March is a highly rhythmical type of musical composition that was originally performed mainly to accompany marching. Marches are intended to raise the morale of military troops, provide color and pageantry at sports events, and lend dignity to official ceremonies. Today, marches are often played by school and professional bands at concerts. In addition, some ballets, operas, and classical instrumental works include marches.
Loading the player...Lohengrin
Most marches consist of a main melody called a march and a contrasting section called a trio. The trio generally is quieter and more melodious than the march and is played in a different key.
There are various kinds of marches. Two of the most common kinds are the military march and the ceremonial march. Military marches have a quick tempo and are used to help large groups march in an orderly manner. The American bandmaster John Philip Sousa wrote more than 100 popular military marches. Ceremonial marches are slower than military marches and are played at serious events, such as coronations and school graduations. The English composer Sir Edward Elgar wrote five famous ceremonial marches that are called Pomp and Circumstance. Other types include circus marches, which have fast tempos, and funeral marches, which have the slowest tempos of all marches.
See also King, Karl.
Loading the player...The Stars and Stripes Forever
