GRADE LEVEL: 4
DURATION: 3:50
 
Originally published in 1906, The Free Lance has always been regarded as one of Sousa’s finest marches. The use of changing textures, meters, and dynamics make this selection a classic choice when programming repertoire. Sousa combines themes from his operetta, Free Lance, to create this march. There were so many spirited march tunes in the operetta that Sousa felt obligated to include most of them when piecing together march. Sousa makes a change of time signature from the opening six-eight meter to a two-four meter in the trio, an interesting effect he used in only a handful of his other marches. The trio of the march corresponds to the song “On to Victory” in the operetta, and some editions of the march were actually published under that title. Great care has been taken by the arranger to preserve the original nuances and stylistic writing of Sousa while presenting it in this contemporary band setting with a full complement of percussion.