The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa » (1st Edition)

Paul Bierley is the world’s leading Sousa authority. He is the author of The Works of John Philip Sousa, John Philip Sousa, American Phenomenon, and other books on Sousa and band music.

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) is an American icon. Most famous for his military marches, the composer-bandmaster led a disciplined group of devoted musicians on numerous American tours and around the world, shaping a new cultural landscape. Paul E. Bierley documents every aspect of the "March King's" band: its history, its star performers, its appearances on recordings and radio, and the problems they faced on their 1911 trip around the world. Enhanced by more than 120 images and photographs, The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa also contains six statistical appendixes detailing where the band played, a complete list of musicians, instrumentation of the band, program listings, and a discography

Library Journal

Acknowledged as one of the foremost authorities on composer bandmaster John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), a.k.a. "The March King," Bierley (The Works of John Philip Sousa) is just the man to document the inner workings of Sousa's band, which concertized and toured for 40 years. Bierley here presents anecdotes, documentation of performance practice, financial and other operational details, and more than 120 photographs. He writes economically, and though some readers might wish for more expressive prose, his just-the-facts style allows his scholarship to stand out-The Incredible Band never becomes a mere vehicle for glorifying Sousa. Solidly researched, the book provides a view of music in American life not found in other studies of Sousa or the period. Highly recommended.-James E. Perone, Mount Union Coll., Alliance, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.