Music
march
Discover: Stars and Stripes Forever
Best Age
Best Age
wk 8–104
Category
Music
Audio Track & Sing-Along Available in BabyNook
Listen to the full song, vocal melody, and soothing instrumental tracks directly in the BabyNook app.
About this music
The Stars and Stripes Forever (1896) is Sousa's most famous march and one of the best-known pieces of American music ever written. Sousa reportedly composed it mentally during a transatlantic voyage after hearing of his manager's death — a burst of patriotic feeling that produced a masterpiece. The piece features a famous piccolo counter-melody and a dramatic trombone glissando that children love. Its building energy — from a quiet opening to a roaring finale — makes it a wonderful exercise in listening for musical tension and release.
How to do it (Step by step)
- Play it through from start to finish without interruption.
- Point out when the music gets louder and louder.
- At the big finale, throw your arms up together!