US Field Artillery March (arr Lake)

From Wind Repertory Project
John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa (arr. Mayhew Lake)


General Info

Year: 1917 / 1918
Duration: c. 2:40
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.


Instrumentation

Full Score
D-flat Piccolo
Flute I-II
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
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Cornet Solo-I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in E-flat I-II-III-IV
Tenor Horn I-II
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Orchestra Bells
  • Snare Drum


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

One day, during John Philip Sousa’s brief wartime naval service, he was invited to a luncheon meeting in New York with Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and Army Lieutenant George Friedlander. Friedlander asked Sousa to compose a march for his field artillery regiment, suggesting that the march be built around an artillery song then known by such names as The Caisson Song, The Caissons Go Rolling Along, and The Field Artillery Song. The song was believed to be quite old, perhaps of Civil War origin, and had not been published; the composer was believed to be dead. Sousa liked the song, and agreed to use it. He placed it in a different key, changed the harmonic structure, refined the melody, gave it a more snappy rhythm, and added his own original material around it. The complete composition was then published as The U.S. Field Artillery March.

- Program Note from Appalachian State University Concert Band concert program, 22 February 2016


It came as quite a surprise to Sousa and Lieutenant Friedlander to learn that the composer of The Caisson Song was still very much alive and that the song was less than ten years old. It had been written in March 1908 by Lieutenant Edmund L. Gruber of the U.S. Army Field Artillery at Camp Stotsenburg, Philippine Islands. The piece was composed in the presence of at least two fellow officers who assisted in writing the lyrics. No doubt Lieutenant Gruber was even more surprised to find that his song, much revised, had skyrocketed to fame. He raised no objections to Sousa's use of the song, which was serving the army's purpose admirably.

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


Dedicated to the Officers and Men of the 306th Regiment of Field Artillery, N.A.

- Program Note from score


Commercial Discography


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, pp. 76.
  • Girsberger, Russ. Percussion Assignments for Band & Wind Ensemble: Volume 2 L-Z. Galesville, MD: Meredith Music Publications, 2004, 289. Print.
  • Sousa, J.; Lake, M. (1918). The U.S. Field Artillery March [score]. Carl Fischer: New York.