Manual for 'Marches'?

[June-Bug-Dan]

Hey,

I've been a fan of 'Marches' for as long as i can remember. And for just as long i have been trying to compose marches for wind band/brass band etc.

I was wondering if there was a book/manual or similar out there which broke down the sections of the March etc. (Such like the orchestration course)

I've been looking for a while now but with no luck. I've read many composition books about harmony, melody, orchestration and so on.

A March manual would be a great addition to me collection:wow:



If anyone can suggest something then please let me know:p


Thanks,

Dan.

[Larry G. Alexander]

I'm a big fan of marches too. Sousa is my hero. :)

A - Intro
B - First Verse
C - Second Verse (Sometimes with key change, often to IV)
D - Short Optional Bridge
B - Recapitulation
E - Ending (Brief or extended)

There are many variations of the above.

I don't know of a march book or manual.

Regards,

[June-Bug-Dan]

I'm a big fan of marches too. Sousa is my hero. :)

A - Intro
B - First Verse
C - Second Verse (Sometimes with key change)
D - Short Optional Bridge
B - Recapitulation
E - Ending (Brief or extended)

I don't know of a march book or manual.

Regards,

Thanks Larry,

This helps but im hoping someone else knows of thorough 'method' book or something similar.:)

D.

[reberclark]

In my experience the "traditional technical" terms are:

Intro
First strain (optional repeat)
Second strain (optional repeat)
optional "break" strain
Trio (also add a flat to the key sig.) - also optional repeat.
Stinger (this is that "final" note - sometimes yes, sometimes no)

I believe this is the general structure of the march. It is just a guideline - vary at will!

EDIT: I have no idea why they are called "strains" instead of verses when it is a march, but that's the tradition.
EDIT EDIT: Bierley's book on Sousa might have some insight - haven't read it in awhile.

[germancomponist]

Hi Dan,

I am a big van of marches too. Many years ago when I was a child a played in some marching bands. My suggestion is: Listen to the marches you like best and try to arrange them in your daw.

I did a march some time ago with CoMB. You can listen to it here: http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/showpost.php?p=555877&postcount=1

Best,

Gunther

[DarwinKopp]

Hi JBD,

There are different kinds of marches:


the "marching" march, literally intended to be marched up and down the street with at march tempo, around 120 bpm +/-, Sousa - "Sempre Fidelis"



the "grand" march (or entrance march, as I like to call it), slow and pompous, closer to a walking tempo, Mendelssohn - "Wedding March"



the "concert" march, which can be just about anything and is typically more elaborate in form then the first two listed above, Williams - "Raiders March"

So, the form may vary quite a lot, but the classic Sousa-ish march is typically AABBCC, or AABBCCDD, with C & D in a closely related key.

However, the classic, classic form, e.g., "Stars and Stripes" is AABBC,dogfight,C,dogfight,C

Some might call the "dogfight" an interlude or 'D', but, if it sounds like a dogfight, then it probably is. :p

[reberclark]

.....:p.....

[June-Bug-Dan]

Thanks for the help guys.

Another question, for those who have composed marches.

I always start with the intro rather than the first 'strain' theme. Does anyone do it this way or another way?

Do you do any planning? ect...

D.

[DarwinKopp]

Hi JBD,

I believe it's most common to write the intro on any kind of work after the first strain, or even last, as it's helpul to at least know what you're introducing before writing the introduction. On the other hand, if it works for you to write straight front to back, then do that. That said, when working on things, sometimes what one thought was going to be the intro ends up somewhere else or not at all. :)

[June-Bug-Dan]

Hi JBD,

I believe it's most common to write the intro on any kind of work after the first strain, or even last, as it's helpul to at least know what you're introducing before writing the introduction. On the other hand, if it works for you to write straight front to back, then do that. That said, when working on things, sometimes what one thought was going to be the intro ends up somewhere else or not at all. :)

I can see why it would be better to write the first strain or the entire piece, then, the intro. But for some reason i've always started with the intro.:wow:

I'm really trying to improve in my composition skills, and especially in Marches and concert band pieces (i aim to have my local band play one of my pieces, if i write a good one!!:p)

Have you yourself written a march before? I'm a fan of the pieces you have done but i cant remember i you've ventured into the Marching world;).

regards, D.

[DarwinKopp]

Have you yourself written a march before? I'm a fan of the pieces you have done but i cant remember i you've ventured into the Marching world;). regards, D.

