July 2002

Cylinder of the Month

See also the  Cylinders of the Month Archive.

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) led the United States Marine Band from 1880-1892, after which he went "pro" – forming his own band for touring engagements and to make recordings.

Sousa said the inspiration for the Stars and Stripes Forever came to him while he was returning to the USA in late 1896.   It quickly became a national hit, being the Sousa Band's most frequently requested selection, and today is, in fact, the official march of the United States.

To hear a banjo version of the Stars and Stripes Forever, see the July 1997 Cylinder of the Month.

To hear a recording by the United States Marine Band from the period when Sousa was its director, see the September 1999 Cylinder of the Month.

To learn more, see:

• An article about Sousa courtesy of the "The President's Own" - The United States Marine Band.
• The history behind Sousa's writing of the Stars and Stripes Forever, and
• A list of Sousa's (over 200) compositions (along with many music excerpts), presented by The Dallas Wind Symphony.
• Sousa's philosophy regarding writing marches courtesy of American Treasures of the Library of Congress.
• The original Sousaphone courtesy of J.W. Pepper & Son.

To hear other examples of wax cylinders, see the

• Cylinders of the Month Archive
• Cylinder Music Shop   (Supports the preservation work of tinfoil.com)

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