Coronation March (for Czar Alexander III) - Tchaikovsky

Tschaikowsky received the commission for the 'Coronation March' by the Mayor of the City of Moscow for the occasion of the coronation of Alexander III in May 1883, for a performance in Sokol'nikii Park. For this march Tschaikowsky used the melody of anthem God Save the Tsar by Alexis Lvov as he did in six of his works, as far as we know. The 'Coronation March' was performed for the first time on 23 May 1883 conducted by Sergey Taneyev and became later also known under the title 'Festival March'.