Wedding March Music

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By Kathy Ferneau

Wedding march music refers to the music played for the processional (entrance of the bride) and the recessional (exit of the bride and groom following the ceremony).

The processional has typically been Richard Wagner’s melody from “Lohengrin.” Known as “Here Comes the Bride,” this tune is nearly synonymous with walking down the aisle and is wildly popular throughout the western world with a few exceptions…

Jewish weddings – Wagner was a self-proclaimed anti-semite

Catholic weddings – this music is secular in nature

Lutheran weddings – pagan themes in Wagner’s operas

In addition, the opera “Lohengrin” depicted the marriage of Elsa and Lohengrin, a union that failed almost immediately. Who would want that sentiment played at their wedding? Millions of brides do, though, obviously not knowing the full origins of this music.

The wedding march music for the recessional is often Felix Mendelssohn’s Wedding March from his incidental music for Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Here again, if brides knew the origins of the music, they would never consider using it. The play was first performed in Potsdam in 1842, and 16 years later in 1858, the march was performed for a royal wedding as the recessional for the marriage of princess Victoria Adelaide Mary Louise, the oldest child of Queen Victoria, when she married Frederick William IV of Prussia. These royals set the standard for brides for the next 150 years.

If you want to break with tradition, there are many other fabulous pieces that can accompany your walk up and down the wedding aisle…

Processional music…

Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clark – This is one of the most popular non-Here Come the Bride processionals. It’s even more majestic when played by a trumpet with organ.

Trumpet Voluntary by Henry Purcell, also known as The Prince of Denmark’s March

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by J.S. Bach – This is nice as a pre-processional for the seating of the mothers and entrance of the bridesmaids, followed by the Trumpet Voluntary.

Vivaldi “Spring” from The Four Seasons

Recessional music…

Widor’s Toccata from Symphony No.5

Mouret Rondeau – Also known as the theme from PBS TV’s Masterpiece Theater.

Ode to Joy by Beethoven

La Rejouissance from Royal Fireworks Music by G.F. Handel

This is just a short list, but stately, majestic marches and fanfares work well for both processing and recessing. Adding in a trumpet, brass quintet, or string quartet can make the music even more elegant and joyous.

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April 18 2008 10:15 pm | Wedding Music

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