Thunderer March, The Cover Image

Thunderer March, The: Concert Band, Conductor Score & Parts

$55.00 USD
$55.00 USD
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Thunderer March, The Cover Image
Thunderer March, The: Concert Band, Conductor Score & Parts

Thunderer March, The: Concert Band, Conductor Score & Parts

By John Philip Sousa, ed./arr. by Frederick Fennell

Grade: 4

Item: 36-10100335
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Description
"The Thunderer" is among the early set of marches Sousa sold outright to the Philadelphia publisher, Harry Coleman, for thirty-five dollars apiece. Its unusual second strain, music taken from Sousa's "The Trumpet and Drum," introduces the trumpet tune, "Here's to your Health, Sir," above and below which he weaves fascinating conter-tunes for clarinets and trombones. The broad and contrasting music that follows is well-known Sousa.

Don't just read it, hear it, play along with it, and watch your students grow with it. In MakeMusic Cloud, Thunderer March, The: Concert Band, Conductor Score & Parts comes alive with professional accompaniment, adjustable tempo, and built-in practice tools that turn solo practice into real progress.

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Additional Details
Series: Fennell Editions - LudwigMasters
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-57-891087-0
ISBN13: 978-1-57-891087-8
UPC: 659359523175
SKU: 36-10100335
Instrumentation: Concert Band

More about this title

About the Composer: John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa (1854, 1932) shaped American band music as both composer and conductor. His prolific output of marches, operettas, and instrumental works established the concert band as a serious artistic ensemble, and his influence on wind band repertoire remains unmatched more than a century later.

Sousa's genius lay in his ability to craft memorable melodies, deploy contrasting sections with precision, and write idiomatically for every instrument in the ensemble. His marches are teaching tools disguised as concert pieces, each one demonstrates structural clarity, balance, and the craft of orchestration.

Why we love this

The Thunderer showcases Sousa at his most inventive. Rather than repeat the march formula, he built the second strain from "The Trumpet and Drum" and stacked counter-melodies across the clarinet and trombone sections, creating a richly textured middle section that rewards careful listening and individual musicianship. The Fennell edition ensures modern accessibility without sacrificing the original's character.

What to expect

Brisk and spirited, with the architectural confidence Sousa brings to his best work. The opening stride gives way to a more intricate middle section where individual voices matter, then broadens into familiar march territory with warmth and swagger.

Who it's for

Bands at the Grade 4 level with solid fundamentals and the ability to balance independent lines. This is ideal for groups ready to explore Sousa beyond the most frequently performed marches while maintaining accessible technical demands.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the trumpet melody in the second strain against the counter-tunes; this section needs transparency rather than weight. Clarinets and trombones should sit underneath, offering support without obscuring the solo line.
  • Shape each strain with a sense of forward motion. Sousa's marches depend on rhythmic precision and clean articulation, but they'll feel mechanical without subtle dynamic shaping and phrase direction.
  • The broad contrasting section demands a shift in character. This is where the march settles into more reflective territory, allow the ensemble room to breathe and let the full harmonic color emerge.

How to use it

Pair this with another Sousa march to create a thematic concert section that demonstrates his range, perhaps "The Stars and Stripes Forever" for comparison. It also works as a standalone opener or closer, and its moderate difficulty makes it feasible even in a season with competing demands on rehearsal time.

Skills your students will build

  • Balancing independent melodic lines in polyphonic textures
  • Executing clean articulation at moderate to brisk tempos
  • Responding to phrase shaping and dynamic control within a metric framework
  • Reading and executing counter-melodies in the woodwind and brass sections

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