George Washington Bicentennial

John Philip Sousa

General Info

Year: 1932 / 1966
Duration: c. 3:35
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Sam Fox
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute I-II-III
Oboe
Bassoon
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 Cornet I-II
Eb Horn or Alto I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Drums, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals (doubling Bass Drum)
Snare Drum

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

To commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of George Washington, a Bicentennial Commission in Washington, D.C., was formed. A gala celebration was held, the climax being an impressive ceremony at the Capital Plaza on February 22, 1932. The commission had asked Sousa to take part in the final ceremony, and he composed this march for the occasion. In this affair, one of two final appearances before his death, Sousa conducted the combined bands of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps in this new march.

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

John Philip Sousa remained active as both a composer and conductor to the very end of his life and wrote several superb marches in 1930 and 1931. A special commission was formed in Washington, D.C., in 1930 to coordinate the upcoming national celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of George Washington’s birth, and Sousa was engaged to compose a special march for the occasion. He completed the score to George Washington Bicentennial in June of that year, and while on tour with his Sousa Band in November, he made a stop in Washington, D.C., to conduct a preview of the new march with the U.S. Marine Band for President Herbert Hoover and his guests in front of the White House.

The Sousa Band continued to perform the march on its 1930 and 1931 tours before the actual bicentennial in 1932. Sousa himself took part in the climactic ceremony held at the Capitol Plaza on February 22, 1932, where he conducted the combined premier bands of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. This would be the last time he would conduct the Marine Band in public. Just a few weeks later, after finishing a rehearsal in preparation for a concert with the famed Ringgold Band of Reading, Pennsylvania, Sousa unexpectedly passed away on March 6, 1932.

- Program Note from U.S. Marine Band concert program, 14 December 2016

Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Flower Mound (Tx.) Wind Symphony (Brent Biskup, conductor) - 12 February 2021 (2021 TMEA Conference, San Antonio) (Virtual)
United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (JoAnn Falletta, conductor) – 17 February 2020
Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City) Concert Band (Patricia Brumbaugh, conductor) - 24 February 2017
United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Jason K. Fettig, conductor) - 14 December 2016 (2016 Midwest Clinic)
Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Jennifer Martin, conductor) – 16 August 2016
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) Symphonic Band (Randall Coleman, conductor) – 4 February 2016
Callanwolde Concert Band (Atlanta Ga.) (Raymond Handfield, conductor) - 22 March 2015
Montclair (N.J.) Community Band (Jim Wasko, conductor) - 23 November 2014
U.S. Marine Band (Michael J. Coburn, conductor) - 19 February 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Famous March Trios (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bergeron) (2020)
The Liberty Bell (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bocook) (1893/2011)
The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bocook) (1889/2010)
The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1889/2010)

