The Star-Spangled Banner for Clarinet Choir/Quartet

British composer John Stafford Smith is best known for composing "The Anacreontic Song" around 1773 for a men’s social club in London. The tune was later used for "The Star-Spangled Banner." The lyrics come from a poem written by Francis Scott Key following the War of 1812. Key witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy during the Battle of Baltimore. He was inspired by the large flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes (The Star-Spangled Banner) which triumphantly flew above the fort following the U. S. victory. The song became a well-known patriotic song in the United States and was officially adopted as the country’s national anthem in 1931.

This version is a simple arrangement for clarinet quartet.