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The Liberty Bell came very close to being called "The Devil's Deputy." But due to financial arguments, Sousa abandoned this title and its soon-to-be dedication.
Sousa and his band manager George Hinton were touring in Chicago observing the spectacle America, when a large backdrop depicting The Liberty Bell was lowered. Hinton suggested the title "The Liberty Bell" for Sousa's recently completed march.
Concidentially, Sousa received a letter from his wife, saying that his son marched in a parade which honored the Liberty Bell, which was on tour in Philadelphia.
These two events helped Sousa make up his mind. The march was named "The Liberty Bell" and sold to the John Church Company for publication. It brought Sousa a very large sum of money.
The melodies in The Liberty Bell have a very lively and bouncy feel to them. It is said that the themes come from a whistling tune, much like Kenneth Alford's " Colonel Bogey March".
The march follows the standard form (IAABBCDCDC).
The bass line is a prominent part, which is usually played out more.
The first strain of the march carries an agreeably catchy tune, but the fact that it has very simple and similar phrases is not obvious. The second strain holds some more diverse phrasing and dynamic contrasts than the 1st.
The trio is a definite contrast, combining the two ideas of repeated phrasing and diverse phrasing.
Unlike most trios which carry a more mellow and simpler feel, The Liberty Bell's trio jumps right in, first with two identical phrases rising up the scale, both with a different fanfaric note. Separating these two phrases are two identical phrases holding three sudden low notes, and then a phrase of quarter and eighth notes. The first two indentical phrases repeat, and take you to the breakstrain, a typical low brass statement with woodwind responses.
What makes the trio unique is the use of tubular bells, which symbolizes the Liberty Bell ringing in the distance. The bell part is usually started during the first breakstrain, but some bands start it right away at the first trio.
| Patriotic Music of the United States | |
|---|---|
| " America the Beautiful" | " Ballad of the Green Berets" | " Battle Cry of Freedom " | " Battle Hymn of the Republic" | " Columbia, Gem of the Ocean " " For The Dear Old Flag, I Die " | " God Bless America" | " God Bless the USA" | " Hail to the Chief" | " The Liberty Bell" |" My Country, Tis of Thee" " Stars and Stripes Forever" | " The Star-Spangled Banner" | " There's a Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere " | " This is My Country " | " This Land is Your Land" | " Yankee Doodle" | " You're a Grand Old Flag" | " When Johnny Comes Marching Home " | |