Rostropovich was known to friends as Slava, the diminutive of his given name. It is also homonymous with the Russian word for "glory".^{[citation needed]} His dog Pooks is honored in the piece.^[1] The name is shouted before the 7/8 section, at the spot where the woodblock solo is heard. Although this was not written in the score, it is common for a conductor to perform the piece with it.^{[citation needed]}

Critics generally responded well to the Overture. Paul Hume wrote in The Washington Post:

Its razzmatazz opening led straight into the kind of rouse-'em-up march you might have heard at a rally for William Jennings Bryan. And suddenly, from a tape somewhere back in the orchestra, came a booming voice, saying:

"If I am elected to this high office... the people are sick and tired of... give you the next President of the U... ."^[2]

The overture's two main themes are based on "The Grand Old Party" and "Rehearse!" from the failed musical 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, which ran for only seven performances on Broadway. Mid-way into the work, a pre-recorded tape of political speeches plays over an orchestral vamp. The pre-recorded tape features the voices of Bernstein, Michael Wager, Adolph Green, and Patrick O'Neal giving the political speeches.^[3] Cheering crowd noises are also used. The piece has been transcribed for symphonic band by Clare Grundman. The band version eliminates the pre-recorded tape.

The first part of the overture is the fanfare, based on "Grand Old Party", which is mostly in the time signature of 2/4. The second theme, based on "Rehearse!", is in a brighter 7/8 time signature. The section with pre-recorded tape follows. The two themes are then presented in reverse order. Near the conclusion a brief quotation of the "Slava Chorus" from the "Coronation Scene" of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov is played against the "Rehearse!" vamp.

The original score calls for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, soprano saxophone, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, tenor drum, bass drum, chimes, crash cymbals, suspended cymbals, glockenspiel, ratchet, slide whistle, steel pipe, tambourine, triangle, vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, whip, wood block, electric guitar, piano, pre-recorded tape, and strings.