Orb and Sceptre Ball for organ by Sir William McKie, and in 2014 for Concert Band by Paul Noble. 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
Pomp and Circumstance Marches reserve" for the repeat, when the first violins join the violas with the tune. There are subdued fanfares from the brass interrupted by little flourishes from the strings before the opening march is repeated. There is pause, then a little section which starts forcefully but quietens, leading into the "Trio". The "Trio" follows the pattern of March No. 1, with the melody (in the subdominant key of C) played by clarinet, horn and violins. The violins start the "Trio" tune on the lowest note they can play, an "open" G-string, which gives a recognisable "twang" to this one note, and