The Liberty Bell (march)

"The Liberty Bell" (1893) is an American military march composed by John Philip Sousa.[1]

History

The Liberty Bell, at the time a new composition as yet untitled, was written for Sousa's unfinished operetta The Devil's Deputy before financing for the show fell through. Shortly afterwards, while attending the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Sousa and his band manager George Hinton watched the spectacle "America", in which a backdrop depicting the Liberty Bell was lowered. Hinton suggested The Liberty Bell for the title of Sousa's unnamed march. Coincidentally, Sousa received a letter from his wife saying their son had marched in a parade in honor of the Liberty Bell. Sousa agreed, and he sold The Liberty Bell sheet music to the John Church Company for publication; the new march was an immediate success.[2] The march is played as part of an exhibit in the Liberty Bell Center.

The United States Marine Band has played The Liberty Bell march at five of the last seven presidential inaugurations: the 1993 inauguration of President Bill Clinton,[3][4] the 2005 inauguration of President George W. Bush,[5] the 2009 and 2013 inaugurations of President Barack Obama, and the 2017 inauguration of President Donald Trump.

The ship’s bell from the SS John Philip Sousa, a World War II Liberty ship, is housed at the Marine Barracks and is used by The President’s Own in select performances of the march.[6]

The Liberty Bell is also the official march past of the Canadian Forces Public Affairs Branch.[7]

Composition

The march follows the standard form of AABBCDCDC.[8] The trio (sections C and D) uses tubular bells to symbolize the Liberty Bell ringing. The bells usually begin during the first breakstrain (section D), but some bands use them at the first trio (section C).

Use in Monty Python's Flying Circus

The march is now often associated with the British TV comedy program Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–74), which used the version performed by the Band of the Grenadier Guards as a signature tune.[9] The use of the melody by the British comedy troupe Monty Python is ironic; the bouncy melody of the march may have appealed to the troupe. Terry Gilliam, the only American member of the troupe, advocated using the theme. He has said the piece was chosen because the troupe thought it would not be associated with the program's content, and that the first bell strike and subsequent melody would give the impression of getting "straight down to business."

The Monty Python mode of presenting the tune was with a single strike of the bell, lifted from the third section and increased in volume, followed by a strain of each of the first two sections, followed by the famous stomping foot animation and a noticeably flatulent "splat" sound reminiscent of a whoopee cushion (the first 13 episodes used a "raspberry"). At the end of the film Monty Python: Live at the Hollywood Bowl, the entire march was played over the closing credits.

See also

References
  1. "The Works of John Philip Sousa". John Philip Sousa – American Conductor, Composer & Patriot. Dallas Wind Symphony. Archived from the original on 8 October 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
  2. Baker, Rick (16 September 1994). "Liberty Bell March History". Skyways.lib.ks.us. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  3. "Michigan State University Libraries – Vincent Voice Library". Vvl.lib.msu.edu. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  4. Bill Clinton Presidential Inauguation 1993 (Part 1 of 3), see 6:21-9:10, on YouTube
  5. "2005". Setiathome.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  6. Bralley, Jean-Marie (20 August 2017). "John Philip Sousa: 10 Things You Don't Know About The Man Behind the Marches". USO.org. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  7. "CFAO 32-3 Regimental & Branch Marches of the Canadian Armed Forces by Timothy R. Groulx CD". Thunder Bay Telephone. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  8. "Liberty Bell March" (PDF). parts for band, including the chimes part. John Church Company. 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  9. "Monty Python's Flying Circus – Main Theme". YouTube. 16 December 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
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