Memorial Day Weekend...

Sousa wrote a lot of marches - many you never heard of.  Some you know by heart or should at least recognize.

In the late 60s in order to stir patriotism, President Nixon ordered all his marches to be recorded and the Belle Isle band, outside of Detroit, got the job.  I got to play in some of it but I can't remember which marches.  Anyway, two of my favorites are the

George Washington Bicentennial and of course Stars and Stripes Forever. I picked the Horowitz piano recording of it because I was taken by a comment made by a listener on YouTube: "...this was written by a good american composer, and interprerted and played by the greatest russian pianist that ever lived. The result, an amazing piece which transcends nationality, and politics. So for at least 3 minutes and 50 seconds, forget the politics and just enjoy the music".  Take the link. Put a stride in your step. Memorial Day is upon us.


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