March (music)

From Freepedia

This article is about music. For military marching, see Parade (military).

March music is a form of classical music or genre of music originally written for and performed by military bands.

Note: this topic is a general overview of march music. For information on different styles of march music, please see See Also at the bottom of the page.


Contents

History

The true "march music era" existed from 1850 to 1940's as it slowly became shadowed by the coming of jazz. Earlier marches, such as the ones from Ludwig Van Beethoven, Wolfgang Mozart, and George Frideric Handel tended to be part of a symphony or a movement in a suite. Despite the age of these marches and the history it holds, they were not the start of march music.

Marches and the Military Band

It is said that march music truly began before the Gunpowder Age during which armies would maintain their troops' morale by marching with music playing, whether that be from the beat of a drum or bagpipe. American march music showed during the Revolutionary War and earlier wartime conflicts, in which a fife and snare drum would play while the troops marched to battle. This is why it can be said that march music is a military's music.

While the tradition of soldiers playing music while marching into battle had ended soon after the American Civil War (mid 1800’s), military bands continued to perform marches during related ceremonies and other events. This actually spawned a while new tradition of playing marches as a source of entertainment.


Marches and the Concert Band

Around the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, most towns, organizations, theaters and even companies would have their own band. These bands, currently known today as community bands, would perform their music at special events much like the military band, but would often play at simple scheduled concerts and tours (such as the traditional gazebo concerts). By this time, published marches were plentiful due to prolific composers such as John Philip Sousa, Karl L. King and Henry Fillmore. Marches became a staple in the repertoire of these concert bands and can hence explain how the popularity of the march spread so rapidly across the world.

Marches and the Circus

Marches were further popularized with performances by circus bands. During the same period of the community band/concert band, circuses such as the Barnum & Bailey’s Circus, and the Ringling Bros. Circus would have live music being performed by their own bands. The marches played were often a special variety of the march known descriptively as “Screamers”, “Two-Steps”, and “Cake Walks”. These marches served the purpose of exciting the crowd while circus acts were taking place.

Marches and the Marching Band

Again, during the same period college marching bands were also beginning to form. It is a fact that march composers would often dedicated marches to university bands. Marches were performed during half-time shows and pep-rallies. Marches were indeed heard everywhere.

The John Philip Sousa Revolution

American composer John Philip Sousa did indeed strongly revolutionize the march. His overall prolific writing of said quality marches added that much to its popularity. According to Sousa researcher Paul Bierley, Sousa’s marches were gems of simplicity and understatement, with rousing counterpoint and overall energy. Sousa also is said to have standardized the traditional march form (see below) and added considerably to the easy-listening genre of music.

The Stars and Stripes Forever

American march music was forever immortalized with Sousa's opus The Stars and Stripes Forever, a patriotic march which soon became the official march of the United States of America. (See article for further details.)

Marches around the World


Sousa was not the only highly popular march composer. England had its own “March King”. Kenneth J. Alford (aka Major Frederick J. Ricketts) is known as the British March King (see his separate article). Other European march composers included Julius Fucik, Franz Von Blon and Hermann Blankenburg (see March Music Composers below). Many concert bands such as the famous Sousa Band would tour around the world, making their country’s marches a favorite in many different countries.

March Music Composers

Most march composers come from the United States or Europe, and have some sort of musical backround to them. The most popular march composers existed in the late 1800's and early 1900's, mainly because modern march dedicators are hard to come by.

Musicality and the March Music Form

Most marches are musically uplifting, driving, and rollicking. Some are can be very emotional, poetic, even somber. Others can be extremely subtle, where others can be brash and powerfull. This topic discusses the musicality aspect of marches; what actually makes up a march, and gives it an ongoing drive. Generalities (the word "most") will be used frequently because as alluded to before, marches can differentiate greatly, especially those of different styles. See "See Also" at the bottom of the page for more information.

Meter

The majority of marches are written in duple meter, meaning they have two beats per measure. In fact, only a handful of marches are written otherwise, usually in 4/4, but still using the same tempo (see below).

The following is a list of meters used in marches:

  • 2/2 or cut-time (indicated by a letter "c" with a slash through it. This literally represents common time being cut in half, hence the name "cut time"). Marches written in cut-time have a clear upbeat/downbeat feel. In layman's terms, a cut-time march has a strong "oom-pah" sound to it. Many cut-time marches utilize heavy syncopation to create rhythmic interest. Because passing tones in most cases are shorter, cut-time marches tend to sound "faster" than other marches in a different meter. The most famous cut-time march would probably be The Stars and Stripes Forever by Sousa.
  • 6/8 marches are played in two, meaning the dotted-quarter note gets the beat and there are two of them in a measure. If the composer wants a triplet feel to the march, 6/8 is used. In other words, 6/8 marches have a more dance-like swing feel to them, which is more prominent and exagerated than its cut-time cousin. A 6/8 march can be distinguished immediately by recognizing its common "da-bah-da-bah" or "DA-da-DA-da" sound. The most famous 6/8 march would probably by The Washington Post March, also by Sousa.
  • 2/4 is much like cut-time, except that less notes appear in a measure, since the quarter note now gets the beat instead of the half note but there still is only two beats per measure. Marches written in 2/4 tend to be for the sake of the performer, as it is, for the most part, easier to read at faster tempos. Many European marches are written in 2/4, and almost all American galops are as well. These galops are played at a very fast tempo, making it sound as if there was one beat to a bar.
  • 4/4 marches are rarely seen, as it is almost pointless to use with a fast tempo. However, some slow marches, such as dirges, utilize 4/4. Robert Jager also uses 4/4 with his popular quick march, "Stars and Bars".


