Entrance of the Gladiators

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"Entrance of the Gladiators" or "Entry of the Gladiators" (Czech: Vjezd gladiátorů, German: Einzug der Gladiatoren) is a military march composed in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius Fučík. Written for the calliope^{[verification needed]}, the march has since become indelibly linked to clowns and the circus, where it became known as "Thunder and Blazes", and is considered a screamer. Although the tune is widely recognized, its original name and composer are relatively obscure. It is often referred to merely as "the circus music", "the clown music", or the like.

"Entrance of the Gladiators" was originally titled "Grande Marche Chromatique" due to the extreme use of the chromatic scale in the melody. The arrangement of the march in its "circus" incarnation is generally the one by Louis-Phillipe Laurendeau.

Generally, the march is broken into three parts. The one people associate the piece with the most would be the first third. This part contains the melody that the trumpet keeps and the several supporting parts. The second third is the section were the low-brass (mainly the tubas) take over with the chromatic scale like role. Finally there is a trio, or a slow melodic section, were there is a strong balance between woodwinds and low-brass. The trio has a part similar to the second third with a chromatic scale like sound. Somewhat surprisingly, this is a rather short piece; it is not written in separate movements, and there is only one repeat. The song is written in 2-2 time and is very fast paced (even for the time it is in).

In 1974, writers Leo Sayer and David Alexander Courtney wove the introduction and melody into their Top 10 composition for Three Dog Night, "The Show Must Go On."