This simple duet for flute and piano is my attempt at doing a Canadian patriotic song, "The Maple Leaf Forever." The song was written by Alexander Muir in celebration of Canadian Confederation. was the process by which three British North American provinces—the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—were united into one federation, called the Dominion of Canada, on July 1, 1867. This process occurred in accordance with the rising tide of Canadian nationalism that was then beginning to swell within these provinces and others. Upon Confederation, Canada consisted of four provinces: Ontario and Quebec, which had been split out from the Province of Canada, and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The province of Prince Edward Island, which had hosted the first meeting to consider Confederation, the Charlottetown Conference, did not join Confederation until 1873. Over the years since Confederation, Canada has seen numerous territorial changes and expansions, resulting in the current number of ten provinces and three territories.

Muir was said to have been inspired to write this song by a large maple tree which stood on his street in front of Maple Cottage, a house at Memory Lane and Laing Street in Toronto. The song became quite popular in English Canada and for many years served as an unofficial national anthem. Because of its strongly British perspective it became unpopular amongst French Canadians, and this prevented it from ever becoming an official state anthem, even though it was seriously considered for that role and was even used as a de facto state anthem in many instances. I don't think they have any problems with it now, of course.

In my universe, this is Levi the Mountee Lion's favorite patriotic song to sing. "It just makes me so proud to be Canadian," he said.

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This arrangement © me and me alone
Original song is now public domain; credit goes to all other arrangements and their arrangers whose scores helped me figure out this one, since I wasn't as familiar with this melody as I was with "O Canada."

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The Maple Leaf Forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLdEyxmPGQ8 (different instrumental arrangement)