March

Phoebe Reed
 01.
Definition History
Used to regulate armies in the field
by
communicating orders, keeping
time during marching, and to
boost morale among ranks.
02.
Meter and Tempo
It is typically in duple meter
(2/4 or 2/2) and has a tempo
ranging from moderate to fast.
03.
Style
A march usually has a simple,
rhythmic pattern that is easy to
march or step to. It uses a
characteristic “oom-pah” bass
line and dotted rhythms in the
melody.
04.
Purpose
Evolved to being performed
during
ceremonies and as a source of
entertainment, even being used
to decorate circus acts.
 Introduction: typically 4, 8, or 16 measures long and sets the mood of the
music
First Strain: first melody of the march and frequently the most
recognizable; typically 8 or 16 measures long; repeated in a different
section of the ensemble or at a different intensity, sometimes with added
counter-melodies
Second Strain: introduction of a second melody; typically 16 measures
long; repeated; often played softer for contrast or in different instruments
Form than the first strain
Trio: featured section of the march; third, main melody emerges;
immediate change in the dynamic level from loud to soft; tonal center
changes to the subdominant; typically 32 measures long; most contrasting
Strain of all the sections
Break Strain: the louder, more intense part of a march, serves as a break
Each Strain contains a new melody that contrasts between the softer trio sections; fourth melody emerges. Sometimes a
with the other melodies. “Dogfight” is used here, which uses call-and-response between upper and
lower voices to reinforce the martial theme
Coda: a final return to the Trio theme played much more loudly is the
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Stinger: the last measure of the march contains a chord played in unison
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Timeline
Early 1700’s to the Early
1800’s
Turkish Beginnings
Europeans were exposed to the
Turkish March which was used by
the Ottoman Empire and featured
heavy use of percussion to
intimidate the enemy. The Turkish
Marching Band became extremely
popular in Europe in the early
1800s, leading to such famous
pieces as Beethoven’s Turkish
March.
1770s to 1860s
American Revolution
The March was used
extensively in American
Wars from Revolutionary to
Civil, which led to mass
adoption of the style in three
sorts of American bands:
concert, circus, marching.
Concert band evolved into
the modern community band
and marches spread through
their “gazebo concerts.”
1880s-1910s
Sousa’s Standardization
The Ringling Brothers John Philip Sousa’s marches were so
and Barnum & Bailey prolific that they single handedly
Circuses spread the increased the popularity of the
“Screamers”, “Two- March and standardized the form
Steps”, and “Cakewalks” and other aspects of the style. The
styles of march. College March was permanently enshrined
marching bands spread as a staple of American music by
the march further at Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever”
university athletic
events.
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor known
as "The March King" for his popular marches, including "The Stars
and Stripes Forever," "Semper Fidelis," and "The Washington Post."
Born in 1854 in Washington, D.C., Sousa began his musical career as
a violinist before becoming a bandmaster in the United States Marine
Corps. He later formed his own civilian band, which toured
extensively and became one of the most famous musical ensembles
of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sousa's marches are still
popular today and are often played at patriotic events and military
ceremonies.
 The Thunderer Valdres March
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CITATIONS:
Lesson – Form & History of March Music
Musical Form of a Typical American March
dogfight - definition
A Short History of Marches – Altissimo!
John Philip Sousa Biography