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Power and Glory

New Mexico March

George Washington Bicentennial even though the dogfight is a b---- on BBb.

Klaus beat me on "Mitten Men" darn it.

I'm sorry because all of us play this one soooo often. But there is admittedly a certain magic to Stars & Stripes Forever in its structure, melodies, build-up of countermelodies, etc. that instantly appeals to the general public as well as accepting musicians. Sousa may have actually composed a better "dogfight" (I hate that term) than the one in S&SF. But It still deserves its moniker of our "National March."

El Capitan; love the time change at the trio!

Some obscure choices there! I don't really have a favorite, maybe Gladiator - first big hit.

We don't play Foshay - something about a check written to Sousa that bounced, Foshay died without making it good and that's the end of the story as far as we're concerned.

New Mexico we sometimes play for a joke - first time we played it, we were forced to stop when the Injun Drums section had half the band convulsing with hysterical laughter. I don't recall anything else particularly notable about it.

National Emblem, fine march, not Sousa. The repeated low Ab at the beginning of the trio is a temptation to self indulgence for the bass saxophone player, the bottom note where all the holes are sealed up and all the sound comes out the bell.

Glory of the Yankee Navy
Solid Men to the Front
Jack Tar
Gallant Seventh

I could go on....

Fairest of the Fair

I do not like New Mexico March, I only play that one when I have to...

King Cotton , Semper Fi and the somewhat obscure, Peaches and Cream ...

KiltieTuba wrote:Was National Emblem one?
I can play that by memory and still do for warming up...

henry Fillmore , I do believe ....

jamsav wrote:

KiltieTuba wrote:Was National Emblem one?
I can play that by memory and still do for warming up...

henry Fillmore , I do believe ....

Online? It's pretty easy to check it out.

Nobles of the Mystic Shrine is a fun one, not often played. I also like "The Thunderer."

One of the bands I am in has done spontaneous "mash-ups" of famous (and not so famous) marches - we play strains of some common march that we know, then somebody will lead in to the dog fight from some other march. If we are in good form everybody picks up the changes and we can keep it going for 10 minutes or more!

Try this at your next rehearsal - good ear training

jamsav wrote:

KiltieTuba wrote:Was National Emblem one?
I can play that by memory and still do for warming up...

henry Fillmore , I do believe ....

Nope, E. E. Bagley

Semper Fi, El Capitan, and Stars and Stripes

1895King wrote:George Washington Bicentennial even though the dogfight is a b---- on BBb.

Dunno bout dat - I thought it was good fun - at least as long as it's done at MM132 at the least.
First struck it at Ill all-state in 65 (I think). Certainly one of the most fun to do but Stars and Stripes has to be near the top of the list.

Frank Byrne wrote:Glory of the Yankee Navy
Solid Men to the Front
Jack Tar
Gallant Seventh

I could go on....

What Frank said...but add The Free Lance to the list.

Although tuba is my primary instrument, on Sousa I prefer to play bass drum and try to emulate the Gus Helmecke style of accents.

As far as GW Bicentennial is concerned, the key is obnoxious and there is way too much cross fingering in the break strain for me. Other than that, I love the tune. It was one of my college band director's favorites.

David Richoux's story about going from one tune to another would work very well between Stars and Stripes and Fairest of the Fair as the trios of both are in the same key and both have that bass line Eb-Bb-G-Eb progression midway though the trio; I've often though of trying to change from one to the other there.

I was pleased to see that someone listed Rifle Regiment. That march was composed for the 3rd Infantry when they were headquartered at Fort Shaw, MT, an Indian War era post 30 miles west of Great Falls where I live.

I LOVE Sousa so I have a lot of favorite marches. The two that are at the top of my list:

Who's Who in Navy Blue (even more amazing when the singing is added to the trio)
The Black Horse Troop

Hands Across the Sea and Free Lance

1895King wrote:Although tuba is my primary instrument, on Sousa I prefer to play bass drum and try to emulate the Gus Helmecke style of accents.

As far as GW Bicentennial is concerned, the key is obnoxious and there is way too much cross fingering in the break strain for me.

How to do crossfingerings on a bass drum?

K