A march by the Bohemian composer and conductor Hermann Josef Schneider (1862-1921). It was composed in honour of Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg (1638-1701), member of the House of Starhemberg, who served as the military governor of Vienna. He successfully defended the city against the Ottomans during the Battle of Vienna in 1683.
Performed by the Stadtmusikkapelle Wilten ("City Music Chapel Wilten").
Accompanying painting depicts Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg inspecting the defences of Vienna.
This anonymous march dates back to the eighteenth century, and is named after "lord Van der Duyn". The exact identity of this man has unfortunately been lost to history, but there are three possible candidates: lieutenant general Adam van der Duyn van ’s-Gravemoer (d. 1693), colonel Nicolaas van der Duyn van Rijswijk and major general Nicolaas van der Duyn van ’s-Gravemoer (d. 1728).
Performed by the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Rotterdam Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy).
The accompanying painting depicts a group of Dutch soldiers being inspected by officer Jacob van Kretschmar (1721-1792). It was made by Tethart Philipp Christian Haag (1737-1812).
Le Rouet d'Omphale ("The Spinning Wheel of Omphale") is a symphonic poem for orchestra, written in 1871 by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). The work is based on a Greek myth, according to which the hero Hercules was condemned by the god Apollo to serve as the servant of the Lydian queen Omphale, spinning whool for her.
Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Yondani Butt (1945-2014).
The accompanying painting, made by the French artist Édouard Joseph Dantan (1848-1897), shows Hercules at the feet of Omphale. While Hercules is spinning whool, Omphale is wearing his lion skin and holding his club.
This famous Austrian march was composed by Johann Strauss I (1804-1849) in honour of Field Marshall Joseph Radetzky von Radetz (1766-1858). Strauss was commissioned to write it, after Radetzky had won the First Battle of Custoza against the Kingdom of Sardinia, which took place on July 24 and 25, 1848, during the First Italian War of Independence. Radetzky's victory enabled him to recapture Milan and most of Lombardy.
Performed by the Muziekkapel van de Rijkswacht ("Military Band Of The Belgian Gendarmerie").
The accompanying painting depicts Radetzky with his troops before Milan. It was made by the Bavarian artist Albrecht Adam (1786–1862).
The music piece Oost-Indische welkomst ("East Indian welcome") goes back to at least the early eighteenth century. The title refers of course to the Dutch East Indies (modern day Indonesia).
Performed by the Foo Foo Band.
Accompanying painting depicts a senior merchant of the VOC, the Dutch East India Company, together with his wife. He's pointing at the city of Batavia (modern day Jakarta). The painting was made by Aelbert Cuyp (1620-1691).
A march for the Grenadiers in the Royal Netherlands Army. It was written by François Dunkler sr. (1779-1861), a composer of German origin. He became the first conductor of the Koninklijke Militaire Kapel "Johan Willem Friso" (Royal Military Band "Johan Willem Friso").
Performed by the Marinierskapel der Koninklijke Marine (Rotterdam Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy).
The accompanying image, by Jan Hoynck van Papendrecht (1858-1933), shows several Dutch grenadiers.
The full title of this piano piece is Fröhlicher Landmann, von der Arbeit zurückkehrend ("The Happy Farmer, Returning from Work"). It's part of the Album für die Jugend ("Album for the Young"), a collection of 43 short works composed by Robert Schumann in 1843 for his three daughters.
Performed by the German pianist Michael Endres.
The accompanying painting is by the Austrian artist Julius Paul Junghanns (1876-1958).
This famous march was named after the Battle of Hohenfriedberg from 1745, in which the Prussians (led by king Frederick the Great) defeated the allied Saxons and Austrians. This battle is considered to be one of Frederick's greatest victories. Some claim that he composed the march himself, but this is not certain.
Performed by the Maritime Self Defense Force Band of Tokyo.
The accompanying painting, made by German artist Carl Röchling (1855-1920), depicts the Prussian infantery advancing during the Battle of Hohenfriedberg.