Which overture traditionally starts the fireworks finale of PBS's A Capitol Fourth?

The overture that traditionally starts the fireworks finale of PBS’s A Capitol Fourth is Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

PBS has repeatedly presented the piece with the National Symphony Orchestra as the program’s climactic musical event. Its closing section is paired with fireworks over the Washington Monument, while live cannon fire is supplied by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery.

The overture was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to commemorate Russia’s defense against Napoleon’s invasion in 1812. Its famous finale includes cannon effects and triumphant musical quotations, which helped make it a natural fit for large patriotic celebrations—even though it was not written for American independence.

The “1812 Overture” is sometimes confused with other concert finales such as the “Stars and Stripes Forever” or Sousa marches. On A Capitol Fourth, however, the established fireworks tradition is specifically associated with Tchaikovsky’s work.