ABOUT THIS ARRANGEMENT

While composer Josephine Lang is most well known for her wide variety of lieder, her catalog also includes a collection of works written exclusively for piano. Born in Munich in 1815, Lang was taught how to play the piano at a very early age by her mother; Lang’s compositional craft was soon apparent during her studies. Throughout the majority of her life, Lang would continue to write music and teach piano, leaving behind an important and long-lasting legacy as one of the most respected and prolific song composers of the 19th century.

This adaptation of Lang’s piano work Festmarsch serves as an introduction of her music to younger ensembles. Of note, while Lang’s march uses the first strain, second strain, and trio sections, it ultimately takes a more symphonic approach by repeating the introductory fanfare, the first strain, and the second strain after the trio, thereby creating an overall ABA ternary form before the march ends with a brief coda. For those who wish to play a slightly shorter excerpt of this adaptation, a performance of the work may be concluded at the end of the trio.