Tempo

The tempo of a march is suprisingly varied. While most bands perform marches in their own tempo, most marches are quick (faster than a waltz, as fast or slower than a polka). As alluded to before, most march composers did not designate a specific tempo on their manuscripts. However, that is not to say the march music composer is random with his/her tempo while conducting the march. For example, John Philip Sousa conducted his marches using around 120 beats per minute. Most European march composers, however, conducted their marches in a slower style, using around 100 beats per minute. There are, however, many and notable exceptions: see concert march and screamer.

Key

For the sake of band performers, especially altos, marches are typically written in flat keys. The keys of Concert F, Bb, and Ab are the most frequently used. (NOTE: These refer to the key the march begins in, not the modulated key in the trio (see below).

The March Music Form

Most marches follow a fairly strict structure. This structure is known as the march music form. The march music form's origins can be derived from the sonata form, as it shares similar ideas of contrastiing sections. The true march music form was not utilized until the start of the march music era, and was eventually standardized by none other than John Philip Sousa. While the march music form varies tremendously amongst different styles of the march, all marches must have the following:

  • Different sections, or strains.
  • Several separate melodies.
  • A contrasting section known as the trio.

The following two march forms are the most popular and frequently used by march music composers.

The Military March Form

  • The first section is called the Introduction (I) or fanfare and is either 4, 8, or 16 bars long. The introduction is typically played in marcato style, typically using forte dynamics to catch the attention of the listener. Compared to the other sections of a march, the introduction usually the shortest part. Most introductions utilize chromatic scales and contrary motion counterpoint. This is discussed below.

Click here to listen to the introduction of "The Thunderer" by John Philip Sousa. Sound clips are in MIDI format.

Image:Gnome-speakernotes.png The Thunderer Introduction (info)
The Thunderer's introduction
Problems listening to the file? See media help.


  • The next section is commonly called the first strain, as it is the first prominent melody of the march. The first strain is typically 8 or 16 bars long with 4-measure phrases. The first strain can be in either major or minor mode and can use any variety of dynamics, intrumentation and modulations. Typically this strain utilizes similiar motifs in its phrases, and sounds more rhythmically straight forward than the next section. After the first playing of the strain, it is repeated once, sometimes with added parts such as counter-melodies.
Image:Gnome-speakernotes.png The Thunderer First Strain (info)
The Thunderer's first strain
Problems listening to the file? See media help.


  • The second strain can be 8, 16, or 32 bars long and is the second primary melody of the march. This strain may use somewhat different instrumentation or may alter the relative dynamics of the different parts. In terms of phrasing, it also uses 4-measure phrases, but with more varied motifs. This makes the second strain's melodies sound more "stretched out". For example, many second strains utilize more whole notes than the first strain. For a good example, listen to The Stars and Stripes Forever. The second strain is usually repeated once like the first, but some marches omit this repeat.
Image:Gnome-speakernotes.png The Thunderer Second Strain (info)
The Thunderer's second strain
Problems listening to the file? See media help.


  • In some marches, a short introduction to the trio is heard. This introduction to the trio can be a repeat of the first introduction, a whole new separate melody played by the whole band, a fanfare by the brasses, or a percussion soli (drum rolloff). "Semper Fidelis" by Sousa, for example, has this. Another example of this is found in Twin Eagle Strut, by Zane Van Auken.
  • The third (or technically forth or fifth) primary melody in a march is called the trio. The trio is described as the main melody of the march. It is often played legato style in a softer dynamic, and features woodwinds more than brass. Sousa often used clarinets and euphoniums in lower tenor register in his trios. The trio is the most contrasting section, often containing variations of motifs heard in the previous two strains. The trio melody is often repeated once at a softer dynamic, or not repeated at all and goes right to the next section. In almost all cases, the trio modulates to the subdominant key of the march, meaning one flat is added to the key signature. Again, this is for the purpose of contrast and makes the trio more memorable to the listener. The fact that the key is now flatter also offers a more relaxing feel for those trios with softer instrumentation. For marches starting in minor keys, the trio is usually modulates to the relative major. This key is maintained to the end of the piece.
Image:Gnome-speakernotes.png The Thunderer Trio (info)
The Thunderer's trio
Problems listening to the file? See media help.


  • Next comes the break strain (sometimes called the dogfight or interlude), making it the 4th main melody heard. This strain is loud, intense and marcato. The break strain's purpose can be found in its title. The break strain literally breaks a gap between the trio sections. It offers contrast to the usually softer trio melodies, and generates excitment for the listener. Most breakstrains resemble a conversation between the upper woodwinds and the low brass. The final measures of the breakstrain typically contain tension-building chords or chromatic motifs.
  • After the breakstrain, the trio is heard again, either for one last time or and the 2nd (or third) time. If the trio after the breakstrain is the last, it is usually played in the same style as the first trio. Sometimes this trio has added counter-melodies or obbligatos. After this trio, the breakstrain is played again, then moves on the final trio. The final trio is known as the grandioso. It is typically much more louder than the previous playing(s) of the trio and utilizes all sections of the band, bringing everything to a close. The grandioso is considered the most exciting section of the march and serves the purpose of instilling the trio melody into the mind of the listener. The gradioso sometimes adds yet another counter-melody or obbligato, such as the one in The Stars and Stripes Forever. The last measure of the march sometimes contains a stinger, a I chord played in unison on the upbeat after a quarter rest. Not all marches carry a stinger; the National Emblem march is the most famous march not to have an ending stinger.

Media

Image:Gnome-speakernotes.png
The Stars and Stripes Forever (info)
Sousa's band performs The Stars and Stripes Forever
The Thunderer (info)
Full midi of The Thunderer by John Philip Sousa
Problems listening to the files? See media help.


External links

  • Marches Downloadable recordings of marches performed by the US Air Force Bands

See also

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