The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
british uar,inI Music.

In the British Army the Guards bands.
first introduced in 1855. were constituted on
the non-percussion model down TO so late
n period as 1880. in which year, owing TO
a question of discipline, the Duke OF YORK
sent over from Germany a full band OF
twenty-four instrumentalists. equipped
with clarinets