Often a solemn, declamatory fanfare using the lower brass (trombones, euphoniums, bassi) in a chiamata (call) texture. This section establishes the Dorian or Mixolydian modality, evoking Gregorian chant. The percussion is limited (bass drum roll, cymbal crash), creating a sacred atmosphere before the march proper.
Creux’s Antoniana was likely commissioned for one of these processions or a concorso bandistico (band competition). Its title explicitly links it to the saint, implying that musical themes are meant to evoke the piety, miracle-working, and eloquence of St. Anthony.
Marcia Sinfonica Antoniana (likely referring to the work by Italian composer Fulvio Creux or, in a broader generic sense, to processional march-symphonies for St. Anthony’s Feast—most commonly associated with the Festa di Sant’Antonio in Padua or the Italian diaspora tradition). For the purpose of this paper, we will analyze the canonical concert band work by Fulvio Creux (1900–1969), a staple of the Italian and Swiss wind band repertoire. marcia sinfonica antoniana
St. Anthony of Padua (1195–1231) is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church. His feast day, June 13th, is celebrated with grand processions, particularly in Padua, Lisbon, and throughout Italian immigrant communities worldwide.
Modulating to the subdominant key (e.g., from B-flat major to E-flat major), this section is the emotional heart. The texture thins to solo winds (often a euphonium or clarinet solo) accompanied by mallets (glockenspiel) representing the miracle of the saint. The harmonic rhythm slows, and the music becomes a arioso —a short, free melody. Creux often introduces a brief countermelody in the flutes, symbolizing angels. Often a solemn, declamatory fanfare using the lower
The banda (wind band) has historically been integral to these outdoor celebrations. Unlike the orchestra, the band is mobile and powerful, capable of leading thousands of pilgrims. The marcia sinfonica emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a hybrid genre: it retains the binary or ternary march form (fast–slow–fast) but incorporates the harmonic language, dynamic shading, and thematic development of the operatic sinfonia.
A unique feature of the Antoniana is the quotation or paraphrasing of the Trisagio (Greek: “Thrice Holy”) — Sanctus Deus, Sanctus Fortis, Sanctus Immortalis, miserere nobis . This is not sung but embedded in the brass choir as a chorale. This direct liturgical reference confirms the work’s sacred function, temporarily suspending the march rhythm for a moment of homophonic prayer. Creux’s Antoniana was likely commissioned for one of
A recapitulation of the first theme, now in diminution (shorter note values), over a driving snare drum ostinato. The tempo increases ( stringendo al fine ). The piece concludes with a battuta finale : a massive Picardy third (tierce de Picardie) resolving to a major chord from a minor subdominant, reinforcing the Catholic notion of resurrection and joy.