Which band recorded the version of "The Liberty Bell" used as the show's opening theme?

The band that recorded the version of “The Liberty Bell” used as the show’s opening theme was the Band of the Grenadier Guards.

“The Liberty Bell” is a march composed by American bandleader John Philip Sousa in 1893. Monty Python used a recording of the march as an instantly recognizable counterpoint to Terry Gilliam’s surreal animations and the programme’s deliberately chaotic comedy. The music’s brisk, ceremonial character helped give the opening a grand, mock-official tone.

The answer is sometimes confused with the Royal Marines Band, the Coldstream Guards Band, or an orchestra associated with the BBC. Those are plausible-sounding military or broadcasting ensembles, but they did not make the recording identified with the series. The march itself is Sousa’s composition; the quiz asks specifically about the performing band on the recording.

The programme premiered on BBC1 in 1969 and ran for four series through 1974. Its opening music became so closely associated with the Pythons that many listeners recognize the march before seeing the title sequence.