When I began composing again after many years of ignoring that muse, I struggled to remember the “forms” of musical composition. I wanted my music to be in the correct form so that it might gain acceptance. March form was one I knew well.
March form usually has a short introduction, an A theme repeated, a B theme repeated, and a larger C theme repeated with or without a dogfight. In music, one must say “usually” because there is always an exception to the rule and we must follow where the muse leads us.
Even as I write this, Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” has been playing in my head. Another that can play in my head is Karl King’s “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite.” These are two strikingly different marches. Sousa’s is the quintessential marching down the street march that sets a good pace for my all-too-infrequent walks. King’s march is the fast-paced circus march that I use to check my heart pace and force myself to consider how out of shape I am.