All Wind Works

Across the Danube (1877/2015)
America (ed. Schissel) (2013)
America First (1916)
America First (arr. Gore) (1916/1989)
America First (arr. Teague) (1916/1940)
Among My Souvenirs
Anchor and Star (1918)
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company (1924)
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company (arr. Brion) (1924/2020)
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company (ed. Schissel) (1924/2019)
At the Movies (arr. Rogers) (1922)
The Atlantic City Pageant (1927)
The Aviators (1931)
The Aviators (arr. Gore) (1931)
Ballet of the States. See: March of the States
The Band Came Back
The Beau Ideal (1893)
The Beau Ideal (arr. Bourgeois) (1893/2005)
The Beau Ideal (arr. Hautvast) (1893/2007)
The Beau Ideal (arr. Worman)
The Belle of Chicago (1892)
The Bell of Chicago (arr. Byrne) (1892)
Ben Bolt (1888)
The Black Horse Troop (1924)
The Black Horse Troop (ed. Booker) (1924/2020)
The Black Horse Troop (ed. Fennell) (1924/1974)
Blue Ridge! I'm Coming Back to You (1917)
Bonnie Annie Laurie (1883)
Bonnie Annie Laurie (ed. Foster) (1883/2014)
Boots (1916)
Boy Scouts of America (arr. Schissel) (1916/2008)
The Bride Elect (1897)
Bullets and Bayonets (1919)
Bullets and Bayonets (arr. Fennell) (1919/1989/2005)
Capitol March. See: The Federal
A Century of Progress (1931)
The Chantyman's March (ed. U.S. Marine Band) (1918/2019)
The Chariot Race (1890)
The Charlatan (ed. Brion) (1898/2017)
The Charlatan: Waltzes (ed. Rogers)
Christmas and Sousa Forever (arr. Giroux)
The Circumnavigators Club (1931)
Circus Galop from "The Irish Dragoon" (ed. Schissel) (1915/2004)
Columbia's Pride (arr. Corrie) (1914/2018)
Comrades of the Legion (1920)
Comrades of the Legion (1920/2019)
Comrades of the Legion (ed. Byrne) (1920/1996)
Congress Hall (1882)
The Corcoran Cadets March (arr. Fennel) (1890)
The Corcoran Cadets March (1890)
The Crusader March (1888)
Cubaland (1925)
Daughters of Texas (1930)
Daughters of Texas (arr. Fennell) (1929/1987)
The Dauntless Battalion (1922/2020)
The Dauntless Battalion (arr. Glover) (1922/1996)
The Diplomat March (arr. Byrne) (1904/1997)
The Diplomat March (1904)
The Directorate (1894)
Easter Monday on the White House Lawn (arr. Gore) (1911/1928/)
Easter Monday on the White House Lawn (arr. Rogers) (1911/1928/2000)
El Capitan (1896)
El Capitan (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1896/1999)
El Capitan (arr. Bullock) (1896/1999)
El Capitan (ed. Fennell) (1896/1989)
El Capitan (arr. Hautvast) (1896/2009)
El Capitan (arr. Hindsley) (1896/197-?)
El Capitan (tr. Morris) (1896/1974/2000)
Esprit de Corps (ed. Foster) (1878/2011)
Fairest of the Fair (1908/1951)
The Fairest of the Fair (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1908/2000)
The Fairest of the Fair (ed. Fennell) (1908/1978)
Famous March Trios (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bergeron) (2020)
The Federal (1910/1911)
The Federal (arr. Rhea) (1911/2005)
Flags of Freedom (1918)
Flags of Freedom (arr. Gore) (1918)
The Flashing Eyes of Andalusia (arr. Brion) (1920/2014)
Foshay Tower Washington Memorial (arr. Dorff) (1929/1977)
The Free Lance March (1906)
The Free Lance March (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1906/2019)
The Free Lance March (arr. Goldman) (1906/1959)
The Free Lance March (ed. Revelli) (1906/1981)
From Maine to Oregon (1913)
From Maine to Oregon (arr. Bourgeois) (1913/2004)
From Maine to Oregon (arr. Rhea) (1913/1999)
Fugue on Yankee Doodle (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1996)
The Gallant Seventh (1922/1950)
The Gallant Seventh (arr. Bourgeois) (1922/2003)
The Gallant Seventh (arr. Fennell) (1922/1971)
The Gallant Seventh (ed. Schissel) (1922/2006)
George Washington Bicentennial March
George Washington Bicentennial (1932/1966)
George Washington Bicentennial March (ed. Fennell) (1932/2006)
The Gladiator (arr. Story) (1886/2015)
The Gladiator March (1886)
The Gladiator March (arr. Balent) (1886/2007)
The Gladiator March (arr. Byrne and Boyd) (1886/1994)
