[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: A curated selection of classic marches and dazzling crowd-pleasers for concerts! (21–30)
the beauty among beautiesJohn Philip Sousa
Composed in 1908 by John Philip Sousa, this piece is said to have been written with a particular woman he admired in mind.
The title, “The Fairest of the Fair,” refers to her beauty.
Knowing this background makes the piece’s graceful, flowing melody feel even more beautiful.
While many of Sousa’s marches are known for their power, this one is crafted as a brilliant concert march, making it perfect for performance at concerts.
Radetzky MarchJohann Strauss I
Not only among marches but also within classical music, the Radetzky March is extremely popular.
Composed to honor General Josef Radetzky, who quelled the independence movement in northern Italy—then part of the Austrian Empire—amid the turmoil of the 1848 revolutions, the piece was written by Johann Strauss I, known as the “Waltz King.” Characterized by a bold and heroic atmosphere befitting a tribute to the general, it’s a march that invites spontaneous handclaps and a sense of unity with the audience.
If you’re selecting repertoire for a concert, why not include this beloved march?
Under the banner of the double-headed eagleJosef Franz Wagner
Familiar as a march, “Under the Double Eagle” was composed in the 1880s by Austrian composer Josef Franz Wagner.
The “double eagle” in the title was used as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
With its stately character befitting a march, it’s an excellent choice as BGM for a sports day entrance procession! The flute and clarinet add an elegant touch, making it well-suited for wind ensemble concerts as well.
American PatrolFrank White Meacham
Composed in 1885 by American composer Frank W.
Meacham, this march is a wonderful piece not only for concert band but also in its jazz versions.
It is said to depict soldiers on patrol as they approach, march past right before you, and then recede into the distance.
In Japan, it was broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” with Japanese lyrics, and it was also used as the departure melody at Nishikujō Station on the Osaka Loop Line.
With its light, familiar-sounding melody, it resonates with people of all ages.
The tempo gradually accelerates, building to a thrilling climax—a dramatic number that ends on a high.
Officer cadetJohn Philip Sousa
This piece is by the American composer John Philip Sousa, who wrote so many marches that he’s known as the “March King.” It’s one of the most well-known among his many marches.
The stately melody perfectly embodies the word “march,” and just listening to it makes you want to step in time with the tempo.
Amid the powerful performance, there are phrases with nuanced dynamics and call-and-response between high and mid-low instruments, making the structure engaging and never boring.
It’s perfect for a school sports day performance.
El CapitanJohn Philip Sousa
This piece is the march composed in 1896, excerpted from the operetta El Capitan, written by John Philip Sousa in 1895.
Its charm lies in the crisp, woodwind-led melody typical of a march, coupled with the smooth brass accompaniment that supports it.
The buoyant, skipping phrases that follow are delightful to hear, and the return to a warm, woodwind-centered theme adds to the appeal.
The music’s continually shifting development makes it an especially enjoyable piece.
March “Sky of Hope”Wada Makoto
This piece was selected as the No.
4 set piece in 2012.
The composer, Shin Wada, reportedly studied under Masao Yabe, the composer of March April May, which was also a set piece in the 1993 competition and remains highly popular today.
For that reason, the opening section of this piece is said to quote March April May.
It features a lively, refreshing march-like character, making it well-suited not only for concerts but also for scenes where musicians actually march while performing.