Description
Closing the Three Military Marches, D.733 (Op. 51), is this march, on a larger scale than its two companions. All three were originally composed for piano four hands, and here it is heard in a version for one player. It brings the set to a stately, substantial close.
In 4/4, it features many brilliant, technically demanding passages, with dense passagework following one after another. It runs nearly six and a half minutes with roughly 8,105 notes, the most of the three marches. Its range covers six octaves from F1 to F7, nearly the whole keyboard and far beyond a 61-key instrument.
Built on intermediate-level technique, it is a substantial piece that also tests finger endurance. With the density holding for more than six minutes, playing without tension becomes essential. For the length, the quickest route is to divide it into sections with the A-B loop, finish them one at a time, and raise the playback speed in stages. Checking in the hand colours which hand takes what also helps to sort out the notes in the thicker passages.
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Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Franz Schubert was a Vienna-born composer who died at only 31 but left behind a vast body of work, especially in the field of Lieder. Known for his gift for melody and subtle modulation, songs such as "Erlkonig" remain widely performed today. His piano works, including the Impromptus, are equally rich in lyricism. This site includes the Impromptus, Opp. 90 and 142, and the "Hungarian Melody."
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