saxophone	Classical	56
Hands Across the Sea	1899IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Flute, Oboe, Orchestra, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Piccolo, percussion, Cornet, Sax	Classical	52
El Capitan	1895IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Voice, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, percussion, Co	Classical	45
Manhattan Beach	1893IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Flute, Oboe, Orchestra, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, Piccolo, percussion, Cornet, Sax	Classical	47
The Gallant Seventh	—	—	—	Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba	Classical	35
The Gladiator March	1886Wikidata	—	—	Piano, Orchestra, Trumpet	Classical	33
The Fairest of the Fair	—	—	—	Flute, Oboe, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, percussion, Cornet, Saxophone	Classical	32
Golden Jubilee	—	—	—	—	Classical	30
The Thunderer	1889IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Bassoon, Tuba, Tenor Saxophone	Classical	23
Sousa Palooza: Timpani	—	—	—	—	Classical	18
Sound Off	1885IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra, Horn, Trombone, Tuba	Classical	13
Liberty Bell March	—	—	—	Guitar, Voice	Classical	8
High School Cadets	—	—	—	Flute, Oboe, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet, Tuba, percussion, Cornet, Saxophone	Classical	12
U.S. Field Artillery March, The - Trombone	—	—	—	—	Classical	8
Stars and Stripes	—	—	—	Choir	Classical	8
	1916IMSLP	—	—	Orchestra	Classical	7
Corcoran Cadets	1890IMSLP	—	—	Clarinet, Trumpet	Classical	8
The Directorate	—	—	—	—	Classical	6
Liberty Bell	1893IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra, Saxophone	Classical	9
March Past of the Corcoran Cadets	1890IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	6
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine: E	—	—	—	—	Classical	7
Washington's March No. 1	—	—	—	Piano	—	6
The Rifle Regiment	—	—	—	Flute, Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Tenor Saxophone	Classical	10
Fairest of the Fair - Score	—	—	—	—	Classical	5
Rifle Regiment March	—	—	—	—	Classical	5
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine: B	—	—	—	—	Classical	6
Across the Danube, Op.36	1877IMSLP	Op.36	—	—	Classical	5
The Diplomat	1904IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	6
The Free-Lance	1905IMSLP	—	—	—	Classical	4
The U.S. Field Artillery	—	—	—	Clarinet, Trumpet	Classical	5
General's march	—	—	—	Trumpet	Classical	6
Semper Fideles Performed by John Philip Sousa	1888IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	6
10. The Liberty Bell	—	—	—	—	—	5
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine: 1st B	—	—	—	—	Classical	5
Stars & Stripes Forever	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	7
The Bride-Elect	1897IMSLP	—	—	Piano	Classical	5
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty	1900IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	6
Jack Tar	1903IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	6
March Past of the Rifle Regiment	1886IMSLP	—	—	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	5
National, Patriotic and Typical Airs of All Lands	1890IMSLP	—	—	voice piano	Classical	4
Gladiator, The	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	5
Liberty Bell, The	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	5
Assembly	—	—	—	Trumpet	Classical	4
School	—	—	—	Trumpet	Classical	5

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 197714. Portrait: Elmer Chickering, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.