King's March

Best known to brass players for his orchestral tone poems, the present Königsmarsch by Richard Strauss was composed for piano in 1906. Strauss conducted an orchestrated version the piece at a concert in Berlin on March 6, 1907, and it was at this performance that King Wilhelm II granted Strauss the “Imperial Order of the Third Class” award. The orchestral version of the piece, from which the present arrangement for double brass quintet was prepared, calls for immense forces: in addition to full Romantic orchestra (which includes eight Eflat horns), the orchestration requires and additional four offstage E-flat trumpets, four offstage B-flat trumpets, and 12 field drums. A translation of the dedication of Königsmarsch reads: “To His Majesty the Kaiser, King Wilhelm II in profound respect and honor given by the composer.”