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The late Arthur Fielder, conductor of the Boston Pops for over 50 years, made this piece a 4th of July tradition. It's hard to find a orchestra anywhere who doesn't play this on Independence Day. This is probably my favorite recording of the piece(just the last half of it - no one posted the full thing). It's from 1958 and actually uses real carillon(an instrument found in some cathedrals - which is how it's written, but since the instrument is rarely found it's usually just approximated with bells), and a vintage Napoleonic era cannon.

Kinda ironic how we associate it with the 4th, since Tchaikovsky wrote it about the Russians defeating Napoleon. :D

Edited by CMJ
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Kinda ironic how we associate it with the 4th, since Tchaikovsky wrote it about the Russians defeating Napoleon. :D

Every July 4th we take the boat up river to town in Granbury and anchor right beside where their firework display is launched, and at some point the kids and I will sing about an event that also took place in 1812.

Rick

Edited by FirefightnRick
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Every July 4th we take the boat up river to town in Granbury and anchor right beside where their firework display is launched, and at some point the kids and I will sing about an event that also took place in 1812.

Rick

I actually think alot of people just aren't aware the 1812 Overture isn't referencing our war of 1812. Besides, it's such a rousing piece, I think folks just got swept up in it. I do often wonder why Fiedler had the Pops perform it on the 4th, but it was such a hit(and then like now the most of the Boston Pops concert was shown on National TV) it caught on everywhere. I watched parts of 4 different 4th of July celebrations and the piece was played at all of them.

As far as the Star Spangled Banner goes - I find it interesting that our Anthem(since only the 1st verse is ever performed) both begins and ends with a question. I believe it is the only one to do so.

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