March (music)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
140th anniversary of the storming of the Düppeler Schanzen , military parade through Sønderborg in Denmark with a chapel in front

A march ( English march , Italian marcia , French marche ) is a piece of music that is supposed to facilitate walking or marching in lockstep with even metric accents in mostly straight (two-part) time . That is why the march has gained special importance in military music . March music denotes the corresponding genre of music . It is related to the step dances like intrada , pavane and polonaise . The term “march” comes from marcare , a developed verb from Vulgar Latin , which in turn probably goes back to the Old High German word markon from the hunter's language , stamping your feet , leaving traces or a track . This means a steady, to a certain extent "hammering" step.

development

Festive procession was accompanied by music in ancient times; The march was given a more artistic form in the Greek tragedy , where the choir appeared in measured movement and also resigned, albeit not with instrumental accompaniment, but singing. Thucydides reports that marching music could be played in ancient warfare : When the Spartans went to the battle of Mantineia , they advanced under the play of many deployed aulets who did not make music to the gods, but rather the warriors “evenly and in Clock marched ”.

The military march is sometimes inappropriately attributed to the Thirty Years War . The drums , timpani , trumpets and Swiss pipes were already at the beginning of the 16th century in use when a prince in a city or rode in the field moved ( Sebastian Virdung ); also late medieval Prozessionsgesänge and Crusaders - and mercenary songs form the precursor of the modern march.

An indirect source for military marching practices of the Renaissance is William Byrd's work The Battle for virginal or harpsichord from My Ladye Nevells Booke (1591): It contains four pieces that are expressly referred to as “marche”, including two in the 3rd / 2-time ( The marche of horsmen ("Reitermarsch") and The marche to the fight ("March to the fight")), and an Irish marche in 12/4 time; Some other movements from The battle can also be classified as a march, especially since they imitate typical instrumental line- ups of military marching music ( The bagpipe and the drone (" bagpipe and bass pipe"), The flute and the droome (" flute and drum ") etc.) .

to form

The marching music is mostly kept in a straight beat . A special form with dotted rhythms are z. B. French Revolution marches such as the Marseillaise . Ballet movements are also kept in three-part time signatures. The form of the march, as it can be found as art music first in operas ( Jean-Baptiste Lully ) and then as a piano piece ( François Couperin ), is that of the old dance forms (two 8- to 16- bar repeats ). Today's march also usually consists of two parts of 8 to 16 bars each in song form . The second part can also contain more bars. Since the middle of the 18th century, a similarly built, rather melodious “ trio ” has been added as a middle section, mostly in the subdominant . Finally, a general prelude of 4 to 16 bars is placed in front of this form.

Characteristics and instrumentation

The march in art music

Since the 17th century, the “march” has been documented as a piece of music in song form with two short-term phrases that are repeated and juxtaposed. This form was expanded in the 18th century by a melodious trio. German marches are consistently in an even rhythm, while many older French marches have an odd time measure. Lully also composed ballet marches in odd times. In the opera of the 17th and 18th centuries since Lully, the march was by no means only used in a military-warlike sense, but also as an elevator for other groups of people, such as B. for priests and priestesses, for shepherds , for sailors , or for exotic ethnic groups such. B. Persians . Both the general musical character, the tempo and the instrumentation were then adapted to the corresponding meaning, e.g. B. Rameau's Marche des Prêtresses de Diane (March of the Diana Priestesses) from Hippolyte et Aricie (1st act; 1733) is a gentle “feminine” piece with transverse flutes and strings; Another march in the 5th act of the same opera is in 3/4 time and has typical musette features (long bordun notes ).

Conversely, marches were sometimes used in a comical sense, e.g. B. Lully's pompous Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs (“March for the Turkish ceremony”) for Molière's comedy Der Bürger als Edelmann (1670) is in reality a corruption .

