Marches, The Original Band Music
A rather lengthy volume could be written about the history of the march form and
the many types of marches which have evolved over the centuries. Even a treatise
of reasonable length would be too extensive for this encyclopedia, but a restrictive
overview of the march, the most popular form of music used by bands, is definitely
in order.
As a musical form, the march probably dates back to the 16th century B.C., when
music was said to have accompanied the movement of soldiers. Some 3,000 years
later, the emperor Maximilian I used martial music to regulate movements of the
Swabian infantry. Most European infantry units adopted this type of music
to facilitate organized marching. The marches were primitive then and were
commonly played by fifes and drums.
The word march stems from the French word marcher, which means to pound the ground
with the feet, and was used to describe military music which accompanied troop movements
as early as the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Examples of very early marches
which have survived are Lillibulero (England) and King James' March
(Scotland).
During the 18th century, two different march cadences came into use. The first
was the slow (common) march, which the British reportedly used at tempi of between
60 and 80 beats per minute. The quick march was used for parades, maneuvers,
and reviews and fell roughly between a tempo of 100-140 beats per minute.
As military band instrumentation and techniques developed, the march developed
in sophistication and complexity. By the beginning of the 19th century, martial
music was being used not only for the movement of troops but also for pageantry,
state ceremonies, and social functions. The march became a repertoire staple,
and, for the most part, was used to accompany orderly processions.
Importance in the 19th Century
During the 19th century, the march form gained considerable status. In addition
to hundreds of pieces dedicated to military units, marches were being composed for
occasions, institutions, famous people, etc. Some celebrated examples of this
period are the Radetzky March (Johann Strauss, Sr., 1848), Second Regiment
Connecticut National Guard March (D.W. Reeves, 1880), and The Liberty Bell
(John Philip Sousa, 1893).
The quickstep became the dominant march form toward the latter part of the 19th
century and was used for both military and civilian applications. The leading
publisher of quicksteps in the United States was the J.W. Pepper Company of Philadelphia.
Gradually, the term march acquired broad usage and was used to define anything
in 2/4, 4/4, or 6/8 meter. As an example of how the terms became synonymous,
the Pepper company re-issued (in the early 1900s) their quicksteps as marches without
any musical changes.
The March in North America
In North America, as in most other countries, many types of marches exist. Even
the fox trot could be considered a march. If it seems odd that marches were
used for dancing, consider the fact that the two-step, once the most popular dance
in the world, was originally written as a march (Sousa's The Washington Post). Some
of the most common types of marches used in North America are as follows:
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Military marches are mostly performed at tempi ranging from 108 to 120 beats per
minute. They demand precise rhythm and articulation and the proper use of
accents.
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Concert marches (symphonic marches) are intended for concert use and are usually
scored more delicately than marches used for marching. There is more latitude
in dynamic range, since many performances are indoors, and more finesse and attention
to periodic style is required of the performers. Composers have taken many
liberties with tempi.
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Circus marches musically reflect the bravura and pageantry of the circus. Tempi
usually range between 140 and 170 beats per minute, depending upon the nature of
the activity and the circus performers' desires. Rhythmic precision is essential.
Considerable "drive" is provided by the percussion, and in circus practice
the marches are often punctuated by unwritten accents.
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Galops are actually marches played very fast, and as such cannot be performed gracefully
unless they are written simply. Generally, they are of two types. Examples
of the dance galop are found in the works of such composers as Offenbach and Suppe
and are played at moderate tempi, slightly faster than the military march. The
circus galop, on the other hand, is often played at tempi ranging up to 240 beats
per minute. Karl L. King, Charles Duble, Russell Alexander, and John J. Richards
composed some of the most popular circus galops, and most are written in 2/4 meter.
A steady eighth note drum pattern gives the illusion of speed, precision,
and insistence.
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Patrols are intended to simulate the sound of a band marching past the listener.
One hears the band approaching in the distance, then passing by the listener,
and finally marching off into the distance. This is accomplished by a gradual
crescendo, followed by a gradual decrescendo, almost always at a steady tempo. The
most famous American patrol is called simply American Patrol (Frank W. Meacham,
1891), and differs from the typical patrol by ending with a brisk coda. The
popularity of the patrol has waned in recent years.
