The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-11
Music in War,

| To the present day, IN all the armies
OF the world, musical war-signals are con-
| sidered not only useful, but absolutely in
dispensable. The infantry drill regula-
tons Of the United States army give the
music and significance of more than sixty
| trumpet-sgnals-calls OF warning, of as
sembly. of alarm. of service. with such
names as 'guard-mounting, drill, sta
ble,' TO arms FIRE forward" ire
treat" church" fatigue" attention. ;"
forward" halt" quick time ''dou-
BILE time" charge" lie down." rise. :"
etc, besides a dozen or more drum-and-
fife signals. all of which must be known
to the soldiers. TO whom they are def
mite language, in the sense Of Wagnerian
Leitmotive. Every one is familiar with
such expressions as drumming up re-
cruits," drumming out deserters," and SO
on.
Besides its Importance for signalling
| purposes. there are no fewer than five
other uses for music in the army. A few
words about each OF these must suffice
zoller. the African traveller, says that
| among all savage and half-civilized ra-
| ces. song and dance are considered as in
dispensable aids 10 military training. as
| drilling and drumming in our armies.
The marvellous precision with which these
| ~ A1AI4eO Ae(CS CAcC0LC NAiC4A " al -oOA,S
and dances has been commented upon by
many admiring explorers; and as the
value of perfect drill and cooperation are
well understood. music, which supplies
| the regularity OF rhythm. is seen TO 10
| be of paramount Importance. When our
armies parade. they always do SO to the
measured beat of military band or drum
and fife.
| Another very curious use of music in
! war IS suggested by the word panic. >"
! The historian Rowbotham says that ''all
| panic Is derivable from trumpet-nke
| sound, II we may trust the derivation Of
| the word. which refers the first panic to
/ the time when the great god Pan put TO
flight an army by a sudden shout" Many
saYages use wild songs and shouts, or
drums and horns. to inspire terror and to
create a panic in the enemys ranks. So
horrible is the sound OF this music, both
in itself and by its bloody associations.
that it is said the Spanish settlers in some
parts of South America TO this day can
not hear the awful trumpets of the In
dians without being frightened. 1t is
interesting to note that Homer represents
the TrOjans as going to battle with howl
ing war-cries, while the Greeks are 81
lent. and that Thucydides makes Brasil
das say, They are towards who think
they can brighten Us by their loud shout
ing; thus idicating that the more civilized
Greeks did not resort TO this method of
creating a panic. It is believed that one
cause of the defeat of the Chinese in
their last war was that they at first re-
lied too much on the effect of their war
songs to frighten away the Japanese.
A military writer says that the drum
in the army is used especially for in
spring the soldiers under the fatigue of
march or in battle" This function OF mil
itary music reminds one of the primitive
custom of singing in order to facilitate
work. 1t is recognized by the greatest
authorities. Field Marshal Lord Wolse-
ley, for instance, wrote not long ago, In
the preface to the Soldiers Song Book,
that,
Troops that sing as they march will
not only reach their destination more
quickly, and in better fighting condition
than those who march in silence, but. in
spired by the music and words of ma
| tional songs. Will feel that self-confidence
which is the mother of victory"
The German army includes more than
10000 military musicians able-bodied men
who might as we'll be soldiers. We may
feel sure that the great and shrewd COM
manders of the German army would not
employ in times of war such an enormous
number of musicians unless they believed
that in this way these players could do
more good than an equal number of fight
tng-men. In other words, the generals full
ly appreciate and endorse the utility OF
music. Even in times of peace there is
use for these musicians; for they make
excellent bands, which, at their daily pa
rades and weekly concerts, not only edify
the military men. but entertain the popu-
lace, who thus get some return for the
taxes they have to pay to support che
army.
Summing up the evolution of war music,
we see that It's original function of in
spring terror and creating a panic was
gradually abandoned; while it's usefulness
as an aid in drilling, in tactics. in signal
ling, in arousing courage and patriotic en-
thusiasm. in sustaining tagging energies.
and in providing entertainment in times
OF war and peace. is now more fully ac-
knowledged than ever-Forum-