The Stars and Stripes Forever
Listening Guide
As performed by "The President's Own" United States Marine Corps Band, Washington, D.C.
Composer: John Philip Sousa
Composition: The Stars and Stripes Forever
Date: 1896
Genre: March
Performing Forces: large military band
What we want you to remember about this composition:
- It is the official National March of the United States
Other things to listen for
- After the march introduction, the sections of the march are called strains and then a trio section. The trio sections often have a contrasting section traditionally called a dogfight strain. These often are representative of a traditional silent movie battle scene. The "fight scene" is staged between the different sections of the band (upper and lower voices, brass against the woodwind, brass, woodwind and percussion). The complete form unfolds as follows: (Intro) aabbcdcdc
Timing
Performing Forces, Melody, and Texture
Form:
The first strain remains loud. Notes are quick and detached/separated, and include cymbal crashes. Notice the sudden softness and crescendos (gradually gets louder).
Starts piano (soft volume) the first time, melody has longer notes. Woodwind melody is heard. Euphonium compliments piccolo and woodwinds on the melody.
The second strain repeats itself. Volume brought up to f (loud) on the repeat. Brass and percussion are prominent.
Trio
With key change/pitch center to A♭. p (Piano) soft volume with flowing and connected (legato style) melody in the clarinets and saxophones being heard. The bells compliment woodwind on the melody.
The Dog Fight Strain depicts two opposing forcing battling one another musically. In this case, separated articulated accents descending between upper and lower voices in battle with one another. The fight goes back and forth between upper and lower voice. Percussion adds gun/cannon fire sounds to contribute to the battle scene. Then entire band descends to the potential final strain.
Final Strain of the Trio begins softy (p) with the famous and easily recognized piccolo solo above the previously introduced woodwind trio melody. This section features the woodwind section. But instead of ending, the woodwinds set up a repeat back to the dogfight strain.
Final Strain of the trio and march—with the full compliment of the brass. The brass compliment and the piccolo solo to the end. Band plays fff (very very loud-fortississimo). Trumpets on the melody with trombones and euphoniums on the counter melody (polyphonic).
Stinger—The march ends with the traditional musical exclamation point called the march stinger.
Stinger