Sousa 'The Liberty Bell' - Leonard Slatkin at the 'Last Night of the Proms' 2004

At the Last Night of the 2004 Proms, Leonard Slatkin, then in his final year as the BBC Symphony's Principal Conductor, introduced this rousing Sousa march. He explained to the audience that 'The Liberty Bell' itself it had been made in London in the 1750s but had developed a large crack shortly after its arrival in Philadelphia. Despite many attempts over the years, the fissure in the bell has never been fully repaired. We pick things up at the point when Slatkin brings in a gag about 'The Monty Python Show,' a British television comedy programme that used Sousa's march as its signature tune. As will be seen, Slatkin clearly enjoyed conducting the 6000-strong Albert Hall audience as they clapped along with the music.