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March of the Steel Men

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Charles S. Belsterling

Charles S Belsterling (scored Harry L Alford, ed. James Jurrens)


General Info

Year: 1937 / 1982
Duration: c. 3:30
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.


Instrumentation

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

  • Bass Drum
  • Snare Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Chimes
  • Vibraphone
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

March of the Steel Men was first composed to be used in a torchlight procession by a political marching club of Philadelphia. It was originally titled The Ambassador and reportedly became well known as a piano solo. Years later (in 1936) Charles Belsterling was greatly impressed by the quality of a concert presented by the Joliet (Illinois) High School Band at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Learning of the steel official’s interest and early musical ability, the band's conductor, A. R. McAllister, requested a score from Belsterling and had it scored for symphonic band by Harry L. Alford. On March 19, 1937—with composer Charles Belsterling and publisher/composer Henry Fillmore in the concert audience—A. R. McAllister and the Joliet Band presented the “world premiere” of the full band arrangement by Alford.

The choice of the present title was significant to both composer and conductor. Charles Belsterling was associated with U.S. Steel for most of his adult life. Joliet Township High School (to whose band the march was dedicated) adopted the nickname of “Steelmen” in December 1935 as a result of acquiring a large steel statue from the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933-1934. The statue is still on display at the school’s Central Campus and, according to director of bands Ted Lega, the people of the community recognize and associate the march with the Joliet bands. Lega admits that the “Steelmen” title was “probably due to Belsterling's position with U.S. Steel.”

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band


Commercial Discography


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • University of Oregon (Eugene) Wind Symphony (Jason Silveira, conductor) – 12 March 2020
  • Peninsula Symphonic Band (Palo Alto, Calif.) (Ted Henderson, conductor) - 20 May 2018
  • Charlottesville (Va.) Municipal Band (Stephan R. Leyman, conductor) - 22 April 2018
  • Tallahassee (Fla.) Winds (David Plack, conductor) – 21 February 2017
  • Parkland College (Champaign, Ill.) Concert Band (Larry Stoner, conductor) - 2 March 2016
  • Liberty Classic Community Band (Williamsport, Penn.) (Arnald Gabriel, conductor) – 18 October 2015
  • Encore Concert Band (Mokena, Ill.) (Bill Schuetter, conductor) - 1 March 2015
  • Troy (Ala.) University Symphony Band (John M. Long, conductor) - 5 March 2014 (ABA 2014 Annual Convention (Montgomery, Alabama))
  • Purdue University Fall Concert Band - 30 September 2012


Works for Winds by This Composer


Resources

  • Belsterling, C.; Alford, H.; Jurrens, J. (1982). March of the Steel Men [score]. Carl Fischer: New York.
  • Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 48
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