This march was composed in late spring, 1816, though sketches for it date back to the previous year. Beethoven is rarely thought of as a composer of band music (or of military music), but he did write eight works in the genre, some of which were strong efforts. This one was probably the last, although the C major March, WoO. 20, might conceivably have been his final band effort. Certainly, its trio and those to WoO. 18 and WoO. 19 were written in 1822-23.

In any event, this D major work was composed at the request of Army Officer Franz Xaver Embel, who had asked Beethoven for a march for his Civil Artillery Corps. Embel had even specified the flavor of the music, requesting a "March for Turkish Music ... " Beethoven was not averse to producing works for patriotic or political purposes, as the then-recent Der glorreiche Augenblich ("The glorious Moment"), Op. 136, Chor auf die verbündeten Fürsten (Chorus on the allied Princes), WoO. 95, and Wellington's Victory, Op. 91, attest. As some may know, though, these works are hardly high-quality compositions. Yet, this march is; moreover, it may well be the best of the several he wrote for band.

A brief introduction precedes the march, which is an attractive, vigorous two-part creation. Its second part is perhaps more innovative, containing some interesting modulations. Both sections are repeated and then the trio, also in two parts, is presented. It is marked Trio all' Ongarese (Trio in the Hungarian manner). The music here does exhibit an Hungarian flavor, most noticeably in the off-kilter accenting. The main material is restated and a short coda closes the piece.

This work has a more symphonic feel than its band instrumentation would suggest, and it might have stood up well in a full-orchestral treatment. The march was first published in Vienna in 1827, the year of Beethoven's death.

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