Written in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the U. S. Naval Academy Band, the “Navy’s Oldest and Finest Band,” Oldest and Finest march adheres to the traditions of form and spirit of the military march, yet with contemporary flair. The traditional form includes First and Second Strains in both the March and the Trio, plus Introduction, Break Strain (“Dogfight”) and Codetta.

The Introduction and Break Strain are built on a twelve-tone row, its inversions and transpositions; the final pitch of the row is also the dominant pitch of the strain which follows.

The Trio takes a cue from the U. S. Navy’s unofficial song, Anchors Aweigh!, by recalling its first four notes. This tune is played by the low woodwinds and brass, and is accompanied by a sharply rhythmic figure in the mallet percussion and upper woodwinds.

The saxophones are featured in the second statement of the tune of the Trio. The music is that of the jig-like woodwind countermelody of the Second Strain, this time in very close harmony, while the Trio tune remains subdued in the low woodwinds and brass.

In the final return of the Break Strain, the “dog-fight,” the images of swelling seas reaches its highest point. The march closes in triumphant fashion with the final statement of the Trio tune. The jig-like countermelody is played here by both the saxophones and the trumpets, and the Trio tune is pronounced in the low woodwinds and brass. The Codetta calls for a high concert B-flat from the first trumpets.