Sheet Music: March

TitleMarch
from Riccardo Primo, re d'Inghilterra
Alternate titlesMarche from Richard the First, King of England
Opus numberHWV 23
ComposerGeorge Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
InstrumentationFlute quartet
KeyD major
RangeC#4–D6
Time signature2/2
Tempo96 BPM
Performance time1:05
Difficulty levelintermediate
Download printable scorePDF Sheet Music (64 kB) (preview)
Download audio tracksMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (536 kB)
Play-along accompanimentMIDI (change tempo/key) MP3 (555 kB)
Date added2009-12-22
Last updated2009-12-22
Download popularity index☆☆☆☆☆ 1.9 (above average)
Categories
Baroque, Fanfares, Marches, Opera excerpts

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Tuesday 22 December 2009

Tune of the Day: March

from “Riccardo Primo, re d'Inghilterra” by G.F. Handel

Riccardo Primo (Italian for Richard the First) is one of Handel's unjustly neglected operas, and musically speaking it is arguably one of his finest. The German-English composer wrote the work as homage to the newly crowned King George II and to the nation of England, where he had just received citizenship.

The plot of the opera is based around the eponymous hero, King Richard the Lionheart, and his marriage to Constanza, a Spanish princess. On her sea journey to be married to Riccardo, Costanza and her party are shipwrecked off the coast of Cyprus, where they find shelter at the court of the local governor, Isacio. Upon seeing Costanza, Isacio makes violent advances towards her, and has the idea to send his daughter, Pulcheria, in place of Costanza to Riccardo, whilst keeping the real Costanza for himself.

The triumphal march we present today is taken from the end of the third and final act of the opera. It is played after Riccardo triumphs over Isacio, so that he can finally pledge eternal fidelity to Costanza. In the original setting, the march is played by two trumpets, oboes and strings.