marches

Marches is the plural of march and can refer to several related concepts in music, ceremonial practice, geography, and social action. In music, a march is a composition with a strong, regular beat, typically in duple meter, designed to accompany marching. Military marches and concert-band marches are common subtypes, often featuring a steady tempo, regular bass-drum accents, and paired phrase structures, with a long historical role in military and ceremonial contexts.

In ceremonial or public use, a march can be a procession or demonstration in which people move in formation, such as a parade or protest. The term describes organized movements on streets or in public spaces, as well as the act of marching itself.

Geographically and historically, The Welsh Marches (often shortened to the Marches) refers to the borderlands between England and Wales. Historically this area was governed by marcher lordships and distinct legal practices, formed after the Norman conquest to defend and administer the border. The term can also refer more loosely to the counties along or near the border in present-day England and Wales, such as Herefordshire and Shropshire in England and Monmouthshire and Powys in Wales.

The word march can also denote a frontier boundary or frontier culture in various historical contexts, and the plural marches may be used when discussing multiple marches or border regions in different countries.