FRANCE: La Marseillaise Claude Rouget de Lisle was an engineer in the French Army who was well-known in local society as a talented composer, singer, poet and violinist. When at the home of the Mayor of Strasbourg on 24 April 1792, he was urged to compose a patriotic song. That same night he composed The War Song of the Army of the Rhine and within two days the tune had been hastily arranged for military band and given its first public hearing. It became popular very quickly and the following June, printed copies were distributed among the volunteers from Marseilles who were about to march to Paris. The song is the first example of the "European march" anthem style and the anthem's evocative melody and lyrics have led to its widespread use as a song of revolution. It has also become a model for other anthems and national songs. Hilaire Belloc later wrote that this song sustained the troops during their month-long trek across France. When they reached Paris and enthusiastically sang their song, it became known there as La Marseillaise. Marseillaise. It was adapted as the national anthem on 15 July 1795. The exuberant melody has been quoted in a large number of classical works. Beethoven quotes the theme in the Wellington's Victory Overture and Overture and Rossini uses the theme in his 1823 opera Semiramide. Semiramide . Robert Schumann used part of it for his setting of the poem Die beiden Grenadiere (The Grenadiere (The Two Grenadiers) and Richard Wagner also quotes from the song in his setting of a poem by Heine.
The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River in Paris. It was named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel. It was completed in 1889 and until 1930, remained the tallest structure in the world and weighs about 10,000 tonnes. It originally met with a great deal of public criticism and many people considered it an eyesore. Some people were shocked by its daring shape. Novelist Guy de Maupassant evidently ate lunch in the Tower's restaurant every day. When asked why, he answered that it was the only place in Paris from which the tower could not be seen. (Photo: Colin Kirkpatrick)
The most famous use of the melody was in 1882 by Tchaikovsky to represent the represent the invading French invading French army in his 1812 Overture. Overture . He also quoted the Russian national anthem but neither of these anthems was actually in use in 1812. La Marseillaise has Marseillaise has also been quoted by Verdi, Debussy, Elgar, Shostakovich and others.
CLICK TO HEAR THE PIANO VERSION OF THIS ANTHEM (MP3: (MP3: 890k). 890k). Click on the yellow "PREVIEW SCORE" button below to see the first page of the score. Use the underlined links in the table below to download the instrumental parts in pdf format. I recommend you have Adobe Reader on your computer before you download the music, because this will allow the printed music to open automatically as it downloads. If you don't have it, you can get your free copy here here.. The music has been digitally scanned at 1200 dpi for professional results but the actual output will depend on your own printer settings. Always consult local expertise before performing an anthem in an unfamiliar country.
Instrumental Parts These arrangements have been written so that they can be played by virtually any combination of wind instruments. If you'd like to see my suggestions for standard ensembles, e.g. symphonic band, brass band and so on, please click here. here . In theory, the arrangements could be also played by strings (which is why one part is available in the alto clef) but because the arrangements tend to use flat keys they will be limited to more experienced string players. The table below shows the instrumental options for each part. You may find this helpful if you prefer to "do your own thing" with the instrumental voicing to get an individual sound. You can just pick and mix from the selection below.
FULL INSTRUMENTAL SCORE
PART 4: TENOR LINE (b)
PART 1: MELODY LINE Part 1 in C In the treble clef but written in octaves, to extend the possible uses. Suitable for: flutes, piccolos, oboes, glockenspiels or other C-melody instruments such as violins Part 1 in B flat One tone higher than concert pitch. Suitable for: clarinets, trumpets, cornets, flugelhorns. Part 1 in E flat Major sixth above concert pitch. Suitable for: alto saxophone, Eb clarinet Part 1a in E flat Minor third lower than concert pitch. Suitable for: solo Eb cornet.
PART 2: ALTO LINE Part 2 in C Same as Part 2 in C but written in octaves. Suitable for: flutes, oboes, or other C-melody instruments such as violins. Part 2 in B flat This part is written one tone higher than concert pitch. Suitable for: trumpets, cornets, clarinets or Bb soprano saxophones. Part 2 in E flat Major sixth above concert pitch. Suitable for: Eb alto saxophone, Eb clarinet
PART 3: TENOR LINE (a) Part 3 in C At concert pitch in the bass clef. It is intended for trombone in stage band use, normally a little high for concert band or symphonic band. Suitable for: trombones. Part 3 in F One fifth higher that concert. Suitable for: French horns. Part 3 in E flat One sixth higher than concert. Suitable for: Eb tenor horns or alto saxophones. Part 3 in B flat One ninth above concert. Suitable for: Bb tenor saxophones, Bb baritones. Part 3a in B flat One tone above concert. Intended for 3rd Bb clarinets in symphonic or marching bands but could be used by other Bb instruments. Part 3 in C (alto)
Part 4 in C At concert pitch in the bass clef. Suitable for: trombones, bassoons. Part 4 in F One fifth higher that concert. Suitable for: French horns Part 4 in E flat One sixth higher than concert. Suitable for: Eb tenor horns or alto saxophones. Part 4 in B flat One ninth above concert. Suitable for: Bb tenor saxophones, Bb baritones, euphoniums.
PART 5: BARITONE LINE Part 5 in C At concert pitch in the bass clef. Suitable for: trombones, bassoons. Part 5 in B flat One ninth above concert. Suitable for: Bb tenor saxophones, Bb baritones, euphoniums.
PART 6: BASS LINE Part 6 in C At concert pitch in the bass clef in octaves. Suitable for: bass trombones, contrabassoon, tubas Part 6 in E flat Octave and sixth higher than concert in treble clef. Suitable for: Eb basses, Eb baritone saxophone. Part 6 in B flat One ninth higher than concert in treble clef. Suitable for: Bb basses, Bb contrabass clarinet.
PERCUSSION AND TIMPANI Each anthem is supplied with a percussion part that requires three players: snare drum, bass drum and cymbals. In all the arrangements, the timpani part is limited to three drums and generally percussion has been scored somewhat lightly. Of course, if you are playing as a string ensemble or brass ensemble, the percussion would be omitted altogether.
PIANO REDUCTION This is a piano reduction of the full score and is intended to be used when the ensemble contains a piano, or when there are gaps in the ensemble. With the piano reduction, you can play this anthem as an instrumental solo, duet or trio. Anything!
At concert pitch in the alto clef. May be useful when arrangements played by strings.
Finally, the list above is intended to show the wide range of possibilities. If you have a non-standard ensemble, you may need to experiment a little with the voicings to get the sound you want. Remember that Part 5 is not essential so if you miss it out entirely, there will be no problem.