The Gladiator March (arr. Brion) (1886/2015)
The Gladiator March (arr. Schissel) (1886/2016)
The Gliding Girl (arr. Schissel) (1912/2008
Globe and Eagle (1879)
Globe and Eagle (arr. Gore) (1879)
The Glory of the Yankee Navy (1909)
The Glory of the Yankee Navy (arr. Schissel) (1909/2004)
The Glory of the Yankee Navy (arr. Fennell) (1909/1984)
The Glory of the Yankee Navy (arr. Gore) (1909)
Golden Jubilee March (1928)
Golden Jubilee March (arr. Fennell) (1928/1971/2005)
The Golden Star (1919/2019)
Good-Bye (ed. Tam) (1892/2016)
The Gridiron Club (1926)
The Gridiron Club (arr. Gore) (1926/2004)
Guide Right (1881)
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty (1900)
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty (arr. Schissel) (1900/2010)
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty (ed. Hunsberger) (1900/1983)
Hands Across the Sea (1899/1927)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Balent) (1899/2012)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Bihler) (1899/)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1899/1997)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Brubaker) (1899/2007)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Contorno) (1899/)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Fennell) (1899/1982)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Goldhammer) (1899/1996)
Hands Across the Sea (arr. Rundel) (1899/2005)
Harmonica Wizard (1930)
Her Ladyship, the Countess
Here's to Your Health, Sir! (1886)
The High School Cadets (1890)
The High School Cadets (arr. Foster) (1890/2005)
The High School Cadets (ed. Byrne) (1890/1998)
The High School Cadets (arr. Story) (1890/2014)
Hip Hip Hooray. See: March of the States
Homeward Bound (1891-1892)
Homeward Bound (arr. Schissel) (1891?/1992/2014)
The Honored Dead (1876)
Humoresque on Swanee by George Gershwin (arr. Brion) (1920/1928/2003)
Humoresque on the Theme "Look for the Silver Lining" (arr. Dvorak) (1922/1979)
Imperial Edward March (ed. Rogers) (1902/)
Imperial Edward March (arr. Schissel) (1902/2012)
In Flanders Fields the Poppies Grow (1918)
In Memoriam (1881)
In Parlor and Street (1880)
The International Congress (1876)
The Invincible Eagle (arr. Bocook) (1901/2004)
The Invincible Eagle (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1901/1995)
The Invincible Eagle March (arr. Helmecke) (1901/1951)
The Invincible Eagle March (1901)
I've Made My Plans for the Summer (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1907/1997)
Jack Tar (1903)
Jack Tar (arr. Hunsberger) (1903/1973)
Jack Tar March (arr. Schissel) (1903/2016)
Juba Dance (as orchestrator) (1913/1926)
Kansas Wildcats March (arr. Gore) (1931/2005)
Keeping Step with the Union (1921/2019)
Keeping Step with the Union (arr. Brion)(1921/2012)
King Cotton (1895)
King Cotton (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1895/2000)
King Cotton (ed. Fennell) (1895/1983)
La Flor de Sevilla (1929)
La Flor de Sevilla (arr. Schissel) (1929/1951)
La Reine de la Mer Valses (1886)
The Lambs' March (1914)
The Lambs' March (arr. Schissel) (1914/2011)
The Last Days of Pompeii (1893/1912)
The Last Days of Pompeii (ed. Rogers) (1893/1912/2010)
The Legionaires (1930)
The Liberty Bell (1893/1921)
The Liberty Bell (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bocook) (1893/2011)
The Liberty Bell (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1893/2001)
The Liberty Bell (arr. Helmecke) (1893/1951)
The Liberty Bell (arr. Johnson) (1893/?)
The Liberty Bell (ed. Revelli) (1893/1982)
The Liberty Bell (arr. Story) (1893/2002)
The Liberty Bell (arr. Tamura) (1893)
Liberty Loan (1917)
Liberty Loan (arr. Brion) (1917/2015)
The Library of Congress March (arr. Bulla) (1932/2003)
The Lion Tamer. See: On Parade
Look for the Silver Lining (1922)
Looking Upward Suite (ed. Bourgeois) (1902/1904/1999)
The Loyal Legion March (1890)
Magna Charta March (1927/1928)
The Man Behind the Gun (1899)
Manhattan Beach March (arr. Balent) (1893/2015)
