A march is music for walking in step. It has a strong, steady beat that goes left, right, left, right. These 16 marches come from parades, operas, ballets, a circus, and a film. Start with “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” which lasts about three and a half minutes.
Start here
1. “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” by Sousa. Written in 1896, it is the national march of the United States. Listen for: the piccolo, which plays a twirling solo over the big tune near the end. Read the guide to this march.
2. Radetzky March, by Johann Strauss senior. The audience claps along, soft in the quiet parts and loud in the loud ones. Read the Radetzky March guide.
3. “March,” from The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky. The children march around the Christmas tree. Trumpets and horns call, and the strings answer. Read the Nutcracker Suite guide.
4. “March of the Toreadors,” from Carmen, by Bizet. The bullfighters parade into the ring. Read Carmen for kids.
Grand marches
5. Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1, by Elgar. The slow middle tune is played at graduations. Read Pomp and Circumstance for kids.
6. Triumphal March, from Aida, by Verdi. An army comes home to ancient Egypt. Listen for: long, straight trumpets that were built for this opera. Read Verdi for kids.
7. The Prince of Denmark’s March, by Jeremiah Clarke. A bright trumpet tune from about 1700. It is often called the Trumpet Voluntary, and it is a favorite at weddings.
8. Wedding March, by Mendelssohn. The march that plays as a couple walks out. Read who wrote the wedding marches.
Marches with a story
9. “Funeral March of a Marionette,” by Gounod. A puppet has broken, and the other puppets carry it away. The music is spooky and funny at once. Read Gounod for kids.
10. “Entry of the Gladiators,” by Fučík. A march for Roman fighters that became the sound of the circus. Read the circus march guide.
11. “March of the Trolls,” by Grieg. A piano piece. The trolls stamp past, a gentle tune plays in the middle, and the trolls come back. Read Grieg for kids.
12. March, from The Love for Three Oranges, by Prokofiev. Short, spiky, and a little crooked. Read Prokofiev for kids.
13. “The Imperial March,” from Star Wars, by John Williams. Low brass and a hard rhythm announce the villain. Read John Williams for kids.
More marches by Sousa and friends
14. “The Washington Post,” by Sousa. Written in 1889 for a newspaper’s prize day. It is in a bouncy six-eight time. Read John Philip Sousa for kids.
15. “The Liberty Bell,” by Sousa. Many people know it as the opening tune of a British comedy show.
16. “Colonel Bogey March,” by Kenneth Alford. A British march from 1914. It is famous as a tune to whistle.
What makes a march
- Two or four beats in a bar. The beats match two feet. Read common time and cut time.
- A steady speed. A quick march goes at about two steps each second.
- A strong first beat. The bass drum and the tuba mark it.
- Brass and drums. These carry outdoors.
- A trio. Many marches have a middle section with a new, smoother tune. It is called the trio.
Kinds of march
| Kind | Speed | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Quick march | Brisk walking | “The Stars and Stripes Forever” |
| Grand or ceremonial march | Slower and stately | Pomp and Circumstance No. 1 |
| Funeral march | Slow | “Funeral March of a Marionette” |
| Circus march | Fast | “Entry of the Gladiators” |
| Wedding march | Stately | Mendelssohn’s Wedding March |
One famous piece sounds like a march and cannot be marched to. “Mars,” from The Planets, has five beats in each bar, so the feet never come out even. Read The Planets guide.
Things to do together
March. Put on a quick march and walk in step around the room. Say “left, right” on the beats.
Find the trio. Raise a hand when the music turns smoother and softer in the middle.
Change the march. Play a quick march, and then a funeral march. Walk to each one, and talk about how the body feels.
Lead the band. One person is the drum major and sets the path. Everyone else follows with shakers and drums. Read homemade instruments for kids.
Measure it. Tap along with the metronome for kids and find the speed of your favorite march.
Print and play
Print the listening journal page. Read dances in classical music and marching band for kids.
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This article is part of How to introduce kids to classical music.
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Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.