Research Paper on Initial Reaction to the Work

Introduction

The stars and stripes forever is a piece of art that served to unite Americans irrespective of their race. Every time individuals listened to this song they felt connected; hence some of them referred to it as the national anthem at the time. More so, each time the song was played everyone would stand up in the honor of the song. The song was written during the civil war period; hence every citizen felt attracted to the song.

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Nonetheless, the song acted as a source of inspiration to numerous citizens. Typically, it is hard to find a band playing the same piece of a song two to three times in a single performance with no one complaining. The one aspect that interests me about the stars and stripes forever is that it starts with a short, inspiring introduction accompanied by three different varied moods melodies.

Analysis of the Work

A Description of the Historical Context of the Period in Which the Work was Created

The piece of work was established in the 19th century; this was a period characterized by cultural, economic and political transformations. The transformations changed the way Americans perceived identity and lifestyle. The songs in this period demonstrated a variety of cultures and genres in the United States.

Nonetheless, songs carried a sense of national pride during these changes. Hence, the stars and stripes forever work served as a genre of American patriotic music (Extrom, 2016). The piece communicated ideas of equal opportunity and freedom; these are amongst the factors that drew many foreigners into the US during the early 20th century.

During this period, the American patriotism was spreading to the developing territories, for instance, the Hawaiian islands. Nationalism through songs influenced the music and culture of individuals. The islanders understood the stars and stripes forever in their cultural context. At this time, the cultural identity defined a person's individuality, especially in countries like the United States where there was a large variety of cultures (Extrom, 2016). On the other hand, one may describe the period as that of realism; this was the period when artists focused more on the reality of humans about their actions and behavior. A period of civil war as well as the rapid expansion in the US and the rest of the world; this one had to be patriotic to their own countries.

Insights Into the Work That Can Be Gained From the Artist’s Biography

Sousa did not start his career as a band conductor of march music but had a general education complemented by a study of music at the Esputa Conservatory of Music. As a musician, his foundation was influenced by George Felix Benkert; he was a renown conductor, pianist, and violinist. Sousa served as a conductor and violinist for numerous theater orchestras (Extrom, 2016). His popularity attracted the Marine Corps who requested him to be the leader of the US Marine Band.

Sousa's knowledge of classical music and the desire to make a unique band without the help of string instruments earned him respect from many composers and critics. He was a perfectionist; this pushed him to make the world's most excellent band. Sousa realized that America as a nation was missing a cultural refinement and that a majority of famous composers were European, hence Americans were not acknowledged by the rest of the world. The lack of being acknowledged emanated from reduced knowledge in the field of classical music amongst Americans. Sousa strived to educate the general public about his band's performance. The heightened expectation for his group, mainly when playing classical pieces motivated other musical organizations to realize their potentials. Sousa's excellent performance in Europe proved to the rest of the world that America was in a position to produce quality music even without government funding for art programs (Extrom, 2016). As a result, Sousa emerged as a person who did much for music in America and American music more than any other person in the US.

In an era preceding the high-fidelity phonograph, John Sousa gave Americans the chance to experience professional music. The artist was hostile to reproduce music mechanically. Instead, he designed his music to fit the march form. The philosophy of Sousa's music was founded on the belief that music was a real value and not a technical value. He chose concerts as his medium for the people to quickly grasp his music; this made concert bands a favorite source of musical expression (Extrom, 2016). On the other hand, the march was not only a military piece but also a cool song and hymn.

Additionally, Sousa paved the way for a platform that encouraged the interaction between performers and audience; this could not be recorded and was in danger of being lost through mechanical reproduction. Nevertheless, he played a part in 1909 where he convinced the Congress to pass copyright law that made recording companies start paying royalties for the sale of recorded pieces (Extrom, 2016). Also, Sousa's operettas played a significant role in the American musical theater, for the introduction of sousaphone; this helped in making jazz respectable in America.

Analysis of How Sousa’s Work Explore’s a Particular Theme or Stylistic Characteristic From Its Period

Sousa's work adopted wind band musical medium that was common in the 19th century. At that time, the wind bands commenced in four forms, i.e., military, civic, court, and church. However, the most common bands in the US were civil and military bands. The US wind band had its unique character (Walter, 2017). First, the wind band had cultivated and embraced its traditions. Secondly, the composers were either hired or inspired to write new works for ensembles seeking original music. Sousa's piece of work was able to meet the above two characteristics. For example, Sousa's part of work was an original one that was inspired by the events transpiring in America. The wind band offered listeners a unique mood and sound (Walter, 2017). More so, the wind band enabled both indoor and outdoor performances where the music would be heard in the sporting events, meetings, hotels, and parks; this made Sousa leave the US Marine Band to create his concert band.

The Relevance of Stars and Stripes Forever to Today's Audiences

The stars and stripes forever provide a living connection to young Americans who are growing to world power (Walter, 2017). The music not only does it move audiences into tapping their fingers and toes, but also it invokes shared inheritances that allow audiences to have a sense of recognition. The song makes the audience to develop a strong sense of American pride. The song reminds audiences of how the forefathers claimed the American soil.

How the Analysis has Altered My Thoughts

Through the analysis, I have learned the importance of stars and stripes forever in the past and modern America. The song served as a symbol of national unity, where individuals would be joined through a concert. The song moved audiences, where people would request the song to be repeated over and again. This has made me understand why most of the national anthems are sung as opposed to reciting. Stars and Stripes song formed a basis of concert band and marches that is practiced to date. The song had a unique influence on Americans in that it would be used by the army when they were going to war. The song was made during the civil war, and anyone who listened to the song felt more patriotic to their own country. The stripes and forever has always been more than a song, and it has a special place in the history of America. The song is well composed in that it uses melodies that represent the sound of guns, men marching and birds chirping. The song was a perfect fit for a military context, and it is at the level that Sousa wanted it to be in his mind. The song is very influential and will remain relevant for every American generation.

References

Extrom, L. (2016). The stars and stripes forever? The changing identity throughout the 20th century. American Studies and Music, 1-28.

Walter, J. K. (2017). American music in wind band repertoire: The importance and need for heritage preservation. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, 1-113.