An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Encore Books
Digitized copies of Sousa Band encore books

 

It was tradition in the Sousa Band to play two or more encores after each program selection, meaning that a program with 10 pieces on it could expand into 25. These encores were announced to audiences by placing a large card on an easel at the front of the stage. The encores contrasted with the preceding piece and could be popular songs or short classics, but most often they were Sousa’s marches. The music was pasted into ledger-sized books. Older members of the band played from memory, while new members relied on the encore books.

The Sousa Band library was likely the largest privately owned collection of its time, and when not used for touring, it was stored in warehouses in New York City. It is believed that this collection ultimately ended up in five segments. These 44 encore books were donated to the Marine Band by Charles Walker Hyde in 1967. The Sousa encore books contain 91 tunes and 30 complete band arrangements of marches, concert programs, and sheet music. The most valuable part of the collection is the original manuscript of “The Liberty Bell.” 

Until May 2016, the fragile encore books have only been available to researchers and scholars able to visit the Marine Band Library. In an effort to make these materials more accessible and to help preserve the content, the Marine Band Library had the books digitized. To read more about the history of this collection, click here.

Please note, files are large and may take time loading on internet browsers.

 

 TitleSize 
Harp80.01 MBDownload
Flute 138.52 MBDownload
Flute 234.08 MBDownload
Piccolo33.42 MBDownload
Oboe 131.83 MBDownload
Oboe 224.93 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 133.69 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 234.58 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 334.03 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 434.94 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 531.41 MBDownload
Clarinet 1 - Stand 634.55 MBDownload
Clarinet 2 - Stand 126.28 MBDownload
Clarinet 2 - Stand 235.36 MBDownload
Clarinet 3 - Stand 133.17 MBDownload
Clarinet 3 - Stand 233.22 MBDownload
Clarinet 3 - Stand 325.25 MBDownload
Alto Clarinet34.07 MBDownload
Bass Clarinet31.08 MBDownload
Bassoon 133.54 MBDownload
Bassoon 232.49 MBDownload
Alto Saxophone 134.03 MBDownload
Alto Saxophone 227.98 MBDownload
Tenor Saxophone 130.64 MBDownload
Tenor Saxophone 226.67 MBDownload
Baritone Saxophone31.62 MBDownload
Cornet 1 (Solo)36.64 MBDownload
Cornet 2 (solo)34.24 MBDownload
Cornet 132.33 MBDownload
Cornet 2 & 329.69 MBDownload
Horn 1 & 233.30 MBDownload
Horn 3 & 431.10 MBDownload
Baritone 133.87 MBDownload
Baritone 230.73 MBDownload
Trombone 130.49 MBDownload
Trombone 235.47 MBDownload
Trombone 331.11 MBDownload
Tuba 129.66 MBDownload
Tuba 230.61 MBDownload
Tuba 330.55 MBDownload
Snare Drum34.57 MBDownload
Bass Drum35.36 MBDownload
Bass Drum (found in Tuba book)33.54 MBDownload
Timpani36.20 MBDownload