Description
Lafayette, the French officer who had aided the American War of Independence, was honoured with a statue unveiled in Paris in 1900, and Sousa wrote this march for the ceremony. His band was taking part in the Paris Exposition that year, and the title, saluting the spirit of liberty, suits the occasion.
At roughly ten notes per second it is somewhat less dense than most of Sousa's marches here. In cut time (2/2), it lasts about 2 minutes 26 seconds and has 1,468 notes, setting a brilliant main theme against more songful passages before the trio shifts key. The range is wide, from F1 up to C7, and that bottom F1 is not on a 61-key keyboard.
Cut time is felt in two broad beats per bar; counting four takes the drive out of the march. In this advanced piece the task is to keep the beat moving through the chord passages while bringing out the melody notes a degree louder. Use the hand colours to see which hand carries the tune, isolate the chordal stretches with the A-B loop, and settle the note layout at a reduced speed before playing through.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was an American composer and bandleader known as 'The March King.' He composed numerous marches, including 'The Stars and Stripes Forever,' and played a major role in developing the American concert band tradition. This site includes ten of his works, such as 'The Liberty Bell March.'
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