Pomp and Circumstance Marches Michael Brough for use at Holy Trinity Sloane Street but have not yet been published. For military band: The first four marches were arranged by M. Retford and March No. 5 by T. Conway Brown. For brass band: March No. 1 was arranged (transposed to B) by J. Ord Hume. Notes Sources Pomp and Circumstance Marches The Pomp and Circumstance Marches (full title "Pomp and Circumstance Military Marches"), Op. 39, are a series of marches for orchestra composed by Sir Edward Elgar. They include some of Elgar's best-known compositions. The title is taken from Act III, Scene 3 of Shakespeare's
Pomp and Circumstance Marches that year. The tune soon became "de rigueur" at American graduations, used primarily as a processional at the opening of the ceremony. March No. 1 opens with an introduction marked "Allegro, con molto fuoco." The introduction leads to a new theme: strong pairs of beats alternating with short notes, and a bass which persistently clashes with the tune. The bass tuba and full brass is held back until the section is repeated by the full orchestra. A little rhythmic pattern is played by the strings, then repeated high and low in the orchestra before the section is concluded by a