Well, there's an orchestral concert march, March Excelsior, which was performed summer '08. And happily, it's been programmed again for this coming summer. It's essentially ABA in form, fast-pompous-fast, with all sort of modulations, semi-modern, kind of a blend of the first two types of marches I listed above, but in a concert setting. Unfortunately, I don't have a link to it at the moment.

Incidentally, for 19th century marching-type marches, the form of the march and the form of the typical turn-of-the-century piano rag were very similar. The main difference was that the rag had a "jerkier" melody, but largely retained the oompah-style bass. It is very common for rags to be of generally AABBCCDD form, having CCDD in a closely related key, and with or without an intro or perhaps a short interlude somewhere in there.

So, if you've written any piano rags, you've perhaps already practically written to the march form without realizing it. ;)

[snorlax]

Good Morning (here) afternoon (there), Mr. Mayor...

As a euphonium player, I have played many marches, and even composed a few...

The big problems to avoid with marches are MONO and MEZZO.

MONO refers to having all instruments playing all the time, with no variation of texture and no contrast.

MEZZO refers to lack of dynamics and no contrast.

Please consider this plan, one I have used--I am assuming a WIND BAND here, though you can generalize to a BRASS BAND:

BRIEF INTRO: either a brass fanfare (with possible woodwind trills) or a tutti that sets the mood for the march & clues the listener in to the style that's coming up. Usually forte, but doesn't have to be if the march's character isn't.

FIRST A STRAIN: not loud, and not tutti. Mostly WW; most trumpets out (perhaps one on melody), trombones out or double horns piano, euph on melody

REPEATED A STRAIN: Louder, both due to dynamics and to addition of instruments. Add piccolo, add 1st trumpets on melody & rest of trumpets on background. Add possible countermelody in trombones/euph.

FIRST AND REPEATED B STRAINS: as above. Repeated strain can ba a tutti at forte in order to set up the trio.

TRIO: QUIET!! IT'S A TRIO. Key change--add a flat. Melody in clarinets (not all of them), perhaps one trumpet (maybe muted) and euph/tenor sax, PIANO or PIANISSIMO, horns on backbeats. Melody in trio often contains swells pp<mf>pp.

FIRST DOGFIGHT: Back to forte, but NOT too loud (you need someplace to go at the end)...switch of texture to melody in low instruments. Euph, tuba, trombones, low WW on melody, other WW on rhythmic or support figures. Trumpets optional on rhythmic & background figures.

SECOND "TRIO": Same material as the first trio, but louder than the original trio and using more instruments. Just forte will suffice here since you are adding instruments and you have to save something for the very end. Add piccolo & trumpets on melody, perhaps a countermelody in some combination of picc and/or euphonium and/or trombone and/or tenor sax.

REPEATED DOGFIGHT: As the first one, perhaps SLIGHTLY louder...a nice setup for...

FINAL "TRIO" STRAIN. FORTISSIMO. TUTTI. Melody in high WW and trumpets, countermelody in some combination of euph, trom, tenor sax.
As far as I know, it is NOT standard practice to start this strain slowly and accelerate to a breakneck pace, though some conductors do it. My personal preference is NEVER to do that.

Following a plan similar to this provides both continuity and contrast in order to keep the listener involved.

Not all instruments have to play all the time!

Unfortunately, American printed band music has always had a lot of doubling of parts because school band instrument/player availability was/is/always will be random to some extent. Publishers therefore had to print lots of extra parts to make sure that everything got played by SOME instrument. Directors just passed parts out, so a lot of parts got unnecessarily doubled and the texture ceased to vary.

Another particular issue is the (over)use of cymbals. They do NOT have to play all the time--just for highlights or to fill in quick gaps. Constant use of the cymbals is mind-numbing and does not provide any contrast.

Hope some of this helps...it comes mostly from playing any number of fine or crappy marches under fine or crappy conductors, in great or crappy ensembles...plus the couple of attempts I have made to compose marches (using COMB :))

Jim W.

[Tom_Davis]

I am now totally convinced you are my band arranging professor reincarnate. Except for only one item. Dr Wescott once said to our graduate class, "There is one, and only one thing that will get you an F in this class. That would be putting the beautiful horns on the backbeat."

That humor aside, your comments and form suggestions are terrific.

I do recall a wonderful march in which the entire clarinet section played in unison (not octaves) throughout the piece. It was a striking display of sectional ability, a great learning piece and, for the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the thing.

[snorlax]

Thank you, Tom!
With all you talented musicians around here, I am glad to be able to contribute Something!!
If you think of the name of the march, please do pass it
along--I want to check it out!

Snorlax.