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Funeral marches (dirges) are functional in that they have been used to accompany
a deceased party to a cemetery or to provide an appropriate atmosphere at funerals
and memorial services. They are typically played at a tempo of about 72 beats
per minute. In performance, they could be described as deliberate, with some
passages calling for rounded staccato playing and other passages calling for lyric,
legato playing.
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Marches played an important role until the end of World War II, not just in military
life but also in civilian life. They were particularly useful in parades,
which were vital to most towns. For holidays and special occasions, parades
featured many units such as bands, fire companies, horse-drawn wagons, military
units, service organizations, veterans' organizations, and scout troops. Bands
have long had their own brand of rivalry in parading, and it was once a mark of
distinction for one band to play more difficult marches than another band. (The
town of Allentown, Pennsylvania, was the epitome of band rivalry, with five bands.
Members of these bands sometimes cut the titles and composers' names off the
tops of their marches so that rival bandsmen could not learn what they were playing.)
Marches were featured at most band concerts, of course. Not all the
marches were found on printed programs, however, because they were often added as
encores. The encores were sometimes inserted during a program as well as at
the end, in the style of Sousa.
The March International
Because of national and cultural heritages, various countries have developed marches
to suit their own needs. Some European bands perform marches at slower tempi
than American bands, owing to their military marching styles. Since these
variations in styles are unique, it is well to examine several of them.
Germany
There is a combination of elements found in German marches more often than the marches
of other countries. The combination consists of heavy bass parts, soaring
euphonium countermelodies, trumpet fanfares which embellish the elodies, and high
woodwind obligatos. This combination is usually found in concert marches,
but it occurs in some of the military marches as well.
The German Army developed a highly organized method of classifying marches for its
own use, with the impetus coming from a decree by King Friedrich Wilhelm II, dated
February 10, 1817:
"To assist army regiments in the selection of good military music, I have
had a number of well-proved pieces compiled and have detailed a collection for each
regiment. As, in this way, the army will come into the possession of good
music, I decree that on all ceremonial occasions, at grand parades, and reviews,
and particularly those at which I am present, no other marches [shall] be played."
In that first collection of 1817, called the Armeemarsch collection, there were
36 slow and 36 quick marches, including Beethoven's Yorkscher Marsch, the
Pariser Einzugsmarsch by Johann Heinrich Walch, several marches of Russian
origin, and several based on opera themes of Boieldieu, Spontini and Cherubini,
along with 11 marches composed by Anton Dorfeldt. These original 72 marches
came from a comparable Russian collection which had been compiled in St. Petersburg
by Dorfeldt.
Eventually, the Armeemarsch collection was divided into four distinct groups:
I Slow marches for the infantry
II Quick marches for the infantry
III Marches for mounted troops (cavalry) and field artillery
IV Miscellaneous marches
The four groups were expanded periodically until there were 108 marches in Group
I, 267 in Group II, and 143 in Group III. Group IV was added in 1929, and
these marches were not numbered. There were two subdivisions. Group
IVa contained marches of Armeemarsch quality and character which were of particular
importance to certain regiments of the individual German states. Group IVb
was a collection of marches for fifes and drums of the regiments of the Royal Prussian
Army of 1806.
In 1933, the inspector of army bands revised the collection, and it was renamed
Heeresmarsche. He eliminated the marches that were infrequently or never performed
and retained popular ones and those which had been detailed to certain regiments
of the pre-1914 army. He added several regimental and traditional marches
of Saxony. He also added 92 trots and galops, and this resulted in Group III
being divided into slow marches (IIIA), and trots and galops (IIIB).
Very few of the most famous German march composers were represented in the
Armeemarsch or Heeresmarsche collections. For example, Blankenburg, Teike,
Blon, Friedemann, Eilenberg, and Stieberitz were not included in the Armeemarsch
collection. In the Heeresmarsche collection, only Teike (Alte Kameraden,
HM II 150), Friedemann (Kaiser Friederich, HM II 151) and Blon (Unter dem
Siegesbanner, HM II 152, and Victoria, HM II 153) are included.
This lack of representation came about for several reasons. First, none of
those composers were in military service during their most productive years. Second,
most of their marches were better suited for concert use than the parade ground.
