John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon

by Paul E. Bierley

The most well-respected biography of John Philip Sousa, John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon explores his life and work and traces his effects on the role of cultural arts in the United States. Sousa was a true musical genius who dedicated his life to raising the level of his country's music appreciation and improving its image abroad. This new edition retains all the wonderful images and information about the composer and conductor who had so much influence on musical tastes in our country. This text makes a great addition to any library, especially for Sousa fans and music educators, and is a must for every band director preparing Sousa scores for rehearsal. A reprint with additions, 270 pages.

Genres: Music, Biography

293 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Born in 1926, Paul Edmund Bierley earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from Ohio State University. While employed designing airplanes, he also was a musician, playing the tuba for several local ensembles. Bierley also collected material relating to the life and music of John Philip Sousa, about whom he wrote two books.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book in which I learned many new facts about John Philip Sousa. Most people know of Sousa as "The March King," but he actually wrote hundreds of compositions including operettas, suites, songs, waltzes, humoresques, fantasies, and overtures. He was actually dismayed that people did not like his songs and operettas as much as he did. He also wrote many articles and several books.
Sousa was an extremely talented man; he had perfect pitch and wrote all of his own arrangements for his band. He never learned how to play the piano, but rather would hear his compositions in his head, and then write them down without trying them out on an instrument first. He also standardized the instrumentation for the band, and was responsible for popularizing the symphonic band. Although Sousa played many instruments, his main instrument was actually the violin; he would often include violin soloists as part of his band concert programs. These are some of the things I learned about Sousa from this book, but there are many more fascinating facts that I could site.
The book was well-written, although the last chapter on the Sousa band bogged down a little. The author included minute details about the travel of the band that seemed to just be padding the book. However, this was only a small portion of the book, and the book as a whole was well-worth the read. I think that I am better-educated after having read it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may surprise one (at least it did me) to learn that Sousa, known as the March King, was also a well known and prolific composer of many other styles of music.including seventy songs and fifteen operettas. He also authored seven books and over one hundred newspaper and magazine articles. Although this was not an especially long book it did turn out to be a pretty comprehensive biography of the famous band leader. Near the end of the book, amongst the many tributes both musical and non musical (there was a WWII Liberty ship named S.S. John Philip Sousa) paid to him after his death, one caught my attention, a brief reference to Maurice Whitney, long time musical director of the Glens Falls, NY school system. That may be of interest to readers here in up state NY, probably not so much in other parts of the country.

[Jon LaFollette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Largely reads like an extended Wikipedia entry. I’m sure a better book on Sousa could be written, but doubt we’ll get it anytime soon.

[Zeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The research is incredible and presented very well by author Paul E. Bierley, who passed away not long ago. The many photographs included are terrific. I enjoyed reading about the band members and their traveling adventures around the country. Sousa was one of America's greatest composers. He led an amazing and humble life which has left a forever impression on the USA. He has written a lot more than marching music, too. It is interesting to read about Sousa's legacy that is described in the final chapter of the book. The version I read was updated in the mid 1980s.

[Jerry V. Schreuder]

A FASCINATING ACCOUNT

This is an interesting account of Sousas' professional life. His talent and determination are great examples for all who would aspire to greatness. A good history of a segment of bygone times.

















T
His is a great tribute a man who was committed to excellence throughout his lifetime.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

For many years Sousa was the director of the US Marine Corps band and wrote many popular marchs. This is the story of his life.