About this edition
Few pieces of music are as instantly recognizable — or as deeply woven into American identity — as The Stars and Stripes Forever. Composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896, the march proved so enduringly popular that Congress designated it the National March of the United States in 1987, an honor held by no other work. From its brisk introductory fanfare through the famous piccolo obbligato of its final trio, the march remains a benchmark of American orchestral and band writing, demanding precision, stamina, and unmistakable verve from every section of the ensemble.
This edition reproduces No. 53 from The Complete Marches of John Philip Sousa, a critical edition published in 2016 by the United States Marine Band — "The President's Own," the ensemble Sousa himself directed from 1880 to 1892. Prepared by the Marine Band's music historians and librarians drawing on Sousa's manuscripts and early authorized publications, the series was undertaken to correct the errors and inconsistencies that had crept into commercial reprints over the decades, restoring the march closer to the composer's original intentions. As the institution most directly tied to Sousa's own legacy, the Marine Band's edition stands among the most historically grounded and trustworthy sources available for this repertoire.
About this edition:
- Full orchestral score
- Page size: 8.5 x 11 inches
- Reproduced from a public domain historical source
- Published by Purple 4R Publishing
This score belongs to the public domain, and we're delighted to bring this historic edition back into print — making one of America's best-loved marches easily accessible to conductors, orchestras, students, and Sousa enthusiasts everywhere.
