MARCH OF THE THREE WISE MEN (score & parts)

Dubois (1837 –1924) was a Paris-based composer, organist and music teacher. His book of Twelve New Pieces for Organ (Douze Pièces pour Orgue) was published in 1893. The ninth piece of the set is entitled Marche des Rois Mages (March of the Three Wise Men). The piece depicts the three Magi on their camels, following a star to guide them to the infant Jesus in the cradle.

Dubois specifically wrote for a continuous note – representing the guiding star – to be played throughout the piece. That one note cleverly fits every harmony of the piece. However, when Dubois first performed the piece in the Madeleine Church in Paris, the organ builder (Aristide Cavaillé-Coll) happened to be there. When he heard the continuous note he assumed it was a stuck key, so he tried to fix it whilst Dubois was playing!

March of the Three Wise Men is a lovely, whimsical, almost comical piece which, to me, conjures up pictures of the Wise Men bobbing up and down on their camels. To my ears, there’s more than a hint of Blackadder theme about it in parts too! The comical quality of the piece makes it ideal for four bassoons. The ‘guiding-star-note’ only makes brief ‘appearances’ (at the beginning and end of the piece) – otherwise it would make for a very boring part indeed!

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