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GOUNOD – Funeral March of a Marionette – FOUR CELLOS

Other Identification:
Funeral March of a Marionette (in French: Marche funèbre d’une marionnette) is a short instrumental piece by Charles Gounod. While residing in London between 1871 and 1872, Gounod started to write a suite for piano called ‘Suite Burlesque’. After completing this piece (1872), it seems that Gounod abandoned the rest of the suite, but dedicated this music to Madame Viguier, a pianist and the wife of Alfred Viguier, who was the first violin leader (concert master) in the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire (Paris).

In 1879, seeing the work’s popularity grow, he orchestrated the piece for chamber orchestra (but including ample percussion and an ophicleide). The work is set in the key of D minor with a central section in D major; the time signature is a gently galloping 6/8.

Alfred Hitchcock had heard the music in the 1927 film ‘Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans’. Much later, in 1955, when choosing the theme music for his television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, he remembered the effect that “Funeral March of a Marionette” had on him. This series continued for ten years, and the theme music appeared in five versions by as many arrangers: in 1955, 1960, 1962, 1963, and 1964, to cement the fame of the music to the current day!

Movements or sections:
The following briefest storyline underlies the “Funeral March of a Marionette”:
** The Marionette has died in a duel.
** The funeral procession commences (D minor).
** A central section (D major) depicts the mourners taking refreshments before:
** return to the funeral march (D minor).

However, curious inscriptions are found throughout the score as follows:
** La Marionnette est cassée!!! (The marionette is broken!!!)
** Murmure de regrets de la troupe (Murmurs of regret from the troupe)
** Le Cortège (The procession)
** Ici plusieurs des principaux personnages de la troupe s’arrêtent pour se rafraîchir (Here many of the principal personages stop for refreshments)
** Retour à la maison (Return to the house)

Instrumentation:
QUARTET OF FOUR CELLOS
Arranged by Roberta Sears

1 PDF, with the individual parts

Approximate difficulty:
Difficult

Dedicatee of this presentation (if applicable):
The arrangement by Roberta Sears was a present to the once active group ‘The Cello Company’ of which David Johnstone was one of the cellists, so therefore Johnstone-Music is delighted that this delightful version can be shared out.

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Johnstone Music has been performed by orchestras and conservatories worldwide, earning international recognition in cello repertoire.

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