Antique Blog

Patriotic Sheet Music

Music by: E.T. Paull
Lyrics by: H.A. Freeman
Cover artist: A. Hoen Litho.


Patriotic songs continued to flourish throughout the 19th century, the American Civil War perhaps being one of the more prolific periods where both the South and the North generated numerous songs to stir patriotic feelings. After that war, most of the Patriotic music focused on rebuilding America and consolidating a united front. Other wars of course came and went during that century but perhaps the first real test of American resolve after the Civil War came with the Spanish American War of 1895 - 1902.. This march with lyrics is one of the grandest expressions of unity that I've seen. As with most Paull works, it is expansive seems to go on forever.

ET Paull (link to in-depth biography) was one of America's patriotic march and musical greats, his marches were full of spirit and patriotism that have been matched by few others. This work, featured before in our feature of E. T. Paull works is one of Paull's greatest and more unusual works in that Paull has included lyrics. In general, almost all of Paull's works are piano solo and only two or three contain lyrics. In this one Paull also included a bonus at the end; an arrangement of America that makes this entire work just ooze with patriotism. If you are an American, you have to love this work! Make no mistake though, this is not a song in the normal sense, it is still very much a march and even though it has a nice chorus that is very reflective of songs of the day, it also very unusually then transitions into a trio, then repeats, then transitions to the version of America. The sheet music cover shows the work available as a Piano solo, four hand or Song version. It would play just as well as a piano solo march. Musically, this is one of Paul's best.

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