Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-09-02
MUSIC IN WAR.
'arfous Purposes for Which Harmor,.
sounds Are Used Militari,x

To the present day. in all the armies
Vi 'ne "orld, musical war signals are
considered not only useful but ahso-
!uteiy Indispensable The infantry drill
regulations OF the United States army
give the music and significance of more
'hah sixty trumpet signals-calls of
! warning, Of assembly, of alarm. of SER
vice. with such names as guard
! mounting, drill stable" ito
arms fire" retreat" church." ia.
tlgue' attention" forward" halt"
quick time" double time" charge"
lie down. RISE" etc, besides dozen
or more umand-ff signals. all of
which must be known to the soldiers,
to whom they are definite language,
In the senses Of Wagnerian leitmotif.
Every one Is familiar with such ex.
pressions as drumming up recruits"
drumming out deserters,' and so on.
Besides its importance for signaling
purposes, there are no fewer than five
other uses for music In the army. A
few words about each of these must
suffice. Ioeller. the African traveller,
says that among all savage and half
civilized races, song and dance are
considered as Indispensable aids to
military training, as drilling and drum
| ming In our armies The marvellous
precision with which these primitive
races execute their war songs and
dances has been commented upon by
many admiring explorers; and as the
value of perfect drill and cooperation
Is well understood. music. which SUD-
plies the regularity OF rhythm. is seen
to 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
like sound. If we may trust the deriva-
ton Of the word. which refers the first
panic to the time when the great god
Pan put to flight an army by sudden
shout Many savages use wild songs
and shouts. or drums and horns to IN
spire terror and TO create panic in the
enemy's ranks. SO horrible is the
sound of this music. both In itself and
by its bloody associations. that 1t Is
said the Spanish settlers in some parts
OF South America to this day cannot
hear the awful trumpets of the In
dams without being frightened. 1t is
interesting to note that Homer repre-
sents the Trojans as going to battle
with bowling war cries. while the
Greeks were silent and that Thucy-
dides makes Brasidas say "They are
towards who think they can frighten
us by their loud shouting" thus indi-
eating that the more civilized Greeks
did not resort to this method of Great
| ing panic. 1t is believed that one cause
of the defeat of the Chinese in their
last war was that they at first relied
too much on THE effect of their war.
songs TO brighten 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 military music reminds one of the
|
to facilitate work. Ii IS recognized
by the greatest authorities Field Mar
shall Lord Wolseley. for instance wrote
not long ago. In the preface to the Sol
dierNs Song Book" that
Troops that sing as they march will
not only reach their destination more
quickly and In better fighting condi-
ho tn Gil
but inspired by the music and words
of national songs. will feel that self
confidence which is the mother Of vic
tory"
The German army includes more
J than 10000 military musicians. able
bodied men who might as we'll be sod
diers.- We may feel sure that the great
and shrewd commanders Of the Ger.
man 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 fighting
men. In other words. the Generals
funv appreciate and indorse the utility
: of music. Even In times OF peace there
II a use for these musicians: for they
make excellent bands. which. at theil
I daily parades and weekly concerts. nos
, only edify the military men. but enter
tain the populaee. who thus get some
return for the taxes they have TO pa!
a to support the army.
;. Summing up the evolution OF wal
music. we see that It's original func
, ton of inspiring terror and creating
manic was gradually abandoned: while
Ire usefulness as an aid in drilling. II
y tactics. in signaling. In arousing cour
. age and patriotic enthusiasm In sus
= tanning tagging energies. and In pro
yiding entertainment in times of wa
= and peace. is now more fully acknowl
- edged than ever.-Forum.
adj