American march music

"American march" redirects here. It is not to be confused with March for America.

American march music is march music written and/or performed in the United States.

History

The true "march music era" existed from 1850 to 1940s as it slowly became shadowed by the coming of jazz. Earlier marches, such as the ones from George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven tended to be part of a symphony or a movement in a suite. Despite the age of these marches, the history it holds and its performance in the United States, they are generally not thought of as "typical American march music".

Marches and the military band
Radetzky March
Austrian Johann Strauss I's "Radetzky March" (1848), which became popular, arranged for the United States Marine Corps Band
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The origins of European and American march music can be traced to the military music of the Ottoman Empire. The martial purpose of the music was to regulate the functioning of armies in the field by communicating orders, and keeping time during marching and maneuvers. The extensive use of percussion, such as cymbals, was also used for psychological effect as their use, especially in Western Europe, was unknown and had the capacity to frighten opponents. Indeed, the subsequent use of cymbals and other such percussive instruments in European 'classical' music was a direct importation from the Ottomans. In the early 18th century, Europeans were first exposed to this type of music and interest would continue to build into the early 19th century when a vogue for Turkish marching bands swept through Europe. Pieces displaying this Turkish influence can be found in the works of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven with a notable example being "Turkish March" by Beethoven (part of Op. 113): Overture and incidental music for Die Ruinen von Athen.

The origins of march music 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 fife. American march music showed during the American Revolutionary 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 19th century), military bands continued to perform marches during related ceremonies and other events. This actually spawned a whole new tradition of playing marches as a source of entertainment.

Marches and the concert band
The Washington Post
The United States Marine Band performs The Washington Post, which is one of Sousa's most famous marches
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Around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 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
The Circus Bee
Henry Fillmore's "The Circus Bee" performed by the United States Marine Corps Band
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Marches were further popularized with performances by circus bands. During the same period of the community band/concert band, circuses such as the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey 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 "Cakewalks". 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 and high school marching bands were also beginning to form. March composers would often dedicate marches to university bands. Marches were performed during half-time shows and pep-rallies.

John Philip Sousa revolution
"The Stars and Stripes Forever"
The United States Marine Band performs "The Stars and Stripes Forever", the national march of the United States
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American composer John Philip Sousa revolutionized the march. His prolific production of quality marches added to the genre's popularity. According to Sousa researcher Paul Bierley, Sousa’s marches were known for simplicity and understatement, with rousing counterpoint and overall energy. Sousa also is said to have standardized the traditional march form (see below.) His Stars and Stripes Forever is the official march of the United States.

Common march composers in the United States

Most march composers come from the United States or Europe, and have some type of musical background. The most popular march composers existed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mainly because modern march dedicators are hard to come by. The following is a list of march music composers whose marches are frequently performed in the United States.

Famous marches

"Repasz Band March" by Chas. C. Sweeley.

The following is a list of popular marches from around the world that are frequently performed in the United States. They are in alphabetical order for easy reading.

Musicality and the march music form

This section discusses the format and other musical aspects of march music.

Meter

The majority of marches are written in duple meter, meaning they have two beats per measure. 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:

Tempo

The tempo of marches varies significantly. While most bands perform marches in their own tempo, most marches are quick (faster than a waltz, as fast as 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, B♭, E♭, and A♭ are the most frequently used. (NOTE: These refer to the key the march begins in, not the modulated key in the trio (see below).

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 contrasting 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:

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

Military march form

"Grandioso" redirects here. For the 1901 march, see Roland F. Seitz.
"Blaze Away! March" by Abe Holzmann, written in military march format.

The military march can be heavily credited to John Philip Sousa. He is said to have standardized the military march form, and it is used in over half of his marches.
The Thunderer Introduction
The Thunderer's introduction
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The Thunderer First Strain
The Thunderer's first strain
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The Thunderer Second Strain
The Thunderer's second strain
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The Thunderer Trio
The Thunderer's trio
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The Thunderer Breakstrain, Trio and Grandioso
The rest of The Thunderer
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Therefore, the military march form is this: I-AA-BB-C(C)-Br-C-Br-C(Grandioso)

"Regimental" march form

Another popular (and perhaps older) march style is the regimental march, or review march. There are a few key differences between a typical military march and a regimental march.

