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Easter Monday on the White House Lawn

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John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa (arr. R Mark Rogers)


This work is the fourth movement of Sousa's Tales of a Traveler.


General Info

Year: 1911 / 1928 / 2000
Duration: c. 2:25
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Southern Music Company
Cost: Score and Parts - $110.00   |   Score Only - $8.75


Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet (or B-flat Soprano Clarinet IV)
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Contra Alto Clarinet
B-flat Contrabass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III-IV
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Bells
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Slapstick
  • Snare Drum
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

This sprightly ragtime piece was composed in 1928 as a new final movement for Sousa's 1911 suite Tales of a Traveler, replacing the stately Coronation March with a lively piece more in keeping with the dynamic America of the roaring twenties.

- Program Note by Keith Brion


Easter egg-rolling was a tradition in Washington that began during the term of our fourth President, James Madison. Dolly Madison, the wife of the President, started the tradition in 1816. In 1880 the 44th Congress banned egg-rolling on the Capitol grounds, and subsequently President Rutherford B. Hayes invited children to continue this activity on the White House lawn. Music during the egg-roll was introduced by President Richard Harrison in 1889, with the Marine Band performing under Sousa’s direction. It is likely that Sousa’s children participated in this event.

- Program Note by the Boise State University Symphonic Winds


Sousa's 1911 suite Tales of a Traveler was a commemoration work designed to celebrate The Sousa Band’s world tour of that year, with each of the movements featuring a picturesque scene from a different memorable world location. The original last movement of the suite was designated for the coronation of King George V in Britain, but when the music was not used for that event, Sousa changed the title to reflect a scene at the White House. Seventeen years later, the March King became dissatisfied with this finale, so he composed a new movement that remains the most familiar part of the suite: the delightfully charming Easter Monday on the White House Lawn.

The scene of children rolling eggs outside the White House dates back to the Madison administration in 1816 and is continued today. Sousa, with the Marine Band, performed the work at the 1929 Egg Roll, recalling: “With the children rolling eggs, dancing, and romping, a scene of animation persists itself; the elders, from the President to the merest passerby, look on the scene with joy and pleasure.” The march itself is bubbly and vibrant, with the characteristic tunefulness of any Sousa march combined with a particularly demanding virtuosity, leaving nearly any audience member tapping their toe or humming its catchy melodies long after its conclusion.

- Program Note by Jacob Wallace for Baylor Wind Ensemble concert program, 11 February 2016


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Wind Ensemble (Nicholas Enrico Williams, conductor) - 4 April 2023
  • Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (Winona Holsinger, conductor) - 12 April 2022
  • Stephen F. Austin University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Wind Symphony (Tamey Anglley, conductor) - 25 April 2021
  • Broward College (Weston, Fla.) Symphonic Band (Neil E. Jenkins, conductor) - 25 April 2021
  • Tyler (Tx.) Junior College Wind Ensemble (Jeremy M. Strickland, conductor) - 13 April 2021
  • The College of New Jersey (Ewing) Wind Ensemble (Eric Laprade, conductor) – 18 October 2019
  • Kennesaw (Ga.) State University University Band (Trey Harris, conductor) – 22 April 2019
  • University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Symphony (Jason Silveira, conductor) – 7 March 2019
  • Mississippi Wind Symphony (Jackson) (Craig Young, conductor) - 27 June 2017
  • University of Florida (Gainesville) Symphonic Band (John M. Watkins, Jr., conductor) – 13 April 2017
  • Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Wind Ensemble (David Holsinger, conductor) – 10 April 2017
  • University of North Carolina, Greensboro, Wind Ensemble (John R. Locke, conductor) – 20 October 2016
  • Kennesaw (Ga. ) State University Wind Symphony (Debra Traficante, conductor) – 26 September 2016
  • California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, Festival Wind Orchestra (Eric Wilson, conductor) – 17 April 2016 
  • Lone Star Wind Orchestra (Dallas, Texas) (Eugene Migliaro Corporon, conductor) – 3 April 2016
  • West Chester (Penn.) University Wind Symphony (Rachael L. Smolinsky, conductor) – 21 February 2016
  • Baylor University (Waco, Texas) Wind Ensemble (J. Eric Wilson, conductor) - 11 February 2016 (2016 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
  • Dallas Winds (Jerry F. Junkin, conductor) - 3 November 2015
  • Boise (Id.) State University Symphonic Winds (Johnnie Vinson, conductor) - 5 March 2015 (80th Annual ABA National Convention)


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Sousa, J.; Rogers. R. (2000). Easter Monday on the White House Lawn: Tales of a Traveler: Suite for Band (1929) [score]. Southern Music Co.: San Antonio, Tex.
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