Two Early Canadian Marches

These two marches are the oldest extant secular music composed in Canada. The Royal Fusiliers’ Arrival at Quebec was written in honour of the arrival of the newest regiment from England and its commanding officer. An inscription on the manuscript of the Marche de Normandie identifies Charles Voyer de Poligny d’Argenson as the composer of that work, and from the available evidence it seems likely that both marches were written by the same person. They are arranged for a woodwind ensemble consisting of piccolo, flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons.