The Stars and Stripes Forever

The march opens with a brisk introduction, then moves through a series of contrasting strains, each a self-contained tune played twice before the music moves to the next. Listen for the piccolo obbligato: a bright, fast countermelody that flies above the band in the "trio" section, the lyrical middle strain that many listeners already know by heart. That trio tune returns, and on its final appearance the trombones add a bold countermelody underneath it, striding downward while the piccolos soar above, the moment the whole piece has been building toward. Sousa marked this last strain to be played with extra grandeur, and it typically ends the piece with the full ensemble at full volume, brass blazing and percussion sharp. There are no long pauses between sections, the strains flow into one another within a few minutes, and the piece is over almost as soon as its big moment has landed. First time through, just wait for the piccolos to break free of the texture, then wait again for the trombones to answer them, that call and response is the heart of the piece.

Sousa wrote The Stars and Stripes Forever in 1896 while sailing home to the United States after a European vacation, reportedly composing the tune in his head before setting it on paper. His band premiered it that same year in Philadelphia, and it quickly became the most popular march of his career and a staple of his ensemble's touring programs. Originally scored for concert band, it has since been arranged for full orchestra and is frequently performed by symphony orchestras, especially on patriotic and pops programs. In 1987, the US Congress designated it the official National March of the United States. It remains Sousa's best known work and one of the most recognized pieces of American music.