New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-01
Music ~ " AR.
IT INSPIRES THE MEN TO RI rRAvE ANp To
ENDURE
From The Forum.
children. 81 .


From The Forum.
To the present day. in all the armies q the
udrId musical war signals nre considered not
only musicaii p rngunijons - he tinted states
Army give the music and signh, mnce oi NOR" M, am
semby OF alarm. OF service WIN sn'n names ms az
guard mounting drih'' ",Ss,,t,,,". .',tonii"n
forward quick time .d9Gbe tine; c a1 ,,rro
Armand re signals. all Of which must bc known
10 The soldiers TO whom they are J"ni'tr ian, AN
guage in the sense OF Wasnctlan Lest
Every one is familiar with such "NIi' ~
trimming up recruits drumming out deserterS
Ar Ees,des It's importance for signalling purposes
mere are no fewer than five other Tor music IN thr
Amy a few words about each OF th"s" fnisi
smfnce Zoller the African traveller. says that
among All savage and haf-ciNliizrd rh''S song
ard dnnc, are considered rs indispensable hids 70
military training as drilling and drumming IN our
"rni"s rval,ous precision with which these print
tive races execute thor war songs ana dances mas
been commented upon by many admlIing cNpiorrrs
is well understood music. which supplies tho
regularity Of rhythm Is seen 10 n OF rntnf,Tu
do so to the measured beat OF military hand or
Another very curious Of music in war is s'ig-
gcstcd by the word panic the historian. row
botham. says that AN panic Is derrabie from
the trumpct-lkc sound. i We may trust ihc d"r-
vaiion OF the word. which refers the hrst panic 10
she p nv ~s shd ,ne Many Wild
songs and shouts or drums a"a h hors =? ra
So horrible is the sound OF ms music. both IN
t. ~ bloody "
the Spanish settlers In some parts OF south Amer
lea TO this day cannot hear the awful trunipets or
The Indians without being frightened.
II ia Interesting 70 note that Homer represented
tie Trojans "A going 10 battle with bowling war
cries while the Greeks are silent, and that Thucy
dldes makes Brasilas say. The are towards
who think they can frlghten us by their loud shout
ing" thus indicating that the more civilized Greeks
ala not to this method Of creating a panic
II Is believed that one cause OF ne defeat OF me
Chinese I'm their last wal was that they AZ nrst
rcIied too ruch on the effect of their songs 10
brighten away the japanese
Il.,rI Iyri fprC .tN
10 used respectfully for Inspiring the soldiers under
the fatigue OF march or battle" This function OF
military music reminds one Of the primitive Gus
recognized by the greatest authorities. Field Mar
shall Lord Wolscley for instance. wrote not long
ago In the preface to the Soldiers Song Book
.'rroops that sing they march Will not only
reach their destination more quickly and in better
Aghting condition than those who march IN silence,
songs will feel that self-confdence which Is the
The German Army includes more than ten thou
sand military musicians. nblc-hodicd men. who
might as well be soldiers We may feel that
the pren: and shrewd commanders OF the German
Army would not employ In times OF war such an
Nevcd that In this way these players could do
more good than an equal number Of fighting men
indorse the utility % music. Even I'm times Of
peace there is use Tor these musicians, Tor thcy
make excellent bands which. at thor daily parades
and weekly concerts, not only edify the military
men but entertain the populace who thus get
some return for the taxes they nave 10 pay TO
support the army.
that it's original function OF inspiring terror and
creating panic was gradually abandoned. while it's
usefulness as an aid in drilling In tactics, In sig
mailing I'm arousing courage and patriotic enthus-
asm In sustaining tagging energies and In pro-
gliding Entertainment in times Of war and peace Is
now more fully acknowledged than ever.