Third, their works are more difficult than most of those adopted for either
collection.
France
Although the distinctions are not absolute, there are three basic types of French marches:
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The defile could be called the typical French march. It is used for parading,
and the band is assisted by le batterie (a corps of drums and trumpets). This
type of march is characterized by heavy accents on the downbeat of every second
measure.
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The marche is also used for parading but is played by a band alone, which is called
la musique or harmonie.
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The pas redouble is intended for concert purposes and is similar to the concert
march or symphonic march.
Spain
Generally, Spanish marches fall into one of three categories.
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The marcia is the Spanish equivalent of the military march. Typically, marcias
are performed with heavy percussion and bugling parts.
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The marcia de concierto and processional are concert marches. The marcia de
concierto is usually played at a bright tempo and is written in either 2/4 or 6/8
time. The processional is a stately grand march, almost always written in
4/4 time.
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The pasodoble (paso-doble) is often associated with bullfighting. The term
paso-doble means two-step. Although played in march tempo, pasodobles
were originally written for dancing. It was soon learned that they were ideal
for bullfights, because they excited the crowds. Spanish military bands also
adopted pasodobles, using them as marches by changing the drum parts. (It
should be noted that several American composers have incorrectly written pasodobles
in 3/4 time.)
Britian
In general, British marches reflect a dignified, unhurried state of affairs and
are played at conservative tempi. Not all British marches have been written
in fully developed styles. Many regimental marches, for example, incorporate
traditional folk tunes such as My Boy Willy, John Peel, and Wait for the Wagon,
which have been passed down through the centuries. Regiments can often be
identified by the tunes they have adopted via the marches. The most widely
performed British composer has been Frederick J. Ricketts, who composed under the
pseudonym Kenneth J. Alford. His finely crafted marches, such as Colonel Bogey,
are in use throughout the world. Although his output was very small, his marches
rank second only to those of John Philip Sousa in popularity.
Italy
Italy is known for its marcia sinfonicas, not its military marches. Italian
composers have perhaps brought the symphonic march to its highest plane. Sweeping
melodies, the development of thematic material, and dramatic climaxes make the marcia
sinfonica the standard of the symphonic march form. In performance, they are
best approached from the viewpoint of the operatic stage rather than the parade
ground, and they offer opportunities for rubato playing and flexibility of interpretation.
The thematic statements often occur first in woodwind parts.
Austria, Czechoslovakia
The marches of Austria and Czechoslovakia are similar to those of Germany. The
Czech marches are closely related to the German marches in style and structure,
whereas Austrian marches are generally lighter in texture and have fewer dramatic
effects. Among the Austrian marches still in use are several which were written
for specific military regiments, but most have fallen into disuse. Among the
leading march composers are Eduard Wagnes, Karl Komzak, Carl Ziehrer, and Josef
Franz Wagner.
Among the Czechoslovakian march composers who contributed significantly to the literature
are Julius Fucik, Emil Stolc, Joseph Pesci, Frantisek Kmoch, and Johan Nepomuk Kral.
Fucik is unquestionably the leading Czech march composer. He composed
in many music forms but is best known for his Einzug der Gladiatoren (Entry
of the Gladiators), which is also known in America as Thunder and Blazes. This
famous march was adopted by circuses and is often performed at a much faster tempo
than the composer intended.
A Heritage
Primarily because of military requirements, most countries of the world have march
literature of their own. However, much borrowing and cross-cultural development
has taken place. So much so, in fact, that the casual listener cannot tell,
on first hearing, the nationality of many marches.
Although most marches are brief musical statements, the march form has seen wide
use and development. In recent years, its popularity has dwindled somewhat.
Ironically, the band, which gave it birth, is partly responsible for this.
A few dozen very popular marches are perhaps overplayed, while all others
have fallen by the wayside except for an occasional revival. This makes little
sense, considering the march's rich and interesting history.
The march was the original original music for band. Bands developed
the march, and the march developed the band. Marches do not deserve the relative
neglect they receive from many bandmasters, particularly music educators, who sometimes
seem unaware of their own legacy. The common march, used by performers in
practically all music media, is clearly the heritage of the band.