Description
An essay contest run by the newspaper The Washington Post ended with an award ceremony, and Sousa wrote this march for it in 1889. It became the favourite accompaniment for the two-step, a new social dance of the day, so much so that the dance itself came to be called the Washington Post.
Its lightness, which suits dancing as well as marching, comes from the bouncing 6/8 rhythm. In G major, it lasts about 2 minutes 32 seconds and has 1,936 notes, with a new key at the trio. The range is very wide, from G1 up to F7; together with The Liberty Bell it reaches the highest note of any Sousa march collected here.
Quick fingers and large movements between the top and bottom of the keyboard are what this advanced march demands. Giving the two beats of 6/8 equal weight drains away the dance-like lightness, so keep the bounce in the pulse. Checking each hand's part and the size of the shifts with the hand colours keeps the strains you have polished with the A-B loop from falling apart when they are joined.
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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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