Talk:John Philip Sousa/GA1

GA Review
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Reviewer: Yash! (talk · contribs) 14:41, 1 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I'll be done in 20 mins. &mdash;  Yash [talk] 14:41, 1 January 2013 (UTC)
 * I'll get cracking on these in a few minutes. Go   Phightins  !  15:59, 1 January 2013 (UTC)

Lead
✅ Go   Phightins  !  16:04, 1 January 2013 (UTC)
 * /ˈsuːsə/;[1] - the note is presented in the form of a reference. It'd be better to keep it like a note (see List of prime ministers of India)
 * From 1880 until his death, Sousa began focusing exclusively on conducting and wrote marches during this time. - From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and wrote marches.
 * Upon leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. - On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band.
 * He toured Europe and Australia and also developed the sousaphone, a large brass instrument similar to the tuba. - He toured Europe and Australia and developed the sousaphone, a large brass instrument similar to the tuba.
 * Following his tenure there, Sousa returned to conduct the Sousa Band until his death in 1932. - Following his tenure, he returned to conduct the Sousa Band until his death in 1932.

Biography

 * The can be split into "Early life", "Career" and "Personal life" sections chronologically.
 * There is no mention of His father was Portuguese, and his mother of Bavarian ancestry in the article body clearly. It is stated only in the lead that his father was Portugese and mother of Bavarian ancestry.
 * George Felix Benkert (born 1831) - Any specific reason for inclusion of the birth year while there is no mention of John Esputa's? Either keep both or none
 * When Sousa reached the age of 13, his father, a trombonist in the Marine Band, enlisted his son in the United States Marine Corps as an apprentice to keep him from joining a circus band. - At the age of 13, his father, a trombonist in the Marine Band, enlisted Sousa in the United States Marine Corps as an apprentice to keep him from joining a circus band. - this is also needs a reference
 * On December 30, 1879, Sousa married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis (1862–1944). They had three children together: John Philip, Jr. (April 1, 1881 – May 18, 1937), Jane Priscilla (August 7, 1882 – October 28, 1958), and Helen (January 21, 1887 – October 14, 1975). All are buried in the John Philip Sousa plot in the Congressional Cemetery. Wife Jane joined the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1907. Daughters Jane Priscilla and Helen Abert also joined DAR in 1907. Their Patriot was Adam Bellis. - On December 30, 1879, Sousa married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis (1862–1944). They had three children: John Philip, Jr. (April 1, 1881 – May 18, 1937), Jane Priscilla (August 7, 1882 – October 28, 1958), and Helen (January 21, 1887 – October 14, 1975). All were buried in the John Philip Sousa plot in the Congressional Cemetery. Wife Jane, daughters Jane Priscilla and Helen Abert joined the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1907. Their Patriot was Adam Bellis. - this also needs a ref
 * Several years after - how many?
 * The U.S. Marine Band website says "a time"...not sure where else to go if the U.S. Government doesn't have the information.
 * Alright. What about Several years after - Later - ? &mdash;  Yash [talk] 04:32, 9 January 2013 (UTC)
 * Sousa organized his own band the year he left the Marine Band - He organized The Sousa Band the year he left the Marine Band
 * In 1900, his band represented the United States at the Paris Exposition before touring Europe. - ref?
 * In 1911 they went to Australia and performed in Sydney and Melbourne (then the national capital). - ref?
 * The marching brass bass, or sousaphone, a modified helicon, was created by J. W. Pepper – a Philadelphia instrument maker who created the instrument in 1893 at Sousa’s request using several of his suggestions in its design. He wanted a tuba that could sound upward and over the band whether its player was seated or marching. The sousaphone was re-created in 1898 by C.G. Conn and this was the model that Sousa preferred to use. - ref?
 * Sousa lived in Sands Point, New York. - from when? till when?
 * A school (John Philip Sousa Elementary) and a band shell are named after him and there is also a memorial tree planted in nearby Port Washington - A school (John Philip Sousa Elementary) and a band shell were named after him and there was a memorial tree planted in nearby Port Washington - ref?

