"Whoever controls the media controls the mind.
The media is the message and the message is me."
AUTHOR: Jim Morrison
MEANING OF THE QUOTE:
"People are highly influenced by the art around them so the artists with the most
media air time has a responsibility to society as to the messages they send."
Sousa, known today primarily
as the "March King"
as the "March King"
march compositions, also composed a
variety of other music as well including fifteen
operettas. Earlier in his music career,
as a teen aged violinist, Sousa played
under the baton of Jacques Offenbach
and thus became very well acquainted
with the idiom of operetta as well as
being aware of the unprecedented
success of Gilbert and Sullivan's
H.M.S. Pinafore
on Broadway (Gilbert and Sullivan
being very famous operetta composers
of Sousa's day). His first operetta,
El Capitan (a 3 act operetta), about the
Viceroy of Peru posing as a fearless
rebel leader fighting to unseat himself,
being very famous operetta composers
of Sousa's day). His first operetta,
El Capitan (a 3 act operetta), about the
Viceroy of Peru posing as a fearless
rebel leader fighting to unseat himself,
is patterned after those examples and
can lay claim to being the most enduring
American comic opera of the 19th
century and also holds the position of
being the first successful Broadway
operetta composed by an American as
well as Sousa's most successful operetta.
beginning on April 13, 1896. After
this tryout, it transferred to the old
Broadway Theatre on 41st Street
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| http://www.musicals101.com/bwaypast.htm#Broadway |
in New York City on April 20, 1896,
where it ran for 112 performances,
starring DeWolf Hopper, Edna Wallace
Hopper, John Parr, and Alfred Klein.
It then toured almost continuously
across the U.S. and Canada for the
next four years, and even had a five
month run in London, beginning on
July 10, 1899, at the Lyric Theatre
 |
| http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Hammersmith.htm#lyric1 |
where it ran for 140 performances. This
was also the first operetta by an American
composer to enjoy a successful European tour
and the music was even very popular in an
excerpted version as played by the Sousa Band.
Sousa used some of his previously
composed music for the score, but the
reputation of the work rests largely on the
rhythmic vitality of the music, the colorful
and inventive writing for orchestra, and
a fine libretto written by the dramatist
Charles Klein,
composed music for the score, but the
reputation of the work rests largely on the
rhythmic vitality of the music, the colorful
and inventive writing for orchestra, and
a fine libretto written by the dramatist
Charles Klein,
his first attempt at writing
one. Inasmuch as Klein had never
written lyrics, Sousa teamed up with
the lyricist Tom Frost to help produce
them with each furnishing approximately
half the total. Sousa's most notable
contribution to this effort was
'Typical Tune of Zanzibar,'
which was set to the words of an
old poem he reportedly had
written for a periodical.
one. Inasmuch as Klein had never
written lyrics, Sousa teamed up with
the lyricist Tom Frost to help produce
them with each furnishing approximately
half the total. Sousa's most notable
contribution to this effort was
'Typical Tune of Zanzibar,'
which was set to the words of an
old poem he reportedly had
written for a periodical.
EL CAPITAN
A Typical Tune of Zanzibar
Originally scored for twelve winds,
percussion, and strings,modern
performances generally use a full-pit
orchestra. The march of the same
name is from the end of the first act
where it is sung by the chorus. Sousa
often constructed marches on themes
from most of his operettas and his
band arrangement of it has become
one of his most enduring and
best-loved compositions.
percussion, and strings,modern
performances generally use a full-pit
orchestra. The march of the same
name is from the end of the first act
where it is sung by the chorus. Sousa
often constructed marches on themes
from most of his operettas and his
band arrangement of it has become
one of his most enduring and
best-loved compositions.
EL CAPITAN MARCH
Keith Brion, Conductor
The New Sousa Band
EL CAPITAN
"Nobles of Castilian Birth"
Steven Byess, Conductor
Ohio Light Opera, 2010
EL CAPITAN (1896)
A Comic Opera in Three Acts
Music by John Philip Sousa
Book by Charles Klein
Lyrics by
Tom Frost and John Philip Sousa
PLOT OF "EL CAPITAN"
THE MUSICAL THEATRE GUIDE:
At the time of the Spanish possession
of Peru, Don Medigua has been
appointed viceroy. His predecessor,
Luiz Cazzaro, is attempting to regain
power. Rebel forces are planning an
attack on the palace, and Don Medigua,
who is not at all inclined towards
fighting, fears assassination. The
rebels are soon to be joined by the
dauntless leader El Capitan, whose
exploits have often been broadcast
even by Don Medigua. Medigua
manages to have El Capitan secretly
exterminated, however. He then
disguises himself as El Capitan with
the intent of leading the rebel forces
to defeat, revealing his true identity,
and then hanging the rebel leaders.
