The debate over the best military march: Sousa, the Legion and the circus

The best military march of all time: between Sousa, the Legion and the circus

The discussion over which is the best military march in history is wide open. It may sound like a matter of barracks and parades, but scratch the surface and you find a tug-of-war between popular taste, military tradition and the inevitable meme. The March of San Lorenzo, Colonel Bogey, the French Foreign Legion or the Ottoman janissaries are just some of the candidates. And amid it all, the obligatory question: why do some of these pieces unavoidably sound like circus music?

From the March of San Lorenzo to Colonel Bogey: the candidates that ring out

There is broad consensus that the March of San Lorenzo, composed by Cayetano Alberto Silva, is one of the greats. Its Argentine origin has not stopped it from becoming a classic in Spain, especially at parades. The anecdote is a juicy one: the story goes that this piece was used by the German army when entering Paris during the Second World War and, curiously, also by the Allied forces when retaking the city. One anthem for two sides. That says a lot about its power.

Another one that rings out loud is Colonel Bogey, with the Royal Marines band marching. Even through YouTube audio, it sounds superb. It is one of those marches that, without being a national anthem, has earned a place in the collective imagination. And then there is John Philip Sousa's Semper Fidelis, which to some does not sound like circus music, but with Stars and Stripes the trapeze artists seem ready to come out. The line between the martial and the circus is blurrier than it seems.

The circus problem: when the military march sounds like a tightrope-walker's arena

The association between certain military marches and circus music is no accident. The Entry of the Gladiators, that melody we have all heard at some point, is actually the music with which clowns and tightrope walkers enter the circus ring. The same goes for other pieces that, because of their rhythm and instrumentation, have become linked to festivity. That is the case with the March of San Lorenzo, which has ended up being the soundtrack of the circus for many. An irony that does not go unnoticed.

The confusion between the Roman circus and the contemporary circus is another point that has been raised. An amphitheatre where gladiator fights took place is not the same as a ring with clowns and trapeze artists. But popular language has mixed the two concepts, and hence misunderstandings such as considering a military march to actually be circus music.

The Legion, the janissaries and other traditions

The French Foreign Legion has its own march, a 19th-century piece frequently heard at the 14 July parades. It is one of those marches that, without being a national anthem, has earned a place in the collective imagination. And then there are the Ottoman janissaries, with a traditional march to which nationalist lyrics were invented in the early 20th century. It is in fact Turkey's unofficial national anthem, which shows that military marches go beyond the military sphere.

In Spain, the Marcha de Oriamendi is considered by some to be one of the best. The instrumental version in particular is more than up to the task. And then there is the Legion's anthem, which for those who served in the Tercio of Melilla, like the Gran Capitán, has a special meaning. The subjectivity of those who were there weighs heavily.

The impossible consensus: tastes, traditions and memes

In the end, the question of which is the best military march of all time has no single answer. It depends on taste, on tradition and, why not say it, on memes. Some hold that the best are the three classics: British Grenadiers, Hohenfriedberger and La Victoire est à Nous. Others prefer the marches of the Italian Bersaglieri, with their fanfares. And some go for the Legion's anthem, if only for the memory.

What is clear is that the border between the martial and the circus is more porous than it seems. And that, deep down, all these marches share something: their ability to get everyone to agree, even if only to argue. The best military march of all time is, probably, the one that gives each person goosebumps. And that cannot be measured with data.