Arguably the most well-known marching band leader of all time, John Philip Sousa's music can be found in a number of likely places, such as 4th of July parades, and a number of less likely places, including the humorous introduction to Monty Python's flying circus. During his long life, Sousa composed hundreds of marches, fifteen operettas, and seventy other separate vocal works. This prodigious amount of work fits with Sousa's work ethic, which he summed up by saying, "When you hear of Sousa retiring, you will hear of Sousa dead." His work and legacy can be explored in this rather lovely online digital collection created from materials held by the Library of Congress. Visitors can browse over 100 photos, vocal scores, instrumental parts, librettos, and other printed materials on the site. The site also features 57 audio recordings, and visitors should listen in to such lesser-known works like the "Ye Boston Tea Party" march, performed by Sousa's own band. Finally, the site also includes a Sousa timeline, a discography of the Sousa Band, and several articles on Sousa's work and contributions to American culture.
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