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The Marche slave, also Marche slav () in B-flat minor, Opus number 31, is an orchestral tone poem by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky published in 1876. It was written to celebrate Russia's intervention in the Serbo-Ottoman War.
Tchaikovsky referred to the piece as his "Serbo-Russian March" while writing it. It was premiered in Moscow on , conducted by Nikolai Rubinstein.
The march is highly programmatic in its form and organization. The first section, written in the somber key of B-flat minor, describes the oppression of the Serbs by the Ottoman Turks. It uses two Serbs folk music, "Sunce jarko, ne sijaš jednako" (Bright sun, you do not shine equally), by Isidor Ćirić and "Rado ide Srbin u vojnike" (Gladly does the Serb become a soldier).
This eventually gives way to the second section, written in the relative key of D-flat major, which describes the Russians rallying to help the Serbs. This is based on a simple melody with the character of a rustic dance that is passed around the orchestra, until finally it gives way to a solemn statement of the Russian imperial anthem "God Save the Tsar". The third section of the piece is a repeat of Tchaikovsky's furious orchestral climax from the first section, reiterating the Serbian cry for help. The fourth and final section describes the Russian volunteers marching into battle to assist the Serbs. It uses a Russian folk tune, this time in the tonic major key of B-flat major, and includes another blazing rendition of "God Save the Tsar", prophesying the triumph of the Slavonic people over the Ottomans. The overture finishes with a virtuoso coda for the full orchestra.
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