He reasons that he could not
lose, even in the unlikely event
lose, even in the unlikely event
that the rebels should win.
Medigua's masquerade passes the
test, and he takes his place at the
head of the rebel forces. The rebels
capture Pozzo, the Chamberlain,
believing him to be the viceroy.
Princess Marghanza, Medigua's wife,
and Isabel, Medigua's daughter, are
aghast upon hearing the false report
that the viceroy is in rebel hands.
They organize a search party and
seek out El Capitan to plead for their
loved one's release. But there is a
complication. Estrelda, daughter of
the former viceroy, has been charmed
by the many tales of El Capitan's
bravery and falls in love with him.
Since El Capitan (i.e., Don Medigua)
is already a married man, he is quite
uncomfortable. And one of the rebels,
Scaramba, is quite jealous because
he is himself in love with Estrelda.
When confronted by his wife and
daughter, Medigua is unable to
conceal his real identity for long. He
privately tells them the whole story,
and they have not choice but to
accept the situation. Before these
internal matters can be straightened
out, a Spanish army is discovered
nearby, and Medigua is obligated to
lead the rebels against it. In the midst
of all this, Isabel is being courted by
Count Hernando Verrada, who has
accompanied the search party.
Medigua purposely leads the rebels
in circles until they are too tired to
fight, and the Spanish army over-
takes them. The Spaniards are
honoring Pozzo as the liberated
viceroy when Princess Marghanza
arrives to properly identify Pozzo
and Don Medigua and end the
confusion. She is then reunited with
her husband, and he offers the hand
of Isabel to Verrada. Scaramba wins
Estrelda, and all ends happily.
http://soundsjustlike.com/update-spoonful-of-sugar-and-
imperial-march-sound-like-el-capitan-by-john-phillip-sousa/
imperial-march-sound-like-el-capitan-by-john-phillip-sousa/
EL CAPITAN OPERETTA
(Unstaged Version)
(Unstaged Version)
(PART 1)
ACT 1
Interior Viceregal Palace Sunset
Interior Viceregal Palace Sunset
1a. - Chorus: "Nobles of Castilian birth."
1b. - Recitative and Solos: "Oh, beautiful land of Spain."
1c. - Recitative Solo and Chorus: "From Peru's majestic mountains."
2a. - Chorus: "Don Medigun, all for thy coming wait."
2b. - Solo and Chorus: "If you examine human kind."
3a. - Melodrama
3b. - Solo and Chorus: "When we hear the call for battle."
4. Solo and Chorus: "Oh, spare a daughter."
5a. - Chorus: "Lo, the awful man approaches."
6. FINALE ACT 1 - "Bah! Bahl"
EL CAPITAN OPERETTA
(Unstaged Version)
(PART 2)
ACT 2
Exterior Prison - Day
Exterior Prison - Day
7a. - Introduction
7b. - Solo and Chorus: "Ditty of the Drill!'
7c. - Solo and Chorus: "Behold El Capitan"
8. Duet: "I've a Most Decided Notion"
9. Double Chorus and Solo: "Bowed with Tribulation"
10. Recitative Solo and Chorus: "Oh, Warrior Grim"
11. Sextette: "Don Medigun, Here's Your Wife."
12. FINALE ACT 2 - "He Can Not, Must Not, Shall Not"
EL CAPITAN OPERETTA
(Unstaged Version)
(PART 3)
ACT 3
Exterior Viceregal Palace Night
Exterior Viceregal Palace Night
13. Intoduction, Duet and Refrain: "Sweetheart, I'm waiting"
14. Song: "When Some Serious Affliction"
15. Ditty: "The Typical Tune of Zanzibar"
16. Chorus and Entrance of Spanish Troops
17. FINALE. "We Beg Your Kind Consideration"
The El Capitan melody is very famous
and has been set to different lyrics.
Set with patriotic lyrics it was used to
create the children's song
create the children's song
"We Love the U.S.A."
WE LOVE THE U.S.A.
The Ohio State Marching Band
has had a long association with
the music of John Phillip Sousa.
the music of John Phillip Sousa.
