Our Fourth of July Music Jamboree Continues

Okay, you know this one -- "The Stars and Stripes Forever."  But I'm including this version since it comes from Keith Brion.  A classical musician and conductor, he formed the New Sousa Band in 1979 and and is still recording today.  Their performances are put together to sort of re-create the shows that John Philip Sousa himself put on -- with original arrangements, Sousa showmanship and proper tempo.  (As he explains, not too slow to walk to, or to fast to run to, these are marches and intended to march to.)

I remember a story from late in the career of the great conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir George Solti.  For some reason, it may have been for a recording though possibly a concert, they were preparing to perform "The Stars and Stripes Forever."  It was a number that, surprisingly, for his many decades of work, Solti had never conducted.  Though he conducted the CSO for a quarter century, he left them for the summer when they performed at the Ravinia Music Festival, which of course overlaps with the Fourth of July when this song is most-often performed.  He had also been conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, which didn't tend to have "The Stars and Stripes Forever" on their regular agenda, of course.  And had begun his career conducting throughout Europe.  So, this was the first time.  But it wasn't the first time for the orchestra members, needless-to-say.  And when the piccolo players stood up for their solos, as they did by rote, and then when the trombones came down to the front of the stage, as they knew was obligatory, the eminent Solti was bewildered.  He had no idea what was going on, and stopped the rehearsal to find out.  At which point it was all explained to him.

Here's how Brion and the Sousa folks did it --
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