Invincible Eagle, The

From Wind Repertory Project
John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa (arr. Keith Brion and Loras John Schissel)


General Info

Year: 1901 / 1995
Duration: c. 3:30
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts - $60.00   |   Score Only - $5.00


Instrumentation

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

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Snare Drum


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Blanche Duffield, soprano of the Sousa Band in 1901, witnessed the creation of this march, and she provided this rare description of Sousa composing:

“It was [on] a train between Buffalo and New York. Outside the coach the lights of towns along the route flashed by like ghosts fluttering at the window panes. The night was dark and the few stars above twinkled fitfully. Mr. Sousa sat in his chair in the dimly lit Pullman. At the further end of the car a porter diligently brushed cushions. At intervals the engine whistled as if in pain.

“Suddenly and without previous warning Mr. Sousa began to describe circles in the air with a pencil, jerking back and forth in his seat meanwhile. Gradually the circumference of his pencil’s arcs diminished and Mr. Sousa drew a notebook from his pocket, still humming to himself.

“Notebook and pencil met. Breves and semi-breves appeared on the page’s virgin surface. Quarter notes and sixteenth notes followed in orderly array. Meanwhile Mr. Sousa furrowed his brow and from his pursed lips came a stirring air — rather a martial blare, as if hidden trombones, tubas, and saxophones were striving to gain utterance.

“Now Mr. Sousa’s pencil traveled faster and faster, and page after page of the notebook were turned back, each filled with martial bars. [I] looked on from over the top of a magazine and listened with enthusiasm as Mr. Sousa’s famous march, ‘The Invincible Eagle,’ took form.

“I tried to attract Mr. Sousa’s attention while he was supplying the accompaniment of flutes, oboes, bassoons and piccolos, but it was not until he had picked out the march on a violin on his fingers, put his notebook in his pocket, his [imaginary] violin in his case and his cigar back in his mouth that he finally turned toward me and casually remarked that it was a very dark night outside.”

The march was dedicated to the Pan-American Exposition, held in Buffalo in the summer of 1901. It outlived a march entitled The Electric Century by Sousa’s rival, Francesco Fanciulli, whose band also played at the Exposition. At first Sousa thought The Invincible Eagle would surpass The Stars and Stripes Forever as a patriotic march, although he nearly entitled it Spirit of Niagara.

- Program Note from John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works


Sousa wrote this march for his band's performance at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, in 1901. He considered naming it The Spirit of Niagara in recognition of the exposition, but decided not to localize it because he thought his new march might eventually rival The Stars and Stripes Forever. Soon after its premiere, Sousa described the conviction and spirit which compelled him to compose this march, noting, "It is what I call one of my sunshine marches. Some of my heavy marches are intended to convey the impression of the stir and strife of warfare, but The Invincible Eagle shows the military spirit at its lightest and brightest – the parade spirit ... with the bravery of uniform, the sheen of silken stands, and the gleam of polished steel."

- Program Note by Lee University Wind Ensemble concert program, 30 November 2016


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources

  • Bierley, P. (1973). John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works. University of Illinois Press: Urbana, Ill., p. 53.
  • Perusal Score
  • Sousa, J.; Brion, K.; Schissel, L. (1995). The Invincible Eagle [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Retrieved from "https://www.windrep.org/index.php?title=Invincible_Eagle,_The&oldid=420538"