Almost every country has a march tradition, perhaps because  almost every country has an army that needs to be kept in step.  These marches eventually take on a decidedly nationalistic flavor: think Radetzky, Pomp and Circumstance, Rokoczy and Valdres.  But when it comes to nationalistic marches,  what country besides ours can boast a body of marches so tied to our history and spirit, and, moreover, composed by one man?  It is not for nothing that John Philip Sousa is called “March King”.  This Fourth of July, we will sample many of his finest marches as we again take the opportunity to, musically, wave the Stars and Stripes.

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