An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 7 | BAND MUSIC AFTER THE CIVIL WAR 169

date: 1897

performers: The U.S. Marine Band

genre: march

meter: duple

form: long march

Listening Guide 7.1 The Stars and Stripes Forever JOHN PHILIP SOUSA

timing section comments

0:00 introduction Four-bar introduction: full band playing a single melodic line in octaves, then

dividing into harmony. Syncopation in bar 2 foreshadows later syncopation

0:03 A Sprightly 16-bar melody in trumpets, doubled in high woodwinds; second half

( bars 9–16) alternates soft and loud in 2-bar units.

0:17 A Literal repeat of A.

0:31 B New 16-bar melody stated by trumpets and trombones in octaves. Syncopation in

bar 5.

0:46 B Repeat of B adds contrasting soft and loud dynamics in 4-bar units.

1:00 trio

C

Subdominant key. Lyrical 32-bar melody. Syncopation at bar 13.

1:29 D Break strain (24 bars): New texture of alternating low- and high-register

instruments, agitated harmony, active rhythms.

1:51 C Lyrical melody combined with a new countermelody in piccolos suggesting

Revolutionary-era fi fes.

2:19 D Repeat of break strain.

2:41 C Lyrical melody combined with piccolo countermelody and new low-register

countermelody in trombones.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• multiple strains, each melodically distinct
  and each repeated


• key change at trio


• contrasting texture at break strain


• addition of countermelodies (piccolo, then
  trombones) at repetitions of trio strain

CD 1.22

Listen & Refl ect

1. How does Sousa make use of the resources of the wind band; in other words, what makes
   this music particularly well suited to the wind band?


2. Conversely, what are some features of this music that might survive if it were played by
   any of the other instrumental combinations mentioned in the text in relation to Sousa’s
   march El Capitan?


3. In other words, what features of this music are entirely independent of the sound of the
   wind band?

172028_07_162-182_r3_ko.indd 169 23/01/13 10:19 AM