# The John Philip Sousa Appreciation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077 "2002-06-14T18:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/1 "2002-06-14T18:52:43Z")
I just listened to some **Sousa** music on NPR performed by **Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops** and I AM CHARGED! šŸ˜ƒ Sousaā€™s marches speak to me not only of **power** but also of **compassion**. My car speakers are probably blown now, but I positively _cranked_ it on my way to the supermarket and back a little while ago. Guess thereā€™s no point to this thread but just to ask yā€™all if you feel the same way I do? Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/2 "2002-06-14T18:56:54Z")
I _love_ John Philip Sousa! I have an LP of his marches, and it makes great exercise or housecleaning music! I also found in my younger days it made for great ā€œmood musicā€ on a romantic date. If the guy liked making out to ā€œThe Liberty Bell March,ā€ I knew he and I would get along . . . ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/3 "2002-06-14T21:59:57Z")
I was always partial to _The Washington Post March_ but enjoy all his music a great deal. He did more than marches, though it was all for band IIRC, but those get very little play. If you like Sousa like I like Sousa ;), then by all means check out Kenneth J. Alford as well, famous for _Colonel Bogey_ and writer of a great number of kick-ass, brass-heavy pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/4 "2002-06-15T02:44:34Z")
**Eve** _AND_ **Archive Guy** answered a post of mine! Whatā€™s the chances of **that** happeninā€™? šŸ˜‰ I **will** check out **Mr. Alfordā€™s** music, **Guy** , and I thank you for the reference. **Eve** : You have some damn high standards! šŸ˜‰ Quasi ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/5 "2002-06-15T02:49:17Z")
Yes, Sousa wrote wonderful stuff, Full of bangs, full of booms, full of bashes, I agree, I just canā€™t get enough, Of the horns and the cymbal crashes; Iā€™m partial to El Capitan, And the Liberty Bell, full of thunderā€¦ And of course thereā€™s the Stars and the Stripes! Mr. Sousa was a mousa-cal wonder. [He wrote some operetta too, along with waltzes and other dance music, some for orchestra. There was a great album of his lesser-known stuff at one point; it was called Peaches and Cream and I believe it may have been put out by the Cincinnati Pops, but donā€™t quote meā€¦Anyway, worth a listen or twelve.] ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/6 "2002-06-15T06:01:03Z")
Wonderful march music! šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/7 "2002-06-15T06:11:22Z")
I like The Fairest Of The Fair, myself. Hell of a dogfight in that one. I also need to second the Kenneth Alford suggestion, and add K.L King (the initials might be wrong, itā€™s been years). He had some excellent marches. I think Iā€™ll have to dust off the euphonium and trombone and start playing those again. They were too much fun. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/8 "2002-06-15T11:45:54Z")
As a former euphonium player, I have to like Sousa ā€“ his marches are among the only things in the repertoire with decent euphonium parts (along with Holstā€™s ā€œFirst Suite in Eb for Military Bandā€). I still hear the melody line of the trio of ā€œKing Cottonā€ in my sleep at times. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/9 "2002-06-17T13:25:53Z")
Rackensack: ā€œI played on the euphonium when I was only five.ā€ Eve: ā€œIzzat so? _I_ played on the linoleum when I was only three.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-john-philip-sousa-appreciation-thread/114077/10 "2002-06-17T14:09:22Z")
Itā€™s got to be the **Stars and Stripes Forever**. That one always gets the blood pumping. šŸ™‚