Marche héroïque

Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Marche héroïque in 1870, during the Prussian army’s siege of Paris. While enlisted in the National Guard, the composer-turned-soldier channelled fervent patriotism into music, celebrating the French capital’s role as a cultural hub. Originally composed for two pianos, the work was later transcribed for organ by Saint-Saëns. He performed it at the funeral of his friend Henri Regnault, who died in battle. Saint-Saëns subsequently arranged the piece for orchestra a few months after Paris fell. Marche héroïque became an iconic symbol of French musical expression and remains one of Saint-Saëns’s most renowned works.