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My eldest brother was in special Olympics for Madison county Indiana,he wasn’t born that way it was alcohol related.

The "1812 Overture" is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.

this is when America was America !

That was a glorious performance! My dad was a blue collar worker, and never had the chance to play an instrument. But he had a deep love for our country (World War II vet) and loved his classical music. He often played it at home, and passed that appreciation to me! The 1812 Overture was one of his favorites, and he was the one who introduced it to me. I remember watching this on TV with him. He's been gone for 44 years now, and I can never hear this without thinking of him, and how lucky we were to have him as a dad! He loved the Boston Pops❤

Was there with a blanket and my old boyfriend. We had a decent view of the stage as well. Spetacular.

This concert extends for more than a few miles down the esplanade so that you can't even see the shell but there are speakers throughout the park. Arthur Fiedler is a legend. Absolute goat of July 4th in Boston. He brought the classical and the party atmosphere. Everyone had a blast. It's not quite the same now. John Williams was tremendous as well but Keith Lockhart is a bit of a bore. I remember the fire works went off with the music. Not anymore.

I was there. The tall ships were in town. Spent the night dancing with French sailors at Lucifer. The Shirelles were playing live that night and I was 21. Oh my, how things change.

I attended this Fourth of July Celebration in 1976. It was Awesome. God Bless America!

THE FOURTH OF JULY IS EXTRA SPECIAL FOR THE PADULO FAMILY! Back in September, 1975, the USA was only 199 years old. Katharine Padulo and I left Toyon Hall at Stanford with our young sons Robert Padulo and Joseph Padulo (aged 8 and 5, respectively) and moved into Myles Standish Hall of Boston University where I was appointed as "Faculty In Residence" and Dean of the College of Engineering. At the end of that academic year, in July, 1976, for our first Fourth of July in Boston, we attended the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence from the Old State House balcony and then entered Faneuil Hall to hear the "Patriotic Oration". (The Oration was delivered that year by my boss, BU President John Silber, on "Democracy: Its Counterfeits and Its Promise", later published as a monograph. Bobby and Joseph, handsome in their blazers, sat attentively in the first row.) Prominent African American baritone Ernest Triplett sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic as we had never heard it before. (We would repeat this cherished family ritual every July 4th for the next thirteen years.) At sunset on that balmy evening, with our Kenmore Square dorm almost deserted for the holiday, we grilled steaks on the Myles Standish roof to watch the fireworks. We had a high-quality boom box tuned to Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops in their Bicentennial Concert that would feature actual cannons being fired and real church bells being rung all over Boston and Cambridge as part of the main event: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Gazing down from our rooftop picnic we could see lines of people carrying lawn chairs, blankets and coolers along Storrow Drive and small boats inching up the Charles River to get close to the Hatch Shell at the Esplanade for the concert. And then, when darkness fell, the concert began. It was a magical night to end a magical day. (I imagine they had a fine Fourth celebration in our present home town, Philadelphia, but I was very happy to be in Boston that day.) Little did we know how magical that Independence Day really was because many miles away, my beautiful daughter in law, Angel Raffanello Padulo was born. Not only do we celebrate Angel's birthday on July 4, but our lovely Portland, Oregon, granddaughter Edie Eugenia Padulo shares that auspicious birthday as well. God Bless America and God Bless Angel Padulo and Edie Padulo. Turn up the sound to enjoy this patriotic concert for America’s 200th birthday.

I was student at Boston U and stayed in Boston in the summer. Went to esplanade with my friends to see this fantastic Boston Pops Concert. Amazing concert! Amazing time in America .

there is no sound

Pure AMERICA.

Don't want to look at a news person! Just be nice and go away

I love this. My experience that day was the complete opposite. I was visiting a friend in a very small town in the Berkshires. The official even for the day was 3 guys dressed in Revelutionary War uniforms march down the main street to the town's war memorial.

It's even more precious to know that, at that time, Tchaikovsky's homeland was still under totalitarian communist rule. The Soviet iron curtain and thoughts censorship forbade any mentioning of the ending melody of that musical masterpiece

5:23 😊😊😊😊

I was there that night-too young to remember much but do have one very vivid memory of standing along the Charles and people tossing sparklers onto the water. I also remember the Tall Ships that day. One of Boston’s great nights.

A deeply stirring and memorable celebration of America. Bold and unapologetic. Unforgettable. A fitting commemoration of 200 years of freedom.

My friends and I were there. The greatest July 4th celebration ever recorded in Boston.

Best thing ever on CZcams!

Independence America 200 Congratulations 🎊

The smiles on his face just priceless

Our Nations birthday July 4, 1976. I was nine years old and my extremely introvert father decides that he, my Mom and I are venturing out into Boston with thousands of people to celebrate. We arrived on the Esplanade by MBTA from 1131 Hyde Park Ave, Hyde Park MA at noon. My Mom and I were frequent travelers on the T but Dad had never ever set foot on a bus, train or trolley though he lived his entire life up until then in HP. My dad had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1964 and the heat and humidity that day took a horrific toll on him. My entire childhood my home was filled with music on vinyl, an entire bookcase in our sitting room, dedicated to classical music and every album of the Boston Pops with conductor Arthur Fiedler. My father, Robert McLean, always said that he himself had been born too late and belonged in the world 200 years before. He loved Naval history. Rudyard Kipling and Tchaikovsky. Most of the day is a blur for me. I just remember being crushed by so many people and losing my parents multiple times in the crowd for what seemed like hours on end, but may have been only minutes. I remember having to pee in a cup lol and being so tired that I think I slept through most of the afternoon into the evening. The strongest memory of that day is part of my soul. Having my father hold my hand on one side, my mother on the other, hearing the booming Howitzer Artillery, the 1812 Overture and looking up and seeing my father crying. It was the only time in my life that I ever saw tears streaming down his cheeks. In 1985 my Dad’s MS had made it so he couldn’t walk and mainly used a wheelchair. He asked me to take my fiancé Steve Gabbert to the celebration. We ended up on the Boston Commons and that night as I held my fiancé’s hand during the booming, I cried. I live in Arizona now. Every July 4th I watch the Boston Pops to see classmate Richard Kelley play and to cry again during the booming, remebering my Dad. I miss you Grump ❤️

Whole different ''better'' world then. People were a lot more passonite & cool. Really think the musicianship was better also.

I was there college student UNH. Unbelievable patriotism. I really felt lucky to be a democratic country with all our freedoms

We were there. I had just finished a nursing shift at Mass General and met up with family . We will never forget this performance. Truly spectacular

Why has the sound stopped working?

I was in my first day of Navy boot camp and we didn't have TV! My company number was 76 and we commenced on the 4th.

It was my second year in Boston. I spent the entire concert sitting in a tree directly behind the line of howitzers. That is a memorable 4th of July!

This is distant history now as the insane people are now in charge, goodbye to a beautiful country I served for half my life.

I watched this concert on TV on July 4th, 1976 and never forgot it. I was only 12 years old but this was just the most moving music on the most moving occasion. Years later, when I was in the high school band, this was my favourite piece to play as a French Horn player. It sent chills down my spine. So glad that this footage still exists, 47 years later. It was a different era but this music is TIMELESS. Pure genius all around, from the composition to the conductor, the orchestra to the audience and the setting and the historic moment. ....and that ending, with the guns and fireworks going off to the music, oh the humanity - simply brilliant and still brings a tears to my eyes - BRAVO!!!! ENCORE!!

His smile at 5:21 ❤

As I recall the Pops had a real artillery battery join them for the 1812 Overture.

My first day in Boston. Landed at Logan 10:00 am July 4th, 1976.

rare footage of Americans. becoming a rare sight

I was fortunate enough to have spent our Country's Bicentennial in colonial Williamsburg. It was amazing!

Eh, bravo!

Great!

when the orchestra was playing stars and strips forever some people in the front came through the barrier and police or security told them turn around go back they had to reposition the cameras

I was born in 71, but know I watched this from Canada on PBS with my parents.

So beautiful! Congratulations Chris.

I wasn’t in attendance on this occasion but his ability to transcend so many divides and ages in the use of music was breath-taking, even 50+ years later. I did get to see him and the Pops at Tanglewood one summer. Our family had a modest picnic dinner. The next group over was eating fried chicken (KFC) on China with dinnerware that was probably silver and drinking champagne in champagne flutes. We were truly out classed but my bologna and cheese was good for me.

Can you imagine the stink in the audience? Drugs, poor hygiene, etc…

I was there and it was awesome!

I was there; just graduated from undergrad. Beautiful day and night. So many people, but no violence; everyone was so happy all day. Concert with the Pops and Fiedler was spectacular. Cannons, fireworks, church bells…I remember thinking “I will remember this for the rest of my life…68 yrs old today…remember it like it was yesterday. RIP Maestro Fiedler

I was there for this! Have never forgotten it. I have lived in DC and experienced the 4th there too--but NO ONE does it like Boston does!

Looking, at his watch 🤣🤣

Might of been their.

Just walked over his bridgenzie today

I was only 13 months old when this occurred so obviously I didn't see it but I'm damn glad it was captured on video for posterity.