Manhattan Beach March (adapt. Brion and Schissel) (1893/1996)
Manhattan Beach March (ed. Contorno) (1893/1984 )
Manhattan Beach March (ed. Fennell) (1893/1980)
Manhattan Beach March (arr. Helmecke) (1893/1951)
March of the Mitten Men (Power and Glory) (1923)
March of the Pan Americans (1916)
March of the Royal Trumpets (1892)
March of the States (1915)
A March of the States (arr. Schissel) (1915/2018)
March of the Sun. See: Prince Charming
Marching through Georgia
Marquette University March (1924)
Mikado March (1885)
A Mingling of the Wets and the Drys
The Minnesota March (arr. Bencriscutto) (1927)
The Minnesota March (arr. Fennell) (1927/1990)
Mother Goose (1883)
Mother Hubbard March (1885)
Mountain and City
National Fencibles (1888)
National Fencibles (arr. Schissel) (1888/2013)
The National Game (1925)
The National Game (arr. Brion) (1925/2005)
The Naval Reserve (1917)
New Mexico March (arr. Fennell) (1928/1970)
New York Hippodrome (1915)
New York Hippodrome (ed. Bryne) (1915/2000)
New York Hippodrome (arr. Knoener) (1915)
New York Hippodrome (arr. Brion) (1915/2014)
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (1923)
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (arr. Brion) (1923/2019)
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (arr. Bullock) (1923/2001)
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (arr. Fennell) (1923/1972)
The Northern Pines (1931/1998)
The Occidental (1887/1891/2016)
Old Ironsides (arr. Lovrien and Gann) (1926/1999/2007)
Old Ironsides (arr. Patterson) (1926/2020)
On Parade (1892)
On the Campus (ed. Schissel) (1920/2005)
On the Tramp (1879)
On the Wings of Lightning (arr. Sanford) (1876/1941)
Our Flirtation (1880)
Overture to "Vautour" (1886)
The Pathfinder of Panama (1915)
The Pathfinder of Panama (ed. Borodach) (1915/2021)
The Pathfinder of Panama (arr. Brion) (1915/2016)
The Pathfinder of Panama (arr. Byrne) (1915/1993)
The Pathfinder of Panama (arr. Dvorak) (1915/1978)
The Pathfinder of Panama (arr. Schissel) (1915/2018)
Peaches and Cream (1924)
People Who Live in Glass Houses (arr. Bourgeois) (1909/2004)
Pet of the Petticoats (1883)
The Phoenix March (1875) [lost]
The Picador (1889)
Power and Glory. See: March of the Mitten Men (Power and Glory)
Powhattan's Daughter (ed. Schissel) (1907/2013)
Powhatan's Daughter (arr. Kaisershot) (1907/1991)
Prelude a l'apre-midi d'un Faune (as transcriber) (1894)
President Garfield's Funeral March. See: In Memoriam
President Garfield's Inauguration March (ed. Carrie) (1881)
President Garfield's Inauguration March (arr. Gore) (1881)
Presidential Polonaise (1886)
Presidential Polonaise (arr. Simpson) (1886)
The Pride of Pittsburgh (arr. Brion) (1901/2014)
The Pride of the Wolverines (1926)
The Pride of the Wolverines (ed. Fennell) (1926/2006)
Prince Charming (1928)
Processional (ed. Bourgeois) (1918/2006)
The Quilting Party (1889)
Recognition March (ca. 1880)
Resumption (1879/2015)
Review (arr. Corrie) (1873 / 2015)
Revival March (tr. Oliver) (1876)
Revival March (1876)
Riders for the Flag
Riders for the Flag (ed. Fennell) (1927/1968)
The Rifle Regiment (ed. Fennell) (1886/1985)
The Rifle Regiment (arr. Hautvast) (1886/2011)
The Rifle Regiment March (1886)
Right Forward (1881)
Right-Left (1883)
The Rose, Thistle and Shamrock (arr. Brion) (1901/2004)
The Royal Welch Fusiliers (No. 1) (1929)
The Royal Welch Fusiliers (No. 2) (1930)
Sabre and Spurs (1918)
Sabre and Spurs (arr and adapt. Brion and Schissel) (1918/1999)
Sabre and Spurs (ed. Fennell) (1918/1951)
Salutation (1873) [lost - poss. revised as "Recognition March"]
Salute to Kansas (arr. Corrie and Foster) (c. 1930/1990)
The Salvation Army March (1930)
Semper Fidelis (1888)
Semper Fidelis (arr. Balent) (1888/2009)
Semper Fidelis (arr. Bourgeois) (1888/1996)
Semper Fidelis (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1888/1995)
Semper Fidelis (arr. Hindsley) (1888/1954/197-?)
Semper Fidelis (arr. Patterson) (1888/)
Sesqui-Centennial Exposition March (arr. Gore) (1926/2003)
