Editing American march music (section)

=====The trio and repeats=====

 {{listen|filename=Thunder trio.mid|title=The Thunderer trio|description="The Thunderer" trio}}
In some marches, a short ''introduction to the trio'' is heard, often a repeat of the opening introduction, or it may be a different melody played by the whole band, a fanfare by the brasses—or a ''percussion soli'' (drum roll-off) as heard in "[[Semper Fidelis (march)|Semper Fidelis]]" by Sousa. Another example of a trio introduction is found in "Twin Eagle Strut" by Zane Van Auken.

The third (or technically fourth or fifth) primary melody in a march is called the ''trio'', which usually is the ''main melody'' of the march. It typically is played legato style in a softer dynamic and features woodwinds more than brass. Sousa often used clarinets and euphoniums in lower tenor register in his trios. This trio strain is the most contrasting of the sections, often containing variations of motifs heard in the previous two strains.

The trio melody may be repeated once at a softer dynamic, or may not be repeated at all. Typically, it is played quietly for the first or second playthrough, then features piccolos (or flutes, or other woodwinds) playing over the trio melody. In almost all cases the trio now modulates to the subdominant key of the march, meaning one flat is added to the key signature. The key is now flatter and this repeat will,  with softer instrumentation, offer a relaxing feel from the previous volume. The contrast makes the trio more memorable as the new key is maintained to the end of the strain. (For marches starting in [[minor key]]s, the trio usually modulates to the [[relative major]].)

Next comes the '''breakstrain''' or ''breakup strain'' (sometimes called the ''dogfight'' or ''interlude''), making it the fourth melody heard.  This strain is loud, intense, and marcato. Its purpose can be found in its title, as it literally breaks a gap between the trio sections, providing contrast to the usually softer trio melodies and generating excitement for the listener. Most breakstrains resemble a conversation between the upper woodwinds and the low brass. The final measures typically contain tension-building chords or chromatic motifs.

The breakstrain is usually 16 bars long, as in the case of "Hands Across the Sea", but marches vary: "The Washington Post" and "The Interlochen Bowl" have eight-bar breakstrains, where "On the Mall" and "The Purple Pageant" have 12-bar, and "The Thunderer" has a 15-bar breakstrain. "The Stars and Stripes Forever" has a 24-bar breakstrain.

{{listen|filename=Thunder breakstrain.mid|title=The Thunderer breakstrain and trio grandioso (Trio)|description=The rest of "The Thunderer"}}
{{listen|filename=The Thunderer by John Philip Sousa.mid|title=The Thunderer|description=Full midi of "The Thunderer" by John Philip Sousa|format=[[mid]]}}
After the breakstrain, the trio is repeated again. The trio after the breakstrain is usually played in the same style as the first, but sometimes counter-melodies or obbligatos are added to these latter runs of the trio. Now the breakstrain is played again and the march moves to the final trio.

The final trio is known as the '''grandioso''', ''trio grandioso'' or ''trio'', which typically, as the grand finale, is played through much more loudly than previous runs of the trio. It sometimes adds yet another counter-melody or obligato (such as the one in "The Stars and Stripes Forever") and uses all instrumental sections of the band, bringing everything to a close. The grandioso is the most exciting section of the march; its role is to make the trio melody memorable to the listener.