March Op. 120, “composed and orchestrated on the evening of April 18, 1865,” is one of the earliest works written by Ponchielli for the Band of the Cremona National Guard. This is confirmed by the instrumentation, which appears still in transition: notably, the score includes a single part for “Flugelhorn or Cornet,” and lacks parts for “Clarino in A♭,” “Piston in E♭,” and “Bass Flugelhorn,” which would appear in compositions written in the following months.
The piece, in cut time and of a festive character, follows the typical structure of nineteenth-century marches: march – trio – reprise of the march. At the beginning of the brief introduction the entire band, as if calling for attention, strikes E♭ three times before moving, after a few measures, to the key of A♭ and launching the march proper. The autograph manuscript contains no dynamic markings, but the formal organization of the piece makes them easily inferable.
The first part consists of two repeated sections based on two contrasting musical ideas. The first, characterized by the frequent use of the dotted quarter–eighth rhythmic cell, immediately evokes the atmosphere of a civic celebration. The second features a brilliant, fanfare-like episode alternating with a syncopated passage. After the reprise of the “first part of the march,” the Trio follows, in D♭, also organized into two different repeated sections: the first more melodic in character, the second more joyful and buoyant. The composition closes with the reprise of the opening march section.
Centro Studi Amilcare Ponchielli
Giuseppe Riccucci
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Marcia n. 3 - Audio historical version
Marcia n. 3 - Symphonic version
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Marcia n. 3 - Bookable Version Grado 3.0
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