Crusader March, The

About the music

The Crusader (1888) Only those who receive certain degrees in Masonry may fully appreciate the meaning of this composition, which was written shortly after Sousa was 'knighted' in Columbia Commandery No. 2, Knights Templar, Washington, D.C.. The Knights Templar is theoretically derived from the Crusades, and a number of their secret rituals and ceremonies relate to the period when the Crusaders were battling the Turks. Therefore the Knights Templar organization itself is probably the 'Crusader,' unless Sousa had some individual in mind whose identity has escaped historians.

"The march was one of several sold outright to the Philadelphia publisher Harry Coleman for $35.00. It is interesting harmonically, yet straightforward and simple. If Sousa secretly used fragments of any Masonic music in the march, he concealed it so well that Masonic historians have been unable to bring it to the public's attention."

From The Works of John Philip Sousa
Paul E. Bierley
Integrity Press
1984

Performance Notes

In this edition, the original key of Db has been changed to Eb to make the tessitura of the melodic instruments more accessible. Likewise, parts have been combined and eliminated to meet the needs of modern band instrumentation. The written interpretation of dynamics, voicings, and percussion parts are all reflective of Sousa’s performance practice.