“Stars and stripes forever,” by John Philip Sousa. Cincinnati: The John Church Company, 1898.
The following is a guest post by Nicholas A. Brown, Music Specialist, Concert Office.
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), the famed composer and bandmaster, holds a very special place in the history of Washington, D.C., the Library of Congress, and of course, the United States. The John Philip Sousa Collection, which includes music manuscripts, photographs, literary manuscripts and business papers, is housed in the Library’s Music Division.
Sousa remains one of the most legendary figures ever to reside in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. This Sunday, November 4, at 1:00 pm, the Library of Congress presents a special tribute to Sousa’s music and legacy at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. John Philip Sousa, IV, great-grandson of the most storied bandmaster in American history, is joined by the Music Division’s own Loras John Schissel for a scintillating program.
The afternoon will start off with a screening of the classic Henry Koster (1905-1988) film Stars and Stripes Forever (1952), staring Clifton Webb (1889-1966) as Sousa. John and Loras will discuss Sousa’s music and legacy as an American musical icon, as well as their new book John Philip Sousa’s America: The Patriot’s Life in Images and Words. They will sign copies of their book following the discussion. This rewarding afternoon will give an insight into the notion of living history, something all of our programs strive for at the Library.
The Hill Center was built by the Department of the Navy from 1864 to 1866 for the benefit of “seamen serving on the Potomac River and its tributaries.” The remarkable facility underwent a major renovation in recent years, and now serves as “a vibrant home for culture, education and city life on Capitol Hill.” This season, Concerts From the Library of Congress, is presenting a pilot series at the Hill Center, connecting culture and community.
View the program here (pdf).
News from the Concert Office
Just a reminder of two schedule changes:
The Prazak Quartet unfortunately withdrew from their November 3, 2 p.m. performance as a result of illness. They will be replaced by the Escher String Quartet in a program of Purcell, Britten, Gesualdo and Beethoven.
The Founder’s Day Concert, featuring music of Morton Subotnick, has been rescheduled to Friday, November 9, 8:00 p.m., due to the inclement weather on Tuesday, October 30. All tickets from the original date will be honored.
Event Listing
Stars and Stripes Forever with John Philip Sousa, IV and Loras John Schissel
Sunday, November 4, 2012, 1:00 p.m.
Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.,Washington,D.C.
Visit loc.gov/concerts for more information. Free and open to the public. Reservations are required and may be made at hillcenterdc.org, or by calling (202) 549-4172.