Military service

 * Sousa served in the U.S. Marine Corps, first from 1868 to 1875 as an apprentice musician, and then as the head of the Marine Band from 1880 to 1892; he was a Sergeant Major for most of his second period of Marine service and was a Warrant Officer at the time he resigned. - ref?
 * During World War I, he was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve and led the Navy Band at the Great Lakes Naval Station near Chicago, Illinois. Being independently wealthy, he donated his entire naval salary minus one dollar a year to the Sailors' and Marines' Relief Fund. After returning to his own band at the end of the war, he continued to wear his naval uniform for most of his concerts and other public appearances. - ref?

Music

 * Remove the peacock term most popular

Operettas

 * It is the worst area in the article to be frank
 * Please keep something as lead in the section. Right now, it just starts away with a list and it isn't really a thing we see in GAs.
 * These operettas which Gervase Hughes calls "notable" (1) also show a variety of French, Viennese and British influences. - These operettas which Gervase Hughes calls "notable" show variety of French, Viennese and British influences. - who was Gervase Hughes? ref?
 * (In his younger days, Sousa made an orchestration of H.M.S. Pinafore and played the first violin on the American tour of Jacques Offenbach.) - In his younger days, Sousa made an orchestration of H.M.S. Pinafore and played the first violin on the American tour of Jacques Offenbach. - younger days? please specify the age. ref?
 * The music of these operettas is light and cheerful - according to whom? it is merely a POV. And if this is according to any notable person, use "was" in place of "is". Ref?
 * The Glass Blowers and Desirée have had revivals, the latter having been released on CD like El Capitan, the best known of them. - please rewrite. ref?
 * El Capitan has been in production somewhere in the world ever since it was written and makes fun of false heroes. - El Capitan had been in production since it was written and made fun of false heroes. - ref?
 * Still more outspoken against militarism is The Free Lance, the story of two kingdoms becoming united, which found its way to Germany (as "Der Feldhauptmann") by the time the Berlin Wall came down. - ref? this line confuses me a bit, perhaps little copyediting is needed
 * Marches and waltzes have been derived from many of these stage-works. Sousa also composed the music for six operettas that were either unfinished or not produced: The Devils' Deputy, Florine, The Irish Dragoon, Katherine, The Victory, and The Wolf. - ref?
 * He also frequently added Sullivan opera overtures or other Sullivan pieces to his concerts. - He frequently added Sullivan opera overtures or other Sullivan pieces to his concerts.
 * He is also widely quoted saying, "My religion lies in my composition." - widely quoted? POV? - He was quoted saying, "My religion lies in my composition." - or maybe you can suggest anything better than the existing one.

Other writing, skills, and interests

 * In the title Other writing, skills, and interests - Other writing skills and interests
 * Sousa exhibited many talents aside from music. - "exhibited many talents" sounds odd. please rewrite
 * and a great number of articles - how many? in dozens? 100s? 1000s? - ref?
 * He was also active in the sport of trapshooting, taking an active role on the national stage in competitions. - He participated in trapshooting, taking an active role on the national stage in competitions. - ref?
 * This is referenced in the subsection. Go   Phightins  !  16:59, 1 January 2013 (UTC)

Trapshooting

 * He even organized the first national trapshooting organization, a forerunner to today's Amateur Trapshooting Association. - He organized the first national trapshooting organization, a forerunner to today's Amateur Trapshooting Association. - ref?
 * a forerunner to today's Amateur Trapshooting Association. - a forerunner to today's Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA).
 * Some credit Sousa as the father of organized trapshooting in America. Sousa also wrote numerous articles about trapshooting. - Some credit Sousa as the father of organized trapshooting in United States. He also wrote numerous articles about trapshooting. - ref?

