Washington Post March

John Philip Sousa
(1854-1932)
"Washington Post March"
Holograph score for piano, 1889
Music Division
Gift of the Sousa Estate
(151.5)

"March music is for the feet, not for the head," John Philip Sousa stated. Sousa, the "March King," is best known for his 136 marches. His genius lay in his skill as a composer of distinctive melodies shaped into a cohesive and organic whole such as The Washington Post March shown here. Band music was so popular in America that esteemed classical musicians developed professional touring concert bands, and Sousa's was at the forefront.