The march also found its way into art music with Johann Sebastian Bach , Joseph Haydn , Mozart and Beethoven . Even in the 19th century, Georges Bizet composed for his opera Carmen not only the sparkling “March of the Toreros” ( Marche des Toréadors ), but also a “March of the Smugglers” ( Marche des Contrebandiers ), which appropriately has a soft and delicate instrumentation - as if the smugglers were secretly “marching” on the soles of their feet in order not to be caught.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed a whole series of orchestral marches for serenades and divertimenti (e.g. KV  214, 215, 248, 335, 445). According to a local tradition in Salzburg , the musicians are said to have played these marches while going to Mirabell Palace in Salzburg or to the university; H. between the actual performances of the serenades. March KV 335 No. 1 has a particularly ingenious instrumentation, where the plucking strings in the oboe solos have the effect of a ticking clock.

Otherwise, the march was in full bloom, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries with its nationalistic and militaristic tendencies and its revolutions . A good example is Gioachino Rossini , who not only regularly built pompous marches into his operas ( Mosè in Egitto 1818, Semiramide 1823, Guillaume Tell 1829, etc.), but also composed some pieces for individual princes: including a commissioned composition for the Turkish sultan Abdülmecid I. . ( Marcia per il Sultano) , which is still regularly on the program of Italian military bands .

Another example of the trends of the 19th century is the production of the Strauss family in Vienna , who composed a march at every suitable opportunity to demonstrate patriotism or loyalty to the emperor, or to honor military personalities (e.g. Radetzky March by Johann Strauss Father ). There were quite absurd situations when Johann Strauss 'father and, above all, Johann Strauss' son hung their "little flags". Strauss Sohn composed e.g. For example, during the revolutionary unrest of 1848/1849 a student march op.56 on a freedom song and a revolution march op.54 , and only a short time later - after the revolution was suppressed by imperial troops - an Kaiser-Franz-Joseph -marsch op. 67. He followed this up with many more demonstrations of his loyalty to the emperor, such as B. the Kaiser-Jäger-March op. 93, an Kaiser-Franz-Joseph-Rettungs-Jubel-March op. 126, the coronation march op. 183 (1856), and later pieces with jovial titles like Hoch Österreich! op. 371 (1875), or Habsburg Hoch! op. 408 (1882). In addition, Johann Strauss Sohn also created some orchestral pieces with exotic instrumentation, harmony and melody , such as the Persian March op.289 (1864), the Egyptian March op.335 (1869), or the Russian March op.426 (1886).

Since the adoption of popular tonal and harmonic elements from profane to church music in the 19th century, especially in Italy and France, there has also been march music for organ. These compositions are mostly intended for solemn processions and the entry and exit of the priest. Often , compositions referred to as Entrée (entry) or Sortie (excerpt) have a march-like character.

Out of the number of marches intended for special purposes and occasions (festival marches, tribute marches, church marches, almost only on the stage in elevators, etc.), the funeral march (Marcia funebre) stands out as a particularly characteristic one . There are also songs in march form, which are also performed instrumentally as a promenade march.

German military march

During the time of Frederick II and the Wars of Liberation , the German military march developed into a series of forms, the parade marches (pas ordinaires) , presentation marches, speed marches (pas redoublés, quick march) , storm marches (pas de charge) , horseback and regimental marches are designated.

In Prussia , the “Little Game”, which goes back to the drummers and Pfeiffer music of the Landsknechtfähnlein , comprised the flute and triangle . With the introduction of the regulated lockstep in the 17th century, other instruments were added, wood and brass instruments , percussion and bells , the "Great Game" (see the history of the line-up of military music in Germany ).

Instruments

Besides the usual in wind music instruments, vA come in such marches are used, the horn is directed more forward while playing; So-called substitution instruments, which are rarely or never used in full symphonic orchestras - these are usually brass instruments. Examples of this are the mellophone instead of the French horn or the helicon and the sousaphone instead of the tuba . In the English-speaking world in particular, these instruments are known as the “marching brass” version, see also the “Brass” section in the “Drum Corps” article .

