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President Garfield's Inauguration March
President Garfield's Inauguration March from The Complete Marches of John Philip Sousa: Vol. 1

 

President Garfield’s Inauguration March (1881)

 

The only two marches Sousa dedicated to presidents of the United States were composed for James A. Garfield, and they marked the beginning and end of his short tenure of office. The first was the stately President Garfield’s Inauguration March, which bears the inscription Opus 131. It was first performed by the U. S. Marine Band, with Sousa conducting, at the inauguration ceremonies on March 4, 1881. The second march honoring President Garfield was “In Memoriam.”

Paul E. Bierley, The Works of John Philip Sousa (Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1984), 78. Used by permission.