Edward Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches, No. 1

Tomado de YOU TUBE de:

Dracorex13 — 12 de marzo de 2009 — Something that desperately needs to be on Youtube. The First March is the famous one everyone knows.

March No. 1 opens with an introduction marked Allegro, con molto fuoco which is astonishingly innovative, bursting upon the listener like a window suddenly opened to view a passing ceremonial troop of trotting cavalry. This leads to a theme which is the expected march: strong pairs of beats alternating with short notes, and a bass which persistently clashes with the tune. The bass tuba and full brass is held back until the section is repeated by the full orchestra.
A little rhythmic pattern is played by the strings, then repeated high and low in the orchestra before the section is concluded by a chromatic upward scale from the woodwind. The whole of this lively march section is repeated. The bridging section between this and the well-known Trio has rhythmic chords from the brass punctuating high held notes from the wind and strings, before a call to attention from trumpets and trombones leads into the 'cavalry' theme with which the march started. There are a few single notes that quieten, ending with a single quiet tap from side drum and cymbal accompanied by all the bassoons. The famous lyrical Land of Hope and Glory Trio follows (in the subdominant key of G), played softly (by violins, four horns and two clarinets) before its strong repetition by the full orchestra including two harps. What follows is a repetition of what has been heard before, including an even grander statement of the Trio (in the 'home' key of D) where the orchestra is joined by organ as well as the two harps. The march ends, not with the big tune, but with a short section which has another brief reminder of the brisk opening march, sweeping the piece to a resounding end.