Invercargill March (arr Thurston)

From Wind Repertory Project
Alex Lithgow

Alex Lithgow (arr. Thurston)


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Subtitle: March for Symphonic Band


General Info

Year: 1908 / 1996
Duration: c. 2:15
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Southern Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $115.00   |   Score Only (print) - $12.50


Instrumentation

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Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

The Invercargill March is a march written by Alex Lithgow and named after his home town of Invercargill, on the South Island of New Zealand.

The Invercargill rates alongside John Philip Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, The, Kenneth J Alford's Colonel Bogey, and Johann Strauss Sr' Radetzky March as one of the most popular in the world. It is especially popular in the United States, being a top favourite of the U.S. Marines. It was the regimental march of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the New York Guard during World War II.

In his book Invercargill - 150 Years, Lloyd Esler's opening sentence reads "Invercargill was done a fine favour by Alex Lithgow who named his famous march after his boyhood home. The Invercargill March is possibly the best advertisement the town has ever had as the work is a brass-band favourite and the word 'Invercargill’ is whispered amongst audiences worldwide. There is only one Invercargill in the world - this one".

It was originally written in 1901 by Alex Lithgow as a jig type tune for symphonic band. No research can find if that tune had a name but it was known to be rejected in that format by a publisher. When Invercargill hosted the national brass band contest in 1909, Alex’s brother Tom asked for a test piece for the contest and Alex offered this piece (re arranged). On the music he wrote, "To Invercargill, the Southernmost City in New Zealand (End of the World), and its Citizens, I dedicate this March as a memento of the many pleasant years spent there in my boyhood."


Media

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State Ratings

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Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


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