This Media Center item can only be displayed if you agree to the use of marketing cookies. With one click you can accept it.
Semper Fidelis
Info
Notes available at: https://www.rundel.de/en/
During his musical career, John Philip Sousa referred to the march “Semper Fidelis”, which he had composed in 1888 (probably during summer) as the official march of the United States Marine Corps. He also labeled the piece his “best march”. It has been the first statement that was questioned at times, as pertinent documentation is not available. John Philip Sousa was known to be an honorable man and he definitely had no reason to ruin his impeccable reputation. It is probable that written documents that assigned “Semper Fidelis” to the Marines as official march were lost during a flood at the beginning of the 20th century. In this context it is interesting to note that records are lacking showing Sousa’s military rank when he directed the Marine Band. In addition there neither are official data regarding his pay, nor when and where concerts were stated, and what musical programs were performed. Be it as it be, it goes without saying that “Semper Fidelis” is regarded the official march of the Marine Corps, as its title is taken from the motto of the Corps. The special position of the march is underlined by another event of importance: “Semper Fidelis” was played as a funeral march, when the Marine Band accompanied John Philip Sousa’s body on his way from the Marine Barracks to the Congressional Cemetery in 1932. Furthermore an interview by Sousa leaves room for questions. It was printed in the “Independent” on October 31, 1927 and reads: “I wrote ‘Semper Fidelis’ one night while in tears, after my comrades of the Marine Corps had sung their famous hymn in Quantico.” Sousa probably referred to a military exercise that took place in Quantico, and he did not speak of Quantico as a military post. Quantico became a post only in 1917. This means that more than quarter of a century elapsed between the composition of the march at the one hand, and the first assignment of Marines to this place. The drum roll and the trio of “Semper Fidelis“ go back to an exercise called “With Steady Step”. It was written as a drill piece and is contained in Sousa’s training manual “The Trumpet and Drum” for field trumpet and drum in 1886.
Grade Level GB: 4-5 Grade Level USA: 3 (Intermediate) Composer: Sousa, John Philip Arranger: Rundel, Siegfried Genre: Concert March, March Performance time: 00:02:50 Publisher: Rundel Size: A4 Info: Full Score + Condensed Score + Parts Rundel Order Number: MVSR2402 Release Date: 2003
During his musical career, John Philip Sousa referred to the march “Semper Fidelis”, which he had composed in 1888 (probably during summer) as the official march of the United States Marine Corps. He...
John Philip Sousa wurde am 06. Nov. 1854 in Washington geboren. Sein Vater John Antonio Sousa war als Portugiese aus Spanien in die Vereinigten Staaten gekommen, während seine Mutter Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus aus Fränkisch Crumbach, in der Nähe von Darmstadt, stammte. Sousa erhielt seine Schulausbildung in Washington, besuchte jedoch gleichzeitig ein privates Konservatorium. Im...
Siegfried Rundel was born in Bußmannshausen on April 27, 1940. His fascination and natural talent for music showed from an early age. He played the trombone in the community band and tried first compositions and arrangements as a teenager. His teachers were pioneers of the German wind band development, such as Hans Feliy Husadel, Gustav Lotterer und Hellmut Haase-Altendorf. Siegfried Rundel...