Second Suite in F for Military Band

The "March" of the Second Suite begins with a simple five note motif between the low and high instruments of the band.

[2] After a brief climax, the second strain begins with a solo euphonium playing the second folk tune in the suite, "Swansea Town".

While Sousa, reputably the "king of marches", would sometimes change time signatures for the trio (most notably in "El Capitán"), it was not commonplace.

The third theme, called "Claudy Banks",[2] is heard in a low woodwind soli, as is standard march orchestration.

The movement begins with a chord from French horns and moves into a solo of clarinet with oboe over a flowing accompaniment in F Dorian.

There are many time signature changes (44 to 34) making the movement increasingly difficult because the brass section has all of their accompaniment on the up-beats of each measure.

The upper woodwinds and horns join on the melody around the body of the piece, and are accompanied with the sound of a blacksmith forging metal with an anvil called for in the score.

As the movement dies down, a tuba and piccolo duet forms a call back to the beginning of the suite with the competition of low and high registers.

During the Irish uprising of the late 18th century, the dargason is supposed to have attacked a British camp killing many soldiers.