March of the Women, The (flex)
Ethel Smyth (arr. Daniel Bukin)
General Info
Year: 1911 / 2020
Duration: c. 1:15
Difficulty: II (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Daniel Bukin
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $60.00 | Score Only (print) - $15.00
Instrumentation (Flexible)
Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II
B-flat Bass Clarinet I-II
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium I-II
Tuba
Percussion, including:
- Bass Drum
- Crash Cymbals
- Glockenspiel
- Snare Drum
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The March of the Women was a song composed by Ethel Smyth in 1910, to words by Cicely Hamilton. It became the official anthem of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and more widely the anthem of the women's suffrage movement throughout the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Activists sang it not only at rallies but also in prison while they were on hunger strike. Smyth produced a number of different arrangements of the work.
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Smyth was arrested, along with the other women, in 1910 and was sentenced to two months in prison. Witnesses tell of suffragettes marching in the prison quadrangle singing The March of the Women as Smyth leaned out a window to conduct them with a toothbrush.
While Smyth produced a number of arrangements for the song including one for military band, we were not able to locate an original score. Thanks to the internet, we found a program given by the East Grinstead Concert Band over in the UK that featured Smyth’s march. Stuart Fifield, musical director of the band, explained that he had created the arrangement for a concert commemorating England’s suffragette movement. He sent us the score and parts and we are happy to premiere his arrangement in the United States.
- Program Note by University of Illinois Summer Band concert program, 27 September 2017
Performance Notes
- Octave placement may be adjusted as needed. In fact, many parts include optional 8va or 8vb depending on the instrument.
- All repeats are optional.
- Tempo markings are rough guidelines and don’t necessarily need to be adhered to strictly. Use whatever tempo is an appropriate balance for both the piece and your students.
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
Works for Winds by This Composer
Adaptable Music
- The March of the Women (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bukin) (1911/2020)
All Wind Works
- The March of the Women (arr. Fifield) (1911)
- The March of the Women (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Bukin) (1911/2020)
- On the Cliffs of Cornwall
- Overture to "The Wreckers"
Resources
- Daniel Bukin website Accessed 30 August 2020
- The March of the Women, Wikipedia Accessed 5 August 2017
- Perusal score