Examples

Art music

Priest marches:

Funeral marches:

Wedding marches

Coronation marches

Exotic marches

Other marches by classical composers

Sacred marches for organ

Further examples

Military marching music

A military march and a concert march, namely a jubilee march and a triumphal march, cannot be strictly distinguished.

See also

Web links

Commons : Marches  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: March  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

literature

  • Brockhaus Riemann music lexicon . Munich 1979.
  • Franz Mailer: Booklet text for CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 2, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD) (Zum Kaiser-Franz-Joseph I- Rescue Cheer March op. 126).
  • Franz Mailer: Booklet text for CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 11, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD), p. 13 f (Zum Revolutionsmarsch op . 54).
  • Franz Mailer: Booklet text for CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 17, CSR Symphony Orchestra Bratislava, Alfred Eschwé, published by: Marco Polo (CD).
  • Franz Mailer: Booklet text for CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 18, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD), p. 17 f (Zum Studentenmarsch op . 56).
  • March . In: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon . 4th edition. Volume 11, Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig / Vienna 1885–1892, p. 284.
  • Johann Mattheson : “... V. La Marche ”(§ 95–97), in: Der Perfe Capellmeister 1739, ed. v. Margarete Reimann, Kassel et al .: Bärenreiter, pp. 226–227.
  • Regulations H.Dv. 34, M.Dv. No. 43, Directory of German Army Marches , 1933.

grades

  • William Byrd: My Ladye Nevells Booke of Virginal Music . Hilda Andrews (ed.), Dover Publications, New York 1969. ISBN 0-486-22246-2
  • François Couperin: Pièces de clavecin (Premier livre) . Facsimile, publ. sous la dir. de J. Saint-Arroman, Courlay: Édition JM Fuzeau, 1988.
  • The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (revised Dover Edition), 2 vol., Ed. by JA Fuller Maitland u. W. Barclay Squire, corrected et al. ed. by Blanche Winogron, New York: Dover Publications, 1979/1980.

Recordings

  • Mozart - Posthornserenade & Marches KV 335 , Staatskapelle Dresden, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, published by: Teldec (originally 1984).
  • Jean-Philippe Rameau : orchestral suite from "Hippolyte et Aricie" , La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken, published by: deutsche harmonia mundi 1979 (LP).
  • J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, over 34 CDs, various orchestras and conductors, published by: Marco Polo (CD).

Remarks

  1. The order of the sentences is: "the souldiers sommons - the marche of footemen - the marche of horsemen - the trumpetts - the Irishe marche - the bagpipe and the drone - the flute & the drõme - the marche to the fighte (tantara tantara - the battels be ioyned) - The retreat. "From other sources further sentences follow:" the buriing of the dead - the morris - ye souldiers dance. "
  2. In Issé (1697) and Les Éléments (1721) by André Cardinal Destouches .
  3. In Le Carnaval et la Folie (1704) and in Les Éléments (1721) by Destouches; and in the 3rd act by Jean-Philippe Rameaus Hippolyte et Aricie 1733, Marche des Tréseniens et des Matelots in Rameaus Hippolyte et Aricie.
  4. Marche des Persans in Rameau's Les Indes Galantes 1735
  5. ^ A recording on CD: Mozart - Posthornserenade & Marches KV 335 , Staatskapelle Dresden, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, published by: Teldec (originally 1984).
  6. The song came from JH Hirschfeld, in the text it says u. a .: “To brothers! The weapons for freedom and justice! The sighing human race has awakened ... O human redemption, celebrate your festival! ... Long live freedom, long live the law! ”A letter from Johann Strauss' son was even published in a newspaper about the composition of the march.
  7. The piece was first presented as the “Victory March of the Revolution”!
  8. The title refers to the assassination attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1853 .
  9. This piece, however, was written for the coronation of the Russian Tsar Alexander II in 1855.
  10. This march is often used as a wedding march, especially in Great Britain.
  11. This piece has survived under two different titles: In the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (vol. 2, no. CCLIX., Pp. 402–404) as Earle of Oxfords M. , and in My Ladye Nevells Book (no. 3, p. 15-19) as Marche before the Battell . Because of the latter, it can be dated to before 1591.
  12. With "Gris-Vêtus" the gray (or large) musketeers should be meant, a regiment of Turenne .

