Gounod, C :: Funeral March of a Marionette

Musicians Publications presents Charles Gounod's 'Funeral March of a Marionette' arranged for woodwind quintet by Bill Holcombe. Scored for flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, and bassoon, this arrangement is intermediate-advanced in difficulty.

'Gounod was born in Paris, the son of a painter of considerable talent. His first teacher was his mother, who was a successful concert pianist. After studying at the Paris Conservatoire, Gounod won the Prix de Rome, and while there became enchanted with early church music. He wrote much liturgical music and many songs, but he is best known for his opera, Faust. Orchestral excerpts continue to be popular as concert pieces, and parts of the opera have been worked into a ballet. The libretto took so many liberties with Goethe's work, that it has no appeal for lovers of Goethe, and the same thing could be said about his Romeo and Juliet, although this time, the aggrieved one is Shakespeare. Other popular works are a rather syrupy Ave Maria, based on a Bach prelude in C, and the charming Funeral March of a Marionette.

This was meant to be part of a piano series, Suite Burlesque, which was never finished. It was written in 1872 and orchestrated in 1879. Older members of the audience might remember it as the theme song for a Saturday morning children's radio show called 'Let's Pretend,' if memory serves. Middle-aged members of the audience will remember it (in modified form) as the theme song for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents.'

As some have pointed out, this piece is a bit too fast for a march, certainly too fast for a funeral march. It is clearly meant to be a jaunty send-up of funerals. There is a story-line, or program. Two marionettes have been in a duel, and one of them is killed. His friends carry him to the grave. But part way there, they come upon a pub, and decide to rest, recall his virtues, get a bit drunk, but then, realizing it IS a death, after all, they resume their march to the cemetery. The music is in ternary form, the middle section taking on a more jubilant character before the final third returns to the somber opening theme.'

- Karen Klimpert, 2006