Presentation march

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A presentation march is a military piece of music that is played to pace the front of a troop. The playing of presentation marches is part of the usual ceremonial of armies around the world , but differs - depending on tradition and cultural area - in terms of cast, style of play and character of the piece. For example, presentation marches in Germany and Russia are very precise compositions that follow an emphatically hard rhythm ; in countries like France and England, on the other hand, calm, set pieces are used. Another expression is z. B. the form of the presentation march in Austria , which in the form that is used for heads of state, is not an elaborated piece, but just a simple, repetitive signal call.

term

The term presentation march is ambiguous; it can mean a march in general that is played for the purpose explained above, or it can be the title or title component of a particular march.

Examples:

Presentation marches in Germany

Historical

Up until the end of the First World War there was an abundance of presentation marches in the German Reich , as many troop units led their own presentation march in addition to their traditional march. There were differences - as with all other marches - between infantry and cavalry music (see article military music ). The presentation march of Friedrich Wilhelm III took a special position in the Prussian army from around 1850 . which will be discussed separately below. Later in the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht , it became a common presentation march throughout the German Empire. A musical peculiarity was common up until the Second World War : if a marching band started together with a musical corps , only the musical corps played the presentation march ; instead, the minstrels played their traditional presentation march, the Old Prussian Grenadier March . Both pieces were due to their tune , the clock speed and the key actually incompatible, although they were played for traditional reasons synchronously.

Up until 1945 it was also customary in Germany for the head of state not to perform a presentation march when the head of state paced the front , but to play the national anthem .

Well-known German presentation marches

Presentation march of Friedrich Wilhelm III.

Invasion of the Prussian troops at the large revue of Kalisch , painting by Carl Rechlin , 1835

The presentation march was composed by Friedrich Wilhelm III., Inspired by the Hautboist corps of the late 18th century, in his youth. The court musicians noted it for chamber music ensembles . The work was quickly forgotten again. It was not until 1835 that the score was rediscovered and the march at the Kalisch Revue was played by a monster orchestra on the instructions of the Russian Tsar Nicholas I , Friedrich Wilhelm's son-in-law . In 1841 the piece was added to the Prussian army march collection at the behest of Friedrich Wilhelm IV . It is a very short but concise march with a high recognition value .

From around 1870 onwards, the melody of the march was unofficially accompanied by a humorous text:

His Majesty the King
pays us too little,
We want a taler,
but we don't get it
and we don't present for 23 pfennigs!

The text is based on the fact that teams in the Prussian army received a daily salary of 22 pfennigs. Soldiers of the Guard received a Pfennig Guard Allowance and thus got the 23 Pfennig sung about.

The presentation march of Friedrich Wilhelm III. is today the standard presentation march of the Bundeswehr , its formation of honor and thus part of the diplomatic protocol of official and state visits to the Federal Republic of Germany. Due to this fact, he has a comparatively high level of awareness. Especially at receptions with military honors and pledges reaching Präsentiermarsch Frederick William III. regularly a broader public, because Federal Presidents, Federal Chancellors, guests of state and other outstanding personalities then walk off the honorary formation of the Bundeswehr when it is voiced, and the resulting images are often reproduced by the media.

More traditional presentation marches in Germany

In the Free State of Bavaria , instead of the presentation march of Friedrich Wilhelm III. played the Bavarian Presentation March.

The navy uses the naval presentation march or Dutch march of honor at large flag parades , which was composed in 1814 by the military musician Jacob Rauscher (1771–1834) and in 1901 was designated by Wilhelm II by decree for the presentation march of the Imperial Navy .

Presentation marches in the National People's Army

The National People's Army of the GDR had its own presentation march, both to emphasize its state independence and its detachment from the traditions of the German Empire and the Third Reich . The presentation march of the NVA was originally composed by Alfred Pechau under the name Brandenburger Presentation March. In the GDR there were also special presentation marches for the air defense , the People's Navy , the People's Police and the MfS guard regiment .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Presentation march Friedrich Wilhelm III. on YouTube , accessed November 12, 2010
  2. ^ Bernhard Höfele: The German military music. A contribution to their history . Luthe-Verlag, Cologne 1999, ISBN 978-3-00004-884-5 , pages 169, 263
  3. ↑ Dutch March of Honor (Naval Presentation March ) on YouTube , accessed on July 16, 2012