[March] A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts!
A march is a type of musical piece for marching.
In everyday settings, it’s often used as background music for parade-style processions at school sports festivals.
Originally, marches were performed for military parades and ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals.
When we think of marches, we often picture powerful percussion rhythms and bright, brassy melodic lines.
However, there are also pieces known as concert marches—written for performance in concert settings—that are characterized by an elegant, beautiful atmosphere.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of marches all at once, and we hope it will help you choose background music for processions or select repertoire for concerts.
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- [March] A selection of famous march masterpieces played on the piano!
[March] Carefully selected classics of marches and dazzling works popular in concerts! (1–10)
Combat MarchMiki Yūjirō
When people hear this piece, many probably think of baseball.
It is said that it was composed in 1965 by Waseda University’s Cheerleading Club Wind Orchestra for the university’s baseball team.
It’s fascinating that a song written by college students has remained famous for so long.
The composer, Yujiro Miki, reportedly had trouble convincing people he wrote it because it became too well known.
At baseball games, it’s now a familiar sight to hear cheers for players inserted between phrases of this song.
Kimi ga Yo MarchYoshimoto Kōzō
This is a march arranged from Japan’s national anthem, Kimigayo.
As a march adopted by the Self-Defense Forces, it is still widely performed today.
It has also been played as the entrance march for high school baseball at Koshien, so many people may have heard it.
The melody in the trio section is said to be titled “Kōkoku no Mamori” (Defense of the Imperial Nation).
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1Edward Elgar
Pomp and Circumstance is a set of marches for orchestra composed by the British composer Edward Elgar.
There are Nos.
1 through 6, but in Japan No.
1 is probably the most famous.
No.
6 was left unfinished, but it is said to have been newly completed and added.
Thanks to its dynamic tempo contrasts, it’s a six-and-a-half-minute piece that keeps you engaged without getting bored.
From the light, lively opening to the serenely played main theme, it is truly pomp and circumstance! Highly recommended as a march for school sports days or as a concert program piece.
[March] A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts! (11–20)
Weigh anchorCharles Zimmerman
A march with striking, powerful brass and percussion, created to inspire the Naval Academy football team.
Composed in 1906 by Charles A.
Zimmermann, this piece brilliantly captures the proud spirit of the Navy.
Its bold melody and driving rhythm straighten the listener’s spine, vividly portraying the exhilaration of setting out on a new voyage.
Adopted as the title song of a musical film released in 1945, it also left a significant mark on American culture.
Born as a football fight song, it has since been widely performed at ceremonies and enlistments, continuing to move many people as a piece that evokes courage and hope.
March, April, MayYabe Masao
This is a required piece for the 1993 wind band competition.
With movements titled “March,” “April,” and “May,” the piece expresses the changing seasons and gives a wonderfully fresh, uplifting feeling.
The snare drum lends it that quintessential “march!” atmosphere, making it perfect for a sports day as well!
The Washington PostJohn Philip Sousa
The Washington Post is a march beloved by the American people and one of composer John Philip Sousa’s most famous works.
It was commissioned by the well-known American newspaper The Washington Post as a march for the awards ceremony of an essay contest held in the paper.
Its distinctly American, stately rhythm is delightful, isn’t it? I think it would be a great choice to energize the crowd as background music for the entrance march at a school sports day.
Military MarchFranz Schubert
Composed in 1818, Three Marches Militaires is a set of piano duets that Franz Schubert wrote to teach piano to two daughters of the Esterházy family.
Of the three pieces, the first is especially famous, and its orchestral and wind band arrangements, as well as solo piano versions, are frequently performed.
You’ve probably heard it at least once.