No. 3 - Allegro marziale e ben marcato (Six Organ Pieces)

No. 3 - "Allegro marziale e ben marcato", is probably the 2nd most well-known of Bridge's organ works. The "Adagio in E" being the most famous.

It stands out in the group as being more typical of the Edwardian era. It is marked "Full organ," and that is used to greater or lesser leves of intensity. It is a confident march in the key of D, and thunders along with the ffel that you expect of English "ceremonial" music of the period. The central sections, which have some interesting modulations and are somewhat more restrained, while still retaining the rhythmic vigour heard at the outset.

The piece doesn't have any "fanfares" in it, but the Solo Tuba, played in octaves in the tenor register, gets 2 chances - towards the conclusion of the first section, and then in the recap, but this time it has a longer passage.

The piece ends with ABSOLUTE Full Organ - including the Tuba coupled in, and the 32's playing a massive double pedal on the final chord!

The work is dated, "October, 1905".