Johann Heinrich Walch

Who was Johann Heinrich Walch?

Johann Heinrich Walch, was a German conductor, chamber musician and choral master for both the Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg as well as of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, in Gotha in the current German state Thüringen. He was also the composer of many well-known marches.

Napoleon's war took on its final end, when the allies of Austria, Prussia and Russia marched into Paris on March 31, 1814 to the tune of the "Pariser Einzugsmarsch". This tune was also used as the climax of 1940 Victory parade of the Germans through Paris. Although attributed initially to Beethoven, Walch is the composer.

Another march by Walch, is the famous "Beethoven Funeral March Number 1" played at the funeral of King Edward VII and also on Remembrance Sunday Services in London each year on the Sunday nearest to November 11. It is played after the playing of the Last Post, and during the Wreath Laying Ceremony. It is also announced as "Beethoven's Funeral March" on the BBC Television commentary. For a long time, the march was wrongly attributed to Beethoven, and catalogued as WoO=, Anh. 13. The march was played during the procession to the lying in state at Westminster of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and at the procession to St Paul's Cathedral at the funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on 17 April 2013.