Strike Up the Band. This Is My Country

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1 Strike Up the Band Composer: George Gershwin Strike Up the Band was written in 1927 by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical of the same name. The musical was a sort of satire on war and militaristic music, and although it was not successful, the music has become quite well known, being performed by notable artists such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Boston Pops. In the 1930s it also served as a rally song for the University of California at Los Angeles before they adopted their official school song. Composer: Al Jacobs / Don Raye This Is My Country This Is My Country is an American patriotic song composed in The lyrics are by Don Raye and the music is by Al Jacobs. Raye wrote many songs for the popular group, The Andrews Sisters and in 1985, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his works. The tune begins traditionally with a folk song, What difference if I hail from North or South. Or from the East or West? My heart is filled with love. For all of these. I only know I swell with pride. And deep within my breast. I thrill to see Old Glory; paint the breeze. The song is made notable by the fact that it honors both native-born Americans and immigrants. The song swings into march tempo with lyrics which are better known. This is my country. Land of my birth. This is my country. Grandest on Earth. This is my country. Land of my choice. This is my country. Hear my proud voice. I pledge thee my allegiance. America the bold. For this is my country to have and to hold. Composer: Elmer Bernstein Magnificent Seven (Main Theme) The Magnificent Seven is a 1960 American Western-style remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film Seven Samurai. The film features a group of seven gunfighters hired to protect a small village in Mexico from a group of marauding bandits and their leader. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of

2 Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. The main theme, composed by Elmer Bernstein, is an iconic and energetic depiction of the glory of the Old West. Composer: Leroy Anderson The Typewriter Leroy Anderson, born June 29, 1908, grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts and had learned to play piano by his mother, a church organist. Anderson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in He wrote The Typewriter as a novelty instrumental piece in It has been called one of "the wittiest and most clever pieces in the orchestral repertoire. The name typewriter references the fact that in order to perform the piece, you actually need a typewriter. The piece was so well known and liked in its time, that it was featured on many TV and Radio shows as introductions or theme songs. Composed by Jacques Offenbach Galop from Genevieve de Brabant As well as being a popular performance-piece, it formed the basis for the U.S. "Marines' Hymn". First performed in Paris in 1859, the plot is based on the medieval legend of Genevieve of Brabant. Jacques Offenbach was a product of the Paris Conservatory, becoming a professional cellist. However, today he is best known as the composer of light opera, including Ballet Parisien, La Belle Helene, and Orpheus in the Underworld. Written by Irving Berlin God Bless America Irving Berlin was an American Composer and lyricist, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His music forms a great part of the Great American Song Book. Born in Imperial Russia, Berlin arrived in the United States at the age of five. His fist international hit was "Alexander's Ragtime Band" produced in He also was an owner of the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. "I'd like to write a great peace song," Irving Berlin told a journalist in 1938, "but it's hard to do, because you have trouble dramatizing peace."

3 Captain American March Written by Alan Silvestri From the 2011 summer blockbuster film "Captain America: The First Avenger," composer Alan Silvestri has created a powerful and memorable march based on the main theme. Alan Silvestri is best known for his frequent collaboration with Robert Zemeckis, composing for such major hit films such as the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Forrest Gump, as well as the superhero films Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers. Composer: James Swearingen Within These Hallowed Halls James Swearingen is an American composer and arranger. He is currently the Department Chair of Music Education at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. The music he writes is part of a small genre played in American high school band classes as Concert Literature. Within These Hallowed Halls highlights two classics: Amazing Grace and Battle Hymn of the Republic. Composer: Lee Greenwood God Bless the U.S.A. "God Bless the USA" is an American patriotic song written and recorded by country music artist Lee Greenwood, and is considered to be his signature song. The first album it appears on is 1984's You've Got a Good Love Comin'. The song was played at the 1984 Republican National Convention with President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan in attendance, but the song gained greater prominence during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991, as a way of boosting morale. The popularity of the song rose sharply after the September 11 attacks and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the song was re-released as a single, re-entering the country music charts at No. 16 and peaking at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in The song also rose up in popularity in May 2011 when Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan.

4 A Patriotic Festival Composer: Mark Williams Mark Williams was one of the premier composers for school bands and orchestras. Co-author of the Accent on Achievement Band Method, Mr. Williams had over 200 published works to his credit, in which he has shared in 34 states, 5 Canadian provinces and Australia. A Patriotic Festival features several patriotic themes such as Yankee Doodle Dandy, America, America The Beautiful and Battle Hymn Of The Republic to help provoke pride and dedication to our great country. Composer: Jimmy Driftwood The Battle of New Orleans Although the Treaty of Ghent was signed on 24 December 1815, the Battle of New Orleans was a series of engagements fought between 24 December 1814 and 8 January 1815 during the War of With a force of 4,732, Major General Andrew Jackson fought of a British force of 11,000 commanded by British Army General Edward Pakenham and Royal Admiral Alexander Cochrane. The troops did not have word of the signing of the treaty, which was not ratified by the United States Government until February 1815, and conflicts in Louisiana continued until 18 January 1815, in direct conflict with the intent of peace that was signified by the signing of the treaty. American casualties and losses totaled 333, while British casualties and losses totaled 2,459, resulting in a decisive American victory once British troops had been driven from Louisiana. The Battle of New Orleans was written by Jimmy Driftwood in 1959, and describes the 1815 Battle of New Orleans from the point of view of an American soldier. It gives the story of the battle a somewhat light-hearted and comical tone, and was ranked as the twenty-eighth song overall on the first fifty years of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the number-one country music song to appear on the chart. The song is most widely known as sung by Johnny Horton.

5 1812 Overture Composer: Pyotr Ilvich Tchaikovsky Arranger: Mayhew L. Lake The Year 1812, popularly known as the 1812 Overture, is an overture written in 1880 by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to commemorate Russia's defense of its motherland against Napoleon's invading Grande Armée in The piece was performed at the 1891 dedication of Carnegie Hall by Tchaikovsky himself in what became the first time a major European composer visited the United States. The overture is best known for its climactic volley of cannon fire, ringing chimes, and brass fanfare finale. It has also become a common accompaniment to fireworks displays at outdoor concerts throughout the world. The 1812 Overture went on to become one of Tchaikovsky's most popular works, along with his ballet scores to The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake.