“The Beau Ideal” (1893)

“Sousa is the joy of the masses, the beautiful musician.” The expression “beau ideal” was used in the early 1890’s to describe anything that had caught the public fancy. An inscription on the original sheet music indicates that the “beau ideal” in the title was a newly formed organization called The National League of Musicians of the United States.

Paul E. Bierley, The Works of John Philip Sousa (Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1984), 43. Used by permission.