broadway the star spangled banner song utube

The Boston Police, misinterpreting a Federal law prohibiting “tampering” with the National Anthem, told Stravinsky that he had to remove his arrangement from the remaining programs. He did arrange the Star Spangled Banner for a series of Boston Symphony concerts, explaining hisĭesire to do my bit in these grievous times toward fostering and preserving the spirit of patriotism in this country.Īfter the first performance, the audience was apparently shocked by what they considered to be an unconventional harmonization.

Stravinsky emigrated to the United States in 1939 and became a citizen in 1945, eventually settling in sun-drenched West Hollywood, California. The tale is an enticing urban legend of twentieth century music history, rooted in a few grains of truth. The “mug shot” was actually taken for a 1940 visa application.

Did the Boston Police really arrest Igor Stravinsky in 1943 for adding a dominant seventh chord to the Star Spangled Banner? The unlikely mug shot, above, seems to back up the story…until you look carefully at the date.

Broadway the star spangled banner song utube