Therefore, the "regimental" march form is this: I-AA-BB-CC-DD

Other forms and styles

Phrasing

The basic (and vague) definition of a march is a piece of music based upon a regular repeated drum/rhythmic pattern. Therefore, what makes a march recognizable is its phrases. Almost all quickstep marches consist of four-measure phrases, typical ending with a whole note either creating or resolving melodic tension (see Progressions) followed by a pickup note (see Pickups). It can be said that this rather "basic" framework is what makes marches melodically "pleasing". Some marches have more noticeable phrases than others. Karl King's marches, for example, have very clear-cut phrases with said whole notes and pickups. John Philip Sousa, however, tended to use practically seamless phrasing.

Chords and harmonic progression

The harmonic progressions of American march music are well-grounded in the archetypal harmonic techniques of the times in which they were written.

Consider "Semper Fidelis" by John Philip Sousa. The following is the chord progression. Note, each barred section represents one measure, for a total of 16 measures.

"Semper Fidelis"'s first strain begins with a very simple V-I progression, creating a wave-like sense of tension and relief. Note its use of dominant seven chords to make the V chord stronger. This extension is used in many marches. Towards the end, however, the progression gets more harmonically interesting. In the middle of the measure before the trumpet "fanfare," the chord alters to C♯dim7 instead of remaining on C as before. Because it leads to a G7 chord rather than a D minor chord, this is an example of a common-tone diminished seventh chord. This chord "leads" into the V chord (G), which is then followed by a D7 chord. A D chord in the key of C would be the ii chord, and all ii chords must be minor. However, the D chord in this case is not minor. Rather, it is known as a secondary dominant, in which a dominant chord is borrowed from another key, hence "secondary dominant". A secondary dominant naturally leads into a chord other than the first (I chord). In this case, it leads into the V (G7).

The following is the chord progression of the second strain. Note, each barred section represents one measure, for a total of 16 measures.

As with most second strains, this one features more rapidly changing chords. Note the use of the IV chord, used in marches to create a very "uplifting" and lyrical sound which will tend to resolve back to the I chord or proceed into the V chord, as it does here. At measure ten, where it restates the main theme, Sousa uses a rather "deceptive" chord change. Instead of using F to G7 to C as he did in measures two and three, it goes from the IV (F) to the V7/VI (E7, secondary dominant), to the VI (Am). The main melodic theme uses the same notes, but revolves around a different harmonic progression, resulting in greater chordal interest (less repetitive). Sousa then uses his trademark chromatic accented chord (A♭7; note that it is a half-step below the previous chord) to create a "wall of tension" that quickly resolves into the I chord.

Another "accented" chromatic chord frequently used by march music composers is an inversion of a I chord with a lowered third and raised fifth. For example, if there was an E♭ major chord (the I in the key of E♭), it would be followed by a B major chord (because a B chord is an E♭ chord with a lowered third and raised fifth). Unlike the aforementioned secondary dominants, this chord really does not have logical harmonic functions to it (besides neighbor tone usage) other than to add texture and interest.

In summary:

Difficulty

The actual difficulty of performance is considerably varied amongst marches. Because marches were some of the first music to be written for grade school bands (which were just becoming prominent throughout the country), many marches are fairly modest in difficulty. However, given the fact that many composers wrote marches for their own band (typically a professional community or circus band), some require almost virtuoso skill to perform. Many conductors note that any march is difficult to play "perfectly," with all correct expressions, articulation, and steady tempo. The following difficulty grading system is adapted from Norman Smith's "March Music Notes".

Instrumentation

A general instrumentation setup used originally for American marches would be very difficult to explain, as most bands were extremely varied in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As stated before, most of the standard march music was written for the composer's band. Whether that be the Sousa, Ringling Bros., or Gilmore, every band typically had marches written by their conductor in repertoire. With that said, most marches were also written in a very specific instrumentation. For example, many composers simply wrote a piano version of the march, and it was up to the publisher to arrange separate parts for concert band, orchestra, etc.

However, in modern repertoire and arrangements, the scores are typically written for:

Assignments and roles of instrument sections

There are some generalities that can be made pertaining to what role a section of a concert band holds in a typical march. Examples:

Media
The Thunderer
Full midi of The Thunderer by John Philip Sousa
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References

    External links

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