March, IN

MUSIC. Broadly stated, a composition designed for the regulation of the movements of large numbers of persons, such as military bodies, ceremonial proce ions and the like. As such the term is also properly applied to certain dances in which there is a steady forward movement in orderly ranks, such as the Polonaise (see POLISH MUSIC) and the Intrada. As a musical form the military march cannot be traced back beyond the middle of the 17th century, but it is obvious that its rhythms were already employed to secure orderly movement by the ancients. In artistic music the earliest examples are found in the operas and Clavier compositions of the 18th century, and they indicate their origin to have been in vocal music. The march is ordinarily written in common time, at a speed calling for 75 pulsations or steps per minute. Like the minuet and other old dances it has a second part called a Trio, from the fact that it was once a custom to write the part for three voices or instruments. Marches receive designations according to the purposes to which they are put, such as Quickstep, Funeral March, Wedding March, Triumphal March, etc.