Description
In 1987 Congress made The Stars and Stripes Forever the National March of the United States, and it is Sousa's most famous work. It was conceived at the end of 1896 aboard a ship returning from a trip to Europe and first performed in 1897, and bands all over the world still play it.
Lasting about 3 minutes 32 seconds with 2,514 notes, it is the longest of the Sousa marches collected here. It moves in cut time (2/2), and in the final trio the famous tune is joined by a brilliant countermelody that a band gives to the piccolo. The range runs from A-flat 1 up to A-flat 6, so the lowest notes are missing on a 61-key digital keyboard.
Melody, countermelody and bass all sound at once in the closing section, the highlight of this advanced piece and also its hardest part; the balance has to keep the main tune from getting lost in the texture. Isolate this passage with the A-B loop, slow the playback, and use the hand colours to see which hand carries the melody. Playing for three and a half minutes also takes stamina, so finish each section separately before joining the whole.
A broad collection of standalone piano pieces not belonging to any specific set, offering hundreds of varied character pieces to explore and compare.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)
John Philip Sousa (1854-1932) was an American composer and bandleader known as 'The March King.' He composed numerous marches, including 'The Stars and Stripes Forever,' and played a major role in developing the American concert band tradition. This site includes ten of his works, such as 'The Liberty Bell March.'
View all works by Sousa →