One of their famous marches
(written, and arranged by the Glee Club Music
Director George Kurtz Dowd, in 1897,
for their marching band and Men's Glee Club),
is called the Scarlet and Gray March.
SCARLET AND GRAY MARCH
is called the Scarlet and Gray March.
SCARLET AND GRAY MARCH
 |
| http://www.sgsosu.net/osu/media/scarletgray.pdf |
LYRICS
(Lyrics set to the melody of El Capitan)
A jolly band are we,
of roving students quite care free,
Our banner high we fling,
our Alma Mater's praise we sing,
Then three cheers so royal
for hearts so loyal,
And three times three
for the Scarlet and the Gray.
For we are from O. S. U.
with our manner debonaire,
And our hearts
so free from care,
And to College tie
we'll be so true,
For you see that we hail,
we hail from O. S. U. (Sing 2x)
The ties of love of college days
shall bind us heart to heart,
Tho' scattered far apart
wherever we may be,
And tho' thro' distant lands we roam
be thy memory e'er dear;
Our hearts shall ever
beat for thee! (Sing 2x)
(Spoken)
Wahoo! Wahoo!
Rip, Zip, Bazoo!
I yell! I yell!
O. S. U.!
Cheer again
for varsity,
Fill up the glass,
the hours will quickly pass,
For what care we
tho' time take its' flight,
We'll gaily pledge you
a health in song tonight! (Sing 2x)
LE CAPITAN MARCH
MUSICAL FORM:
Introduction
A A B B C (trio) C’ D (bridge) C C
A A B B C (trio) C’ D (bridge) C C
http://home.onemain.com/~gdavids/am_comp/sousa_cat.htm#C1886
EL CAPITAN MARCH
Cup-Passing Routine
(Movement activity to help learn musical form.)
(Movement activity to help learn musical form.)
www.musick8.com
Start by listening to the piece
and speaking the directions
orienting them to the work.
Demonstrate each of the parts.
Practice each part with the cups
before starting the music.
(Students MUST be gentle with
the cups, or they break easily.)
"El Capitan March" is in ABCD form,
with each section repeating.
Obtain red and blue cups
that have ridges on the sides.
The ridges allow used as scrapers
in the A section.
Each child gets a red and a blue cup
The routine is as follows:
SECTION A:
1. Cup in each hand
2. Tap bottom of cups to legs 2 times,
3. then tap cup bottoms against one another two times.
4. Repeat this for four sets.
5. Scrape one cup rim against the ridged part
of the other cup in the following pattern:
half note, half note, half note, half note, half note,
quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter, quarter.
6. REPEAT THE ENTIRE A SECTION
SECTION B:
1. Put red cup down face down
about 12" in front of you.
about 12" in front of you.
2. Tap bottom of blue cup
against palm of other hand 4 times,
against palm of other hand 4 times,
then toss into air.
3. Then tap 7 times against
upturned bottom of red cup.
upturned bottom of red cup.
4. REPEAT THIS THREE MORE TIMES
TO MATCH THE B SECTION, WITH ITS REPEAT.
(If you know "El Capitan March," you'll see how well
the tosses help emphasize the accents in the music!)
SECTION C:
1. Red cup stays face down on floor 12" out,
put blue cup face down on floor right in front of your legs.
2. During the entire first C section,
we practice saying the pattern for the passing part:
"tap, tap, pass" (quarter-quarter-half).
3. Pretend to tap and pass without really touching the cups.
4. Then on the repeat of the C Section,
teacher counts the kids off
and they begin passing to their right.
(This is a VERY soft part of the music,
so they must tap and pass softly.)
It is a very neat sound on carpeting with the cups face down.
SECTION D:
1. Both cups back in hands with open part up.
2. Tap cup bottoms on floor twice,
3. Then out to each side against
bottom of neighbor's cup two times.
bottom of neighbor's cup two times.
(This takes a little practice.)
4. On the repeat, we change to a ti-ti-ta
(eighth notes-quarter) rhythm on both the
floor and neighbor's cups for a challenge.
(eighth notes-quarter) rhythm on both the
floor and neighbor's cups for a challenge.
5. Do this until 2 measures from end,
when you say "STACK 'EM" and "WEAR 'EM."
6. Students put one cup inside the other
and put them on their heads like a hat if you call it right,
this should happen on the last note of the song!
FOLLOW THE MELODY
ON THIS VIDEO
Sometimes newer melodies sound
somewhat like older famous ones.
In the following examples
can a similarity be heard?
can a similarity be heard?
(Click on the links to listen)