Writing

 * In his 1902 novel The Fifth String a young violinist makes a deal with the Devil for a magic violin with five strings. The strings can excite the emotions of Pity, Hope, Love and Joy – the fifth string is Death and can be played only once before causing the player's own death. He has a brilliant career, but cannot win the love of the woman he desires. At a final concert, he plays upon the death string. - In his 1902 novel The Fifth String, a young violinist made a deal with the Devil for a magic violin with five strings. The strings can excite the emotions of Pity, Hope, Love and Joy – the fifth string was of Death and can be played only once before causing the player's own death. He was unable to win the love of the woman he desired. At a final concert, he played upon the death string. - ref?
 * In 1905, Sousa published the book Pipetown Sandy, which included a satirical poem titled "The Feast of the Monkeys". The poem describes a lavish party attended by a variety of animals, but overshadowed by the King of Beasts, the lion...who allows the muttering guests the privilege of watching him eat the entire feast. At the end of his gluttony, the lion explains, "Come all rejoice, You’ve seen your monarch dine." - In 1905, Sousa published a book Pipetown Sandy, which included a satirical poem titled "The Feast of the Monkeys". The poem described "a lavish party attended by variety of animals, however, overshadowed by the King of Beasts, the lion...who allows the muttering guests the privilege of watching him eat the entire feast". At the end of his gluttony, the lion explained, "Come all rejoice, You’ve seen your monarch dine." - ref?
 * In 1920, he wrote another work called The Transit of Venus, a 40,000-word story. - In 1920, he wrote a a 40,000-word story, The Transit of Venus.
 * It is about a group of misogynists called the Alimony Club who, as a way of temporarily escaping the society of women, embark on a sea voyage to observe the transit of Venus. The captain's niece, however, has stowed away on board and soon wins over the men. - It was about a group of misogynists called the Alimony Club who, as a way of temporarily escaping the society of women, embark on a sea voyage to observe the transit of Venus. The captain's niece, however, had stowed away on board and soon won over the men.

Opposition to recording

 * These talking machines are going to ruin the artistic development of music in this country. When I was a boy...in front of every house in the summer evenings, you would find young people together singing the songs of the day or old songs. Today you hear these infernal machines going night and day. We will not have a vocal cord left. The vocal cord will be eliminated by a process of evolution, as was the tail of man when he came from the ape. - ref?
 * Sousa also was credited with referring to records as "canned music," referring to the fact that cylinder records were sold in cans. - Sousa was credited while dealing with records as "canned music," referring to the fact that cylinder records were sold in cans. - ref?
 * Sousa's antipathy to recording was such that he often refused to conduct his band if it was being recorded. Nevertheless, Sousa's band made numerous recordings, the earliest being issued on cylinders by several companies, followed by many recordings on discs by the Berliner Gramophone Company and its successor, the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor - Sousa's antipathy to recording was such that he often refused to conduct his band if it was being recorded. However, Sousa's band made numerous recordings, the earliest being issued on cylinders by several companies, followed by many recordings on discs by the Berliner Gramophone Company and its successor, the Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor - ref?
 * saying,[27] "I have never been in the gramophone company's office in my life." - saying, "I have never been in the gramophone company's office in my life".[27]
 * A handful of the Victor recordings were actually conducted by Sousa, but most - A handful of the Victor recordings were actually conducted by Sousa, and most
 * Details of the Victor recordings are available in the external link below to the EDVR. - ref?

Other interests

 * Sousa also appeared with his band in newsreels and on radio broadcasts (beginning with a 1929 nationwide broadcast on NBC). - ref?
 * Later, in 1925, he was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha Xi chapter at the University of Illinois. - In 1925, he was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha Xi chapter at the University of Illinois. - ref?
 * In 1922, he accepted the invitation of the national chapter to become an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary band fraternity. - ref?
 * In 1952, 20th Century Fox honored Sousa in their Technicolor feature film Stars and Stripes Forever with Clifton Webb portraying the composer. Fox music director Alfred Newman arranged the music and conducted the studio orchestra for the soundtrack. It was loosely based on Sousa's memoirs, Marching Along. - ref?
 * Sousa also wrote "A manual for trumpet and drum" an excellent booklet, published by the Ludwig drum company, with fine advice for the playing of the drum and trumpet. An early version of the trumpet solo to "Semper Fidelis" is included in this volume. - Sousa also wrote a booklet, "A manual for trumpet and drum", published by the Ludwig drum company, with advice for playing drums and trumpet. An early version of the trumpet solo to "Semper Fidelis" was included in this volume. - ref?
 * n 1952, 20th Century Fox honored Sousa in their Technicolor feature film Stars and Stripes Forever with Clifton Webb portraying the composer. Fox music director Alfred Newman arranged the music and conducted the studio orchestra for the soundtrack. It was loosely based on Sousa's memoirs, Marching Along. - source for this? - IMBD was used but it is not a reliable source and is used only for external links
 * NY Times review. Go   Phightins  !  20:38, 15 January 2013 (UTC)