The march is known for its robustness and solid rhythmic foundation, befitting its title. It lacks the "jingling" triangles or lightness of some earlier Sousa works, opting instead for a "heavy" sound evocative of a fortress.
: This is a classic 2/4 bagpipe march. You can find printable PDF sheet music and a brief history of its military connection at Highland Bagpipe Chester Thompson’s "Gibraltar" : For jazz fusion fans, the blog Cruise Ship Drummer features a transcription and analysis gibraltar march pdf