Alford's Colonel Bogey March

Kenneth J. Alford
(February 21 1881 – May 15 1945)
b. Frederick Joseph Ricketts

Technically, he is Lieutenant F. J. Ricketts. He composed under the name Kenneth J. Alford though, so for all intents and purposes of this blogasaurus, it is Alford's Colonel Bogey March.

What better way to start the month of March than with a march?

The Colonel Bogey March has been famously used in many films ranging from The Bridge Over the River Kwai to such films as Spaceballs.

There isn't much to say about marches as a genre. They typically follow the same style/form. The form is as follows:

1. Quiet Intro
2. Repeat Intro but Loud
3. Trio
4. Dogfight
5. Grandioso

Most of these can easily be picked out. Obviously you can tell when the intro is repeated but louder. The trio is the more flowing part that comes after. It's the not very accenty/staccatoish/marchymarchy bit. The dogfight is pretty much what it sounds. The woodwinds and the brass typically fight or answer each other back and forth loudly and whatnot. And then the grandioso is either the melody from the beginning, but quieter and then is repeated louderly and then it ends.


Anyway, here is Alford's Colonel Bogey March.