Many countries have a special and unique national holiday. In Canada, where I live, Canada Day is celebrated on July 1 every year. Across the border, in the United States, the special day is Independence Day (July 4). These are the days when national anthems are sung with more feeling and when residents stop to consider their country’s past.

Music usually influences these celebrations in some way. This is very fitting: after all, what is more celebratory of a country’s past and future than a national anthem?
Around the world with patriotic and folk music

Worldwide

• National Anthems of the World
  Listen to dozens of national anthems in MIDI format, and check out flags too.
• National Anthems: Wikipedia
  Article about national anthems with links to further information.
  

Australia

• Australian Folk Songs
  Many songs represented.

Britain

• British Imperialistic Anthems
  Background, words, and audio files for several patriotic British songs (including God Save the Queen/ King)
• Coronation Anthems
  The Classical Music Archives has several MIDI files of Handel’s Coronation Anthems, composed for the coronation of King George II. They are about halfway down the “Handel” page.
• Folk Music of England
  Songs that were popular in England. MIDI files and lyrics.
• Folk Music of Scotland
  MIDI files and lyrics.
• Folk Music of Wales
  MIDI files and lyrics.

Canada

• National Anthem
  Everything you want to know about the Canadian national anthem.
• Patriotic Songs
  Background, lyrics and first page of a selection of Canadian patriotic songs.
  

Costa Rica

• National Anthem
  English and Spanish words, background, and a wav file.

France

• Le Marseillaise
  Entire site devoted to the French national anthem.

Ireland

• Folk Music of Ireland
  Lyrics and MIDI files.

Israel

• HaTikvah
  Lyrics, numerous sound files, and information on the Israeli national anthem.

Japan

• Japanese National Anthem
  All about the Japanese national anthem as well as what the words mean.
  

Lebanon

• Lebanon National Anthem and Flag
  Lebanese and English translation of the words, as well as audio.
  

Russia

• Russian Folk Songs
  Plenty of Russian folk songs with RealAudio sound files.
  

South Africa

• National Anthem
  Background (including about the composer), lyrics, and audio.

United States of America

• Patriotic MIDI Music
  Over 25 MIDI files of various American patriotic songs.
• Popular Music in American History
  Lyrics and MIDI files.

On this website, I also cover music for your recessional and your processional. This article focuses on the music that you will choose for the rest of your wedding.

As in the recessional and processional, music for the rest of your marriage ceremony can be largely determined based on personal taste as well as by the type of service and instrumentation available.
Ave Maria
If you are having a Roman Catholic service (or even if you are not), a special setting of the Ave Maria is often desirable, especially if you have a singer on your “roster”. Over the years, hundreds of composers have written settings of the mass, so your choices are nearly unlimited.

Schubert’s Ave Maria (Ellens Gesang III, D.839)
This is the setting most often heard and it is a lovely piece of music. It exists in two versions: German (the original) and Latin. Schubert is remembered (and revered) as a genius of setting text effectively to music: for that reason many singers (and many listeners) prefer the German version. However, if you are having a religious ceremony, you should probably clear the choice of any text (whatever the language) with the church minister or music director.

Sound sample

Bach-Gounod Ave Maria
This setting of the Ave Maria by Charles Gounod (the composer of such operas as Faust) uses the first prelude of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier and combines it with a melody of his own. The result demands a singer with a specific wide range, so if you wish to use this piece you should ensure that it works for the singer in your ceremony.

Sound sample

Other Choices
The signing of the register and other portions of your ceremony may also warrant the use of special music. While there are choices that are often used, with hundreds of years of musical history you can choose something unusual. Here are two occasionally quoted “wedding classics”:

Massenet: “Meditation” from Thais
Sound sample

Mascagni: “Intermezzo” from Cavalleria Rusticana
Sound sample
(look under “C”)

If you are new to classical music, the biggest obstacle to choosing your own music is being unsure of yourself. Consider this a chance to learn about a new type of music and refuse to let yourself become overwhelmed.

This article was originally written for my former About.com website shortly after the events of September 11, 2001. It was updated a year later. While many of the suggestions
pertain particularly to the events in New York and Washington, anyone dealing with a time of grief may find help below.

There is something special about music. Scientists have been trying to explain it for years, but no one has been particularly successful. Throughout ancient history, music developed around the world, in isolated cultures that had no contact with each other. Human beings surround themselves with music in all areas of life. It is an integral part of weddings, parties, birthdays, wakes, parades, and funerals.  For some reason people connect with music (which is simply manipulated sound) on a deep (often emotional) level. This “spiritual” connection probably has a lot to do with the prominence of music in religions.