Sheep and Goat Walking to Pasture
Sheridan's Ride (1908)
Showing Off Before Company (1919)
Sisterhood of the States. See: March of the States
Smick, Smack, Smuck (1878)
Solid Men to the Front! (1918)
Solid Men to the Front! (arr. Byrne) (1918/1994)
Songs of Grace and Songs of Glory (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1995)
Sound Off (1885)
Sound Off (arr. Balent) (1885/2018)
Sound Off (arr. Bourgeois) (1885/2005)
Sound Off (arr. Brion) (1885/2014)
Sousa! (arr. Barker) (1981)
Sousa March Carnival (arr. Iwai) (2004)
A Sousa Portrait (arr. Foster) (2004)
The Sousa Scramble (arr. Murtha) (2000)
Sousa's Cadets (arr. Loest) (2012)
A Stag Party (c. 1885)
The Star-Spangled Banner (as orchestrator; ed. Murtha) (1814/1918/)
Stars and Stripes for Christmas (arr. Foster) (1896/2003)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (original) (1896/2016)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (ed. Byrne) (1896/1951)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (ed. Bourgeois) (1896/2004)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1896/1996)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (arr. Helmecke) (1896/1951)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (arr. Newland) (1896)
The Stars and Stripes Forever (ed. Revelli) (1896/1988)
Tales of a Traveler (arr. Rogers) (1912/1999)
Tally-Ho! (1886/1894)
Tannhäuser Overture (as arranger) (1845/)
Three Quotations (arr. Rogers) (1895/1997)
The Thunderer (1889)
The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bocook) (1889/2010)
The Thunderer (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1889/1998)
The Thunderer (ed. Fennell) (1889/1997)
The Thunderer (arr. Hatch) (1889/2001)
The Thunderer (ed. Jurrens) (1889/1984)
The Thunderer (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Stanton) (1889/2010)
Transit of Venus (1883)
Transit of Venus (arr. Bourgeois) (1883/2013)
Transit of Venus (arr. Schissel) (1883/2003)
The Triton (1879/1892)
The Triton (arr. Foster) (1879/1892/2009)
Triumph of Time (1885)
Turkey in the Straw (as arranger; tr. Guion) (1919/1931)
Universal Peace (probably 1925 or 1926)
University of Illinois March (1929)
University of Nebraska (1928)
Untitled march (1930)
USAAC March (1918)
U.S. Field Artillery March (arr. Brion) (1917/2003)
U.S. Field Artillery March (arr. Lake) (1917/1918)
U.S. Field Artillery March (arr. Wagner) (1917/2016)
The Voice of a Departing Soul (as transcriber)
The Volunteers (1918)
The Volunteers (ed. Foster) (1918/2008)
Washington Post (arr. Hautvast) (1889/2014)
The Washington Post (1889/1917)
The Washington Post (arr. Bocook) (1889/2010)
The Washington Post (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1889/1997)
The Washington Post (ed. Byrne) (1889/1992)
The Washington Post (arr. Carnahan) (1889/)
The Washington Post (arr. Fennell) (1889/1983)
The Washington Post (arr. Story) (1889/1998)
We Are Coming March (ed. Schissel) (1918)
Wedding March (Sousa) (1918)
When My Dreams Come True (1929)
When the Boys Come Sailing Home! (1918)
When the Boys Come Sailing Home! (arr. Brion) (1918/2014)
The White Plume (1884)
The White Rose (1917/2019)
The White Rose (arr. Brion) (1917/2003)
The White Rose (arr. Gore) (1917/1983)
The White Rose (arr. Holsinger) (1917/)
Who's Who in Navy Blue (1920)
Who's Who in Navy Blue (ed. Byrne) (1920/1995)
The Wildcats (arr. Gore) (1930 or 1931)
William Tell Overture (as transcriber)
Willow Blossoms (arr. Brion and Schissel) (1916/1995)
Wisconsin Forward Forever March (arr. Glover) (1917/1987)
Wisconsin Forward Forever March (arr. Schissel) (1917/2017)
With Pleasure (ed. Foster) (1912/2006)
With Pleasure (arr. Schissel) (1912/2006)
The Wolverine March (ed. Foster) (1881/2012)
Yorktown Centennial (1881)

Resources

Bierley, P. (1973). John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works. University of Illinois Press; Urbana, pp. 46.
Girsberger, Russ. Percussion Assignments for Band & Wind Ensemble: Volume 2 L-Z. Meredith Music Publications, 2004, pp. 283.