Individual evidence

  1. marciàre . In: Barbara Colonna: Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana . terza edizione. Roma 2002, p. 235. Likewise marciàre . In: Garzanti Linguistica ; retrieved on November 28, 2017. - The noun marcus ( hammer ) with the deminutive marculus ( hammer ) is used in literary Latin. - See also march . In: Duden . Volume 7: The dictionary of origin . P. 443.
  2. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5,70: ὁμαλῶς μετὰ ῥυθμοῦ βαίνοντες.
  3. a b William Byrd, Hilda Andrews (arrangement): My Ladye Nevells Booke of Virginal Music . Dover Publications, New York 1969, pp. 20-39.
  4. See also Narciso Yepes : Anonymous (11th century), Irish Marsh. Schott, guitar archive. Volume 603.
  5. Jürgen Libbert (Ed.): Wenzel Matiegka, 12 easy pieces op. 3 for guitar. Adapted from the original text [from the chemical printing works in Vienna from around 1814]. Edition Preißler, 1979 (= studio series guitar. Volume 3), p. 16 ( March ).
  6. ^ A b Jean-Philippe Rameau: orchestral suite from "Hippolyte et Aricie" , La Petite Bande, Sigiswald Kuijken, published by: deutsche harmonia mundi 1979 (LP).
  7. HC Robbins Landon (ed.): The Mozart Compendium - His Life - His Music . Droemer Knaur, Munich 1991, pp. 311, 313 ff.
  8. See: Franz Mailer : Booklet text on CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 18, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD), p. 17 f.
  9. See: Franz Mailer: Booklet text on CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 11, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD), p. 13 f. (On the Revolutionary March op. 54).
  10. Booklet text on CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 17, CSR Symphony Orchestra Bratislava, Alfred Eschwé, published by: Marco Polo (CD), p. 30 f.
  11. ^ Franz Mailer: Booklet text for CD: J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, Vol. 2, CSSR State Philharmonic Orchestra (Košice), Alfred Walter, published by: Marco Polo (CD) p. 17 f.
  12. J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition , over 30 CDs, various orchestras and conductors, published by: Marco Polo (CD): Kaiser-Jäger-Marsch op. 93 on Vol. 20, Kaiser-Franz-Joseph I-Rettungs- Jubel-March op. 126 on Vol. 2, Coronation March op. 183 on Vol. 12, Hoch Österreich! op. 371 to Vol. 19, Habsburg Hoch! op. 408 on Vol. 9.
  13. J. Strauss, Jr. - Edition, over 30 CDs, various orchestras and conductors, published by: Marco Polo (CD): Persischer Marsch op.289 on Vol. 22, Egyptischer Marsch op.335 on Vol. 13 and Russischer March op. 426 (1886) to Vol. 34.
  14. See: The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (revised Dover Edition), 2 volumes, ed. by JA Fuller Maitland u. W. Barclay Squire, corrected et al. ed. Blanche Winogron, New York: Dover Publications, 1979/1980, Volume 2, pp. 402-404. See also: My Ladye Nevells Booke of Virginal Music . … Dover Publications, New York 1969, pp. 15-19.
  15. See: François Couperin : Pièces de clavecin (Premier livre) . Facsimile, publ. sous la dir. de J. Saint-Arroman, Courlay: Édition JM Fuzeau, 1988, p. 13 (definition of terms).
  16. ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1918 Music Last Half of 1918 . New Series Vol. 13 Part 2 (English; archive.org ).