Following the opportunity to write for the award winning RBC Brass Band, I decided to create a set of 5 Brass Band Marches, all of which are related to Alexei II. Alexei II is of course a non-king, a non-Tsar, the throne upon which he was destined to sit being destroyed before his chance, his life being taken not long afterwards in the basement of Ipatiev House, Yekaterinburg. However, if these events had not transpired, then Alexei, the last Tsaervich of the Russian Empire, would have been Alexei II, and as such, undoubtedly, would have been the natural subject of such a set of marches.

These marches imagine the alternative world in which he would have been Tsar, beginning with a Coronation March, which is followed by a Grand March. Following the heights of the Grand March Alexei is troubled by his power and his place within the world, and as such retreats into his religion, accompanied by the Religious March. Out of this he becomes a better Tsar, and the Triumphant March leads him into his next chapter, which is unfortunately cut short by his long-standing illness. Laid to rest, the Funerale March sees him into the next life.

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Duration 5:30