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		Compositions: Concert Hall
		Pops on the March
Compositions: Concert Hall Concertos Fanfares Symphonic works Vocal works Miscellanea		Before his death, Arthur Fiedler had asked Williams to compose a concert piece for his 50th anniversary as conductor of the Boston Pops; at the time Williams was too busy to accept the commission and Fiedler died shortly thereafter. When Williams was named Fiedler's successor, he wrote this concert march as a memorial. The work was premiered April 28, 1981 by Williams and the Pops. "The piece is built on a rhythmic motto that comes out of the rhythmic way we say Arthur Fiedler's name," Richard Dyer wrote in his review of the concert, "and it makes brief and entertaining references to some of the music most closely associated with the late master Maestro, particularly The Stars and Stripes Forever." Just under five minutes in length, the march begins with an introduction featuring a statement of the principal motive in C major from the brass. Woodwinds take turns stating the full theme in the first strain and it is finally taken up by the entire orchestra. After a percussion transition there is a break strain with the brass tossing about figures based upon the theme, embellished by increasingly manic counterpoint worthy of Paul Hindemith. Horns then introduce an expansive second theme in Db major, quickly restated in F major by the strings. Another break strain ensues, this time featuring not only the march theme but bits and pieces of Sousa's Stars Stripes Forever (the piece associated more than any other with Fiedler and the Pops). This evolves into a C major restatement of the first strain - with the piccolo tune from Sousa's famous march heard as counterpoint but played by the horn section! The horn theme is recapitulated in E-flat major, this time more boldly harmonized. The piece concludes with an A major restatement of the principal theme, now embellished by all sorts of bravura counterpoint, and a syncopated coda. Full of good humor and incredibly well-crafted, this march is not only a fitting tribute to Fiedler but a virtuoso showpiece for orchestra.
Sony Classical 46747		Recordings Williams recorded this march for his 1991 Boston Pops CD I Love A Parade (Sony Classical 46747) — but not on the Philips album Pops on the March. Sheet Music The orchestral score and parts to this work are not commercially available. References "Williams poised for Pops: Conductor accentuates the positive as second season nears," Richard Dyer Boston Globe, April 26 1981 "Hooray, hooray for the Pops!" Richard Dyer Boston Globe, April 29 1980 Links The Boston Pops web site An Arthur Fiedler biography
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