Armeemarschsammlung
Encyclopedia
Armeemarschsammlung
The Army March Collection, also known as the Prussian Army March Collection (Preußische Armeemarschsammlung) refers to the basic catalog of works of German military march music.
Friedrich Wilhelm III's initial collection consisted of 36 slow marches and 36 quick marches for infantry.
This Army March Collection in time contained Prussian, Austrian and Russian marches, divided into three collections:
Marches in the third (cavalry) collection were first published by Schlesinger in Berlin beginning in 1824 and continued by Bote & Bock in Berlin and finally Breitkopf & Härtel
in Leipzig (a project terminated at the end of World War I). This was titled Collection of Marches and Fanfares for Trumpet-Music for the Use of the Prussian Cavalry (Sammlung von Marschen und Fanfaren für Trumpetenmusik zum Gebrauch der preußischen Kavallerie).
All the marches incorporated into the army march collection have an official number including a Roman numeral designation (denoting collection) and an Arabic number (list number in the collection). Some well known examples:
-Ministerium on May 15, 1925 under the supervision of military musician Hermann Schmidt (who would serve as Heeresmusikinspizient - Chief of Music for the Armed Forces 1929-1945). Old and newly composed marches were incorporated. Marches of the former Royal Prussian, Royal Bavarian, Royal Saxon, and Royal Württemberg Armies were combined. Preparation of this collection ended in 1945. It was now divided into four subgroups:
The collection continued to grow and be divided into new distinct groups:
Group IV was added in 1929 and included two subdivisions:
Some marches are noted as in both the AM and HM collections:
Two famous marches newly added in the revised numbering scheme:
Few of the most famed German march composers were incorporated in the Armeemarschsammlung or Heeresmarsch collections. Prolific and famed march composers Hermann Louis Blankenburg, Franz von Blon, Richard Eilenberg
, Carl Friedemann
, Ernst Stieberitz, and Carl Teike
are not included in the Armeemarschsammlung. Of these famous march composers, in the Heeresmarsch collection only Blon (Unter dem Siegesbanner, HM II, 152) and Victoria (HM II, 153); Friedemann (Kaiser Friederich, HM II, 151); and Teike (Alte Kameraden
, HM II, 150) are included. Reasons for their lack of inclusion are several: These composers not being in military service in their most productive years, their marches were considered more suitable to concert rather than parade use, and finally their marches were considered more technically difficult than those adopted for either the AM or HM collections.
More recently, Wilhelm Stephan, a military musician in the Bundeswehr
, was charged with yet another revision of the Heeresmarschsammlung:
The German Wikipedia article on the Armeemarschsammlung includes a comprehensive list based on Stephan’s work :de:Armeemarschsammlung.
in 1945 is partly to blame. The military music sections of the Bundeswehr and private organizations are attempting to resolve this situation and keep this collection of marches from disappearing.
The Army March Collection, also known as the Prussian Army March Collection (Preußische Armeemarschsammlung) refers to the basic catalog of works of German military march music.
Friedrich Wilhelm III Decrees an Armeemarschsammlung
The basis for the creation of an extensive set of scores for military brass bands lies in a highest cabinet order (Allerhöchste Kabinettsorder) of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia in the year 1817 requesting a selection of proven compositions for every regiment:Friedrich Wilhelm III's initial collection consisted of 36 slow marches and 36 quick marches for infantry.
This Army March Collection in time contained Prussian, Austrian and Russian marches, divided into three collections:
- Collection I: Slow marches for infantry (115 marches)
- Collection II: Parade (quick) marches for infantry (269 marches)
- Collection III: Cavalry Marches (149 marches)
Marches in the third (cavalry) collection were first published by Schlesinger in Berlin beginning in 1824 and continued by Bote & Bock in Berlin and finally Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel is the world's oldest music publishing house. The firm was founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf . The catalogue currently contains over 1000 composers, 8000 works and 15,000 music editions or books on music. The name "Härtel" was added when Gottfried...
in Leipzig (a project terminated at the end of World War I). This was titled Collection of Marches and Fanfares for Trumpet-Music for the Use of the Prussian Cavalry (Sammlung von Marschen und Fanfaren für Trumpetenmusik zum Gebrauch der preußischen Kavallerie).
All the marches incorporated into the army march collection have an official number including a Roman numeral designation (denoting collection) and an Arabic number (list number in the collection). Some well known examples:
- Fridericus-Rex-Grenadiermarsch (AM II, 198)
- Des Großen Kurfürsten Reitermarsch (AM III, 72)
- Hohenfriedberger Marsch (AM III, 1b)
- Königgrätzer MarschKöniggrätzer MarschThe Königgrätzer Marsch is a famous German military march composed by Johann Gottfried Piefke after the Battle of Königgrätz, 1866, the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire.It was one of Adolf Hitler's favorite marches and was...
(AM II, 195) - Kreutzritter-Fanfare (The Crusaders Fanfare) (AM III, 113)
- Pappenheimer (AM I, 100)
- Marsch der Finnländischen Reiterei (Finnish Cavalry March) (AM III, 70)
- Pariser EinzugsmarschPariser Einzugsmarsch"Pariser Einzugsmarsch" was a march composed by Johann Heinrich Walch and was probably already well known around 1800 in Frankfurt am Main...
(AM II, 38) - Petersburger Marsch (AM II, 113)
- Preußens GloriaPreußens GloriaPreußens Gloria, Armeemarschsammlung II, 240, is a well-known military march of the 19th century. Its composer was Johann Gottfried Piefke ....
(Prussia's Glory) (AM II, 240) - Torgauer Marsch (AM II, 210)
- Yorckscher MarschYorckscher MarschThe March for Military Band No. 1 in F major, WoO 18, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1808 or 1809 as a march Für die Böhmische Landwehr...
(AM II, 103)
Austro-Hungarian Army (Kaiserlich und Königlich Armee) March List
No similarly comprehensive and systematic collection of marches was made for the Imperial and Royal Austrian Army. It wasn't until 1905 that a list of 51 "historical marches and other compositions" was chosen - the exact number required to provide an official march past for each unit. The Austrian Army did not provide nomenclature like the AM series to its compositions.A New Army March Collection
A new Army March Collection was decreed by the ReichswehrReichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
-Ministerium on May 15, 1925 under the supervision of military musician Hermann Schmidt (who would serve as Heeresmusikinspizient - Chief of Music for the Armed Forces 1929-1945). Old and newly composed marches were incorporated. Marches of the former Royal Prussian, Royal Bavarian, Royal Saxon, and Royal Württemberg Armies were combined. Preparation of this collection ended in 1945. It was now divided into four subgroups:
- Collection I: Presentation Marches (Präsentiermärsche) for infantry (8 marches)
- Collection II: Parade marches for infantry (38 marches)
- Collection III: Cavalry marches in step (slow pace) (17 marches)
- Collection IIIB: Cavalry marches in canter (fast pace) (83 marches)
The collection continued to grow and be divided into new distinct groups:
- Collection I: Slow Marches for the infantry
- Collection II: Quick Marches for the infantry
- Collection III: Marches for Mounted Troops (cavalry) and field artillery
- Collection IV: Miscellaneous Marches
Group IV was added in 1929 and included two subdivisions:
- Collection IVa: Marches of Armeemarsch quality and character of importance to particular regiments of the individual German states
- Collection IVb: Marches for fifes and drums of the Royal Prussian Army regiments of 1806
Heeresmarsch
In 1933 the inspector of army bands revised and renamed the collection the Heeresmarsch. Marches infrequently performed were eliminated and marches of Saxony were added. Trots and gallops were added which caused Collection III to be divided into IIIa slow marches and IIIb trots and gallops. The Heeresmarschsammlung was denoted as HM.Some marches are noted as in both the AM and HM collections:
- Preußens Gloria (AM II, 240 and HM II, 98)
- Yorckscher Marsch (AM II, 103, and HM II, 5)
Two famous marches newly added in the revised numbering scheme:
- Alte KameradenAlte KameradenAlte Kameraden is the title of a popular German military march. It is included in the Heeresmarsch as HM II, 150.The march Alte Kameraden was composed around 1889 by the composer of military music Carl Teike in Ulm. Allegedly his superior told him, after Teike presented him the notes, "We have...
(HM II, 150) - Badenweiler MarschBadenweiler MarschThe Badenweiler March is a well-known Bavarian military march by Georg Fürst . Fürst composed this tune as the Badonviller March for the Royal Bavarian Infantry Guard Regiment...
(HM II, 256)
Few of the most famed German march composers were incorporated in the Armeemarschsammlung or Heeresmarsch collections. Prolific and famed march composers Hermann Louis Blankenburg, Franz von Blon, Richard Eilenberg
Richard Eilenberg
Richard Eilenberg was a German composer.His musical career began with the study of piano and composition. At 18 years old, he composed his first work - a concert overture. As a volunteer he participated in the Franco-Prussian War from 1870 to 1871. In 1873, Eilenberg became the music director and...
, Carl Friedemann
Carl Friedemann
Carl Bert Ulrich Friedemann was a German-Swiss composer, conductor and musician.Friedemann was born on April 29, 1862 in Mücheln at Merseburg, in the modern Saxony-Anhalt state of Germany....
, Ernst Stieberitz, and Carl Teike
Carl Teike
Carl Albert Hermann Teike was a German composer who wrote over 100 military marches and twenty concert works.-Biography:...
are not included in the Armeemarschsammlung. Of these famous march composers, in the Heeresmarsch collection only Blon (Unter dem Siegesbanner, HM II, 152) and Victoria (HM II, 153); Friedemann (Kaiser Friederich, HM II, 151); and Teike (Alte Kameraden
Alte Kameraden
Alte Kameraden is the title of a popular German military march. It is included in the Heeresmarsch as HM II, 150.The march Alte Kameraden was composed around 1889 by the composer of military music Carl Teike in Ulm. Allegedly his superior told him, after Teike presented him the notes, "We have...
, HM II, 150) are included. Reasons for their lack of inclusion are several: These composers not being in military service in their most productive years, their marches were considered more suitable to concert rather than parade use, and finally their marches were considered more technically difficult than those adopted for either the AM or HM collections.
More recently, Wilhelm Stephan, a military musician in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, was charged with yet another revision of the Heeresmarschsammlung:
- Collection I: Parade Marches for Infantry (Präsentiermärsche für Fußtruppen) (19 Marches)
- Collection I: Slow Marches for Infantry (Langsame Märsche) (11 marches)
- Collection I: Parade Marches for Mounted Troops (Präsentiermärsche und Parademärsche im Schritt für berittene Truppen) (17 marches)
- Collection I: Tattoos (Zapfenstreiche) (4)
- Collection I: Appendix (2 marches)
- Collection II: Parade Marches for Infantry (64 marches)
- Collection III: Parade Marches at the Trot and Canter (Parademärsche im Trabe und im Galopp) (35 marches)
The German Wikipedia article on the Armeemarschsammlung includes a comprehensive list based on Stephan’s work :de:Armeemarschsammlung.
The Status of the Collections
Many works from the older AM collection are missing original editions or are fragmentary. Some of the composers of the marches are unknown. The destruction of the Prussian State Archives in PotsdamPotsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
in 1945 is partly to blame. The military music sections of the Bundeswehr and private organizations are attempting to resolve this situation and keep this collection of marches from disappearing.
Discography
Several recordings have been made of marches from the Armeemarschsammlung with particulars about the collections. These include:- Deutsche Armeemärsche und Der grosse Zapfenstreich. Ludwigsburg Bauer-Studios BCD 7278 (5CDs) Heeresmusikkorps 5, Koblenz conducted by Johannes Schade or Heinrich Schlüter. A collection of 124 marches which go derive from the long playing record era including marches from Prussia, Hanover, Hesse, Bavaria, and Saxony.
- Deutsche Heeresmärsche aus Bayerischen Armeemarschsammlungen. Telefunken 6.23342 (LP) Heeresmusikkorps 5 der Bundeswehr Conductors: Johannes Schade and Heinrich Schlüter.
- Deutsche Heeresmarsche aus der Preussischen Armeemarschsammlung. Telefunken 6.23341 Heeresmusikkorps 5 der Bundeswehr Conductors: Johannes Schade and Heinrich Schlüter.
- Deutsche Heeresmärche aus der Preussischen Armeemarschsammlung. Telefunken 6.30111 (3LPs) Heeresmusikkorps 5 der Bundeswehr Conductors: Johannes Schade and Heinrich Schlüter.
- Deutsche Heeresmärsche: Fanfarenmarsch der Cavallerie. Telefunken King K20C-345 (LP). Trompeterskorps der Ehemaligen Berittenen Truppen, Bückeburger Jäger, Luftwaffen-Musikkorps 1, Heeresmusikkorps 5 ; Conductors: Johannes Schade, Wilfried Majewski, Helmut Schaal, and Heinrich Schlüter.
- Königlich Preussische Armeemärsche: In Zeitgenössischer Besetzung nach den Originalpartituren von Wieprecht. Telefunken 6.40231 (LP) Heeresmusikkorps 5 der Bundeswehr Conductors: Johannes Schade and Heinrich Schlüter.
- Marsche – Prussian and Austrian Marches. Deutsche Grammophon 2721 077 (2 LPs) Blasorchester der Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Herbert von KarajanHerbert von KarajanHerbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
.
- Truppenmärsche der Deutschen Bundeswehr. Teldec-Telefunken TS 3276 (2 LPs) Das Heeresmusikkorps 1; Das Heeresmusikkorps 3; Das Heeresmusikkorps 6. Conductors: Werner Gummelt, Hans Herzberg, and Johannes Schade.
- Wohlauf, Kameraden! German cavalry marches and songs, 1928-1941. (CD) Brandenburg Historica BH0934
- Grossdeutschland. Von der Wachtruppe zum Panzerkorps. Archival recordings 1928-1943. (CD) Brandenburg Historica BH0914
- Hoch Deutschlands Flotte! Music of the Imperial German Navy. (CD) Brandenburg Historica BH0918
- Gott, Kaiser, Vaterland. Military and Patriotic Music of Imperial Germany. Archival Recordings 1903-1915. (CD) Brandenburg Historica BH0901