John Philip Sousa (/ ˈsuːsə /;; November 6, 1854 -- March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known primarily for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King '', or the "American March King '' due to his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford also being known by the former nickname. Among his best - known marches are "The Stars and Stripes Forever '' (National March of the United States of America), "Semper Fidelis '' (Official March of the United States Marine Corps), "The Liberty Bell '' (used as the theme for Monty Python 's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer '' and "The Washington Post ''.
what type of music did john philip sousa write
American military and patriotic marches