The events of September 11th, 2001 in the U.S. were received with a worldwide outpouring of grief that has left few unmoved. As the one year anniversary of the attacks looms, the public once again is dealing with grief and memory. Music can (and probably will) play a large part in the grieving and healing process.

Here is a list of possible avenues to explore in the search for musical comfort.

Attend a concert or service
Religious services are usually filled with music for comfort. Many churches across the U.S. and the world are open for special services to help people deal with the one year anniversary of this tragedy. Check your local paper.
If you are dealing with your own personal time of grief, this is a good time to attend your place of faith, whatever your faith may be.

Requiems
Requiems are usually settings of the Latin Requiem Mass (although sometimes in other languages). A Requiem Mass is a Mass for the Dead. They aren’t difficult to find as many composers have written them over the years. A composers to look for in regards to Requiems: W.A. Mozart, Verdi, Britten (the War Requiem), Fauré, and Brahms (Ein Deutsches Requiem). Symphonies and other performing groups around the world are planning special concerts that feature Requiems or other special music to remember and grieve.
If you are dealing with your own personal time of grief and are unable to find a performance, contact your library to see if they have a lending library of recordings.

Other Music with Text that may comfort you

• Britten, Benjamin: The Choirmaster’s Burial (song)
• Górecki, Henryk : Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)
• Schubert, Franz: Du bist die Ruh (lied)
• Strauss, Richard: Morgen (lied)
• Traditional and Spiritual songs: e.g. Deep River
  

Ideas from the Forum

• Barber, Samuel: Adagio for Strings
• Beethoven, Ludwig van: “Moonlight” Piano Sonata (Op. 27, No.2)
• Mahler, Gustav: various lieder
• Walton, William: Symphony No. 1

After you have said your vows, signed the register and enjoyed the fabulous music that you have chosen for your ceremony, all that is left to do is triumphantly walk (or run) down the aisle. And of course, you will need the perfect piece of music to do so! Here are just a few examples of pieces regularly chosen for the recessional.

Mendelssohn: Wedding March from A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Also mentioned in the processional article, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March
was written as part of his incidental music to Shakespeare’s Midsummer
Night’s Dream. Originally intended as a processional (and not intended for use in a real ceremony at all), this piece is very commonly used as a recessional.

Sound Sample

Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon)

You can’t get much more triumphant than this famous piece by Handel from his oratorio Solomon. It is also regularly used for recessionals but not as commonly as some other choices.

Sound Sample
(requires QuickTime)

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #3 (1st movement)

Another recognizable piece appropriate for your stroll down the aisle is a selection from J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #3.

Sound Sample

Your own choice

As with the processional, do not be afraid to choose something unusual
that you like! If you don’t know what to choose but know you like
a particular composer, start there. Or, if you remember a piece from
a movie, start with a movie database and check out the soundtrack listings.

Wedding Sheet Music

Music at weddings can add a great deal to the special day but choosing it can be a daunting task, particularly if you would like to feature classical music and you are faced with literally thousands of choices.

The Wedding March/ The Processional
Many weddings feature the bride with attendants (and possibly other members of the wedding party) making their entrances. Music for this part of the service is usually a high priority, and many composers over the years have written wedding marches.

Lohengrin
Most of us have heard the infamous “Here Comes the Bride”. This wedding march comes from Lohengrin, an opera by Richard Wagner. While it used to be overwhelmingly popular at weddings, it is often not included anymore.

The story of the opera involves a wedding that is doomed from the start due to mistrust, which could explain the trend to use different music. Wagner is also somewhat “uncomfortable” and controversial due to his status as Hitler’s favourite composer (and the use of his music at concentration camps during WWII) as well as certain
writings by the composer himself.

Lohengrin Synopsis from Bavarian State Opera

Sound sample from MSN Encarta (Windows Media required)

Midsummer Night’s Dream

Another option for your trip down the aisle is the Wedding March from the incidental music to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream written by Felix Mendelssohn. This music is commonly used as a recessional, but is actually intended as a processional in the play.
Sound sample

Canon in D

A heavily used processional is Pachelbel’s Canon in D (commonly referred to as the “Pachelbel Canon”). If you choose to use it however, be aware that many of your guests will have heard it in a wedding before (some of them numerous times).
Sound sample
(under Processional)

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
A slightly less often used, but still quite popular processional is Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by J.S. Bach. This particular piece is taken from one of Bach’s many cantatas: BWV 147.

Sound sample

Your own choice
With so much beautiful music available, there is no reason not to choose something somewhat more unusual for your special day. If you find this daunting, simply start listening: you’re bound to find something you like. Take a trip to your local library: most have CD libraries. If you are hiring musicians for the service, do not hesitate to ask for ideas: the same goes for classical loving sisters, uncles and friends.

Wedding Sheet Music