Grade 1.0

Duration 3:20

Eagle Crest March is an exciting concert/festival composition utilizing simple rhythms and only seven notes. It should be performed at a stately tempo with each note being given adequate separation to ensure a clear, crisp sound.

Marches were originally written to facilitate the orderly movement of soldiers from one place to another. Signals in the music, usually played by the percussion section, communicated instructions to everyone in the group. The pulse was steady, and the rhythm patterns were simple. Some marches imitated the sounds of battle. By the 16th century, composers began to use elements of the march style in their concert music.

Perhaps the composer and conductor most often associated with marches is John Philip Sousa, "The March King." He composed 6 marches, best known for their toe-tapping rhythms, catchy melodies, and interesting countermelodies.

Each form usually consists of a main section of two or more "strains" followed by at least one trio or legato section. Sometimes a legato section is followed by a "dog fight" where sections of the band alternate short musical excerpts. The "dog fight" section most often is followed by a return to the main section before bringing the march to a conclusion. This is the form of Eagle Crest March.

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