The Stars and Stripes Forever

"The Stars and Stripes Forever" is a patriotic American march widely considered to be the magnum opus of composer John Philip Sousa. By act of Congress, it is the National March of the United States of America.

The Stars and Stripes Forever is the most popular march of all time. Sousa always insisted that this piece was divinely inspired and brought forth by homesickness. While vacationing in Italy in 1896, he received word that his longtime manager had passed away. Sousa heard the entire march unfold in his mind throughout his return voyage to the United States. Although he did not put a single note of the march on paper while aboard ship, when he reached port, he wrote out the music. Sousa claimed that he never changed a note from what he heard throughout that Atlantic voyage.

The march was an immediate success, and Sousa's Band played it at almost every concert until his death over 25 years later.

The ScoreFlipper audio was recorded as part of a CD benefiting the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation. To buy the recording and learn more visit www.fallenpatriots.org.