Invercargill March
Encyclopedia
The "Invercargill March" is a march
written by Alex Lithgow
and named after his home town of Invercargill
, on the South Island
of New Zealand
.
The Invercargill rates alongside John Philip Sousa
's "Stars and Stripes Forever", Kenneth Alford
's "Colonel Bogey March
", and Johann Strauss
' "Radetsky March" as one of the most popular in the world. It is especially popular in the United States
, being a top favourite of the US Marines. It was the Regimental March of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the New York Guard
during World War II
.
In his book Invercargill - 150 Years Lloyd Esler's opening sentence reads "Invercargill was done a fine favour by Alex Lithgow who named his famous march after his boyhood home. The Invercargill March is possibly the best advertisement the town has ever had as the work is a brass-band favourite and the word ‘Invercargill’ is whispered amongst audiences worldwide. There is only one Invercargill in the world - this one".
When Invercargill
hosted the national brass band contest in 1909, Alex’s brother Tom asked for a test piece for the contest and Alex offered this piece (re arranged). On the music he wrote:
That re arrangement commenced in 1908 and tested out at a rehearsal that year in Bathurst NSW. It was sent to his brother Tom in Invercargill for comment and changes were made before it was finally sent to Invercargill in 1909 and first played publicly at Rugby Park Invercargill on 3rd November 1909 by the massed bands at the national New Zealand Brass Band contest.
Still today, despite being one of the 4 most popular military marches in the world and having been mistaken for New Zealand's national anthem, the people of New Zealand and Invercargill are mostly oblivious of its world fame. It is clearly the most played New Zealand tune overseas (as found in research by The International Military Music Society).
company in Sydney, and since policy was to print words on the rolls for sing-a-longs wherever possible, Murn often obliged by writing lyrics when none were available. Invercargill
radio announcer John O’Connor recorded these words but they were impossible to sing by others due to not fitting in with the Band music. There were also other known lyrics as well. International Military Music Society member and former Invercargill resident Gavin Marriott re wrote some of Frank Baker Murn's words to reflect Invercargill and Alex more and to make the song fit into the Band music. These lyrics have been approved by Alex's family and are now the official lyrics, handed over to the Invercargill City Council for the tune's centenary in 2009.
On the 3rd November 2009 the Invercargill Garrison Band marched through the streets of Invercargill playing "Invercargill' and then put on a Lithgow concert.
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
written by Alex Lithgow
Alex Lithgow
Alexander Frame Lithgow was a Scottish-born, New Zealand and Australian based composer and bandleader known as the "Sousa of the Antipodes"....
and named after his home town of Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, on the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
The Invercargill rates alongside John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
's "Stars and Stripes Forever", Kenneth Alford
Kenneth Alford
Frederick Joseph Ricketts was a British composer of marches for band. Using the pen name Kenneth J. Alford, his marches are considered to be great examples of the art...
's "Colonel Bogey March
Colonel Bogey March
The "Colonel Bogey March" is a popular march that was written in 1914 by Lieutenant F. J. Ricketts , a British army bandmaster who later became director of music for the Royal Marines at Plymouth...
", and Johann Strauss
Johann Strauss I
Johann Strauss I , born in Vienna, was an Austrian Romantic composer famous for his waltzes, and for popularizing them alongside Joseph Lanner, thereby setting the foundations for his sons to carry on his musical dynasty...
' "Radetsky March" as one of the most popular in the world. It is especially popular in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being a top favourite of the US Marines. It was the Regimental March of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the New York Guard
New York Guard
The New York Guard is the State Defense Force of New York State. As of June 2008, the New York Guard, a recognized command under the New York State's Military law, has line-item funding in the state budget....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In his book Invercargill - 150 Years Lloyd Esler's opening sentence reads "Invercargill was done a fine favour by Alex Lithgow who named his famous march after his boyhood home. The Invercargill March is possibly the best advertisement the town has ever had as the work is a brass-band favourite and the word ‘Invercargill’ is whispered amongst audiences worldwide. There is only one Invercargill in the world - this one".
Origin of the tune
It was originally written in 1901 by Alex Lithgow as a jig type tune for Symphonic band. No research can find if that tune had a name but it was known to be rejected in that format by a publisher.When Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
hosted the national brass band contest in 1909, Alex’s brother Tom asked for a test piece for the contest and Alex offered this piece (re arranged). On the music he wrote:
That re arrangement commenced in 1908 and tested out at a rehearsal that year in Bathurst NSW. It was sent to his brother Tom in Invercargill for comment and changes were made before it was finally sent to Invercargill in 1909 and first played publicly at Rugby Park Invercargill on 3rd November 1909 by the massed bands at the national New Zealand Brass Band contest.
How the tune became famous
After that contest the tune never got a mention or a rating. It was copied and played in the USA. It was 7 years later as a result of the Gallipoli war that the tune hit fame. At the first parade in London of the Gallipoli veterans in 1916, the UK bands leading the parade were looking for a tune to represent the ANZAC troops. Someone suggested The 'Invercargill March' as it was by a composer from both New Zealand and Australia. However people thought "Invercargill" was a place in Scotland! (There is only one Invercargill in the world and that's in New Zealand). The tune became known as "that Gallopoli tune" and instantly got onto the hit parade.Still today, despite being one of the 4 most popular military marches in the world and having been mistaken for New Zealand's national anthem, the people of New Zealand and Invercargill are mostly oblivious of its world fame. It is clearly the most played New Zealand tune overseas (as found in research by The International Military Music Society).
Lyrics
In the 1920s, lyrics were written to the tune by an Australian postmaster, Frank Baker Murn. Murn's wife Edith Murn was a recording artist for the Mastertouch piano rollPiano roll
A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. A piano roll is a continuous roll of paper with perforations punched into it. The peforations represent note control data...
company in Sydney, and since policy was to print words on the rolls for sing-a-longs wherever possible, Murn often obliged by writing lyrics when none were available. Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
radio announcer John O’Connor recorded these words but they were impossible to sing by others due to not fitting in with the Band music. There were also other known lyrics as well. International Military Music Society member and former Invercargill resident Gavin Marriott re wrote some of Frank Baker Murn's words to reflect Invercargill and Alex more and to make the song fit into the Band music. These lyrics have been approved by Alex's family and are now the official lyrics, handed over to the Invercargill City Council for the tune's centenary in 2009.
Though I've sailed overseas from Invercargill
Theres a yearning strong that calls me back to Southland
Where in childhood days, I used to play and be
part of a local music family.
Joyous hours playing with the Garrison Band
Concerts and contesting all around New Zealand
And marching down to Dee Street, in the southernmost town.
The memories, of childhood, and playing tunes, I loved to learn
Someday I will return, to mountains high and green leafed fern
Oreti Beach, Waihopai, an Oyster feed, from Foveaux Strait
I cannot wait to see, who greets me, at Bluff port gate.
Invercargill is, the only place that I adore
And my old band pals, I long to see them all once more
Soon my ship will be, returning from the deep blue sea
To my dear old home, the gem of all the Southern Seas (x2).
Centenary
The centenary to The 'Invercargill March' was organised by The International Military Music Society and held at Alex Lithgow's old church in Invercargill - First Church - on the 80th anniversary of Alex's death 12th July 2009.On the 3rd November 2009 the Invercargill Garrison Band marched through the streets of Invercargill playing "Invercargill' and then put on a Lithgow concert.