Gladiators' Farewell, The

Hermann L. Blankenburg

N.B. This work may be found under its German title, Abschied der Gladiatoren Marsch. Also, although the German title is plural, this work may also be found under the singular title in English, The Gladiator's Farewell.

This work bears the designation Opus 48.

General Info

Year: 1907
Duration: c. 3:40
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Piano
Publisher: Hawkes & Son
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print

For availability information, see above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
Contrabassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III-IV
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Bass Saxophone
B-flat Cornet Solo-I-II-III-IV
B-flat Trumpet
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II
Bass Trombone
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Side Drum

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Hermann Blankenburg composed a march which he title Deutschlands Fürsten – Germany's Princes – when he was eighteen years old. Later he sent the work to the publisher Louis Oertel, but it was returned as being "too difficult." In 1904 Hawkes & Son organized a march competition which eventually attracted over 500 entries. At the repeated urging of his colleagues in Duisburg, Blankenburg submitted the march he had written ten years earlier and was greatly surprised when it was awarded first place – with the understanding that the title would be changed to The Gladiators' Farewell.

In addition to the money, the composer received the attention of bandsmen around the world. During the next few years Hawkes & Son published seven more marches by Blankenburg.

- Program Note from March Music Notes

Media

Audio CD: National Concert Band of America - 2013

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Watsonville (Calif.) Community Band (Brad Gronroos, conductor) - 1 April 2023
Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Wind Ensemble (Fred J. Allen, conductor) - 17 April 2018
Kings Park Concert Band (Springfield, Va.) (Rich Bergman, conductor) – 15 May 2011

Works for Winds by This Composer

Action Front (ed. Rhea) (1912/2003)
Action Front (arr Oliver)
Auf der Wacht March (arr. Gore)
Dedication to Victory (arr. Jurrens)
Der Adler Von Lille Marsch (arr. Gore)
Die Wachtparade Marsch (ed. Watson) (1989)
Ernst August March (arr. Watson)
Festjubel March (arr. Gore)
Flying Eagle March (arr. Gore)
The Gladiators' Farewell (1907)
Klar zum Gefecht (1912)
Klar zum Gefecht (tr. and ed. Oliver) (1912/2014)

Resources

Smith, Norman E. (1986). March Music Notes. Lake Charles, La.: Program Note Press, pp. 46-47.