Orb and Sceptre Orb and Sceptre Orb and Sceptre is a march for orchestra written by Sir William Walton for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Influenced largely by Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" 1 and 4, it begins in the key of E major with bright trumpet fanfares before leaping into the famous march section, heavily syncopated and brightly orchestrated. This section moves briefly through C major before returning to E. As with "Crown Imperial", written by Walton in 1936 for the coronation of Elizabeth II's father, King George VI, the middle section is a quieter trio in
Pomp and Circumstance Marches they are directed to play the passage ""sul G"" on the same string, for the sake of the tone-colour, and the accompaniment is from the harps, low strings and bassoons. The grand tune is repeated, as we expect, by the full orchestra; the opening march section returns; the grand tune is repeated once more, in the "home" key of G major; and the last word is had by a re-statement of the opening rhythmic patterns. The march prepares the audience for its end as surely as a train pulling into a station, with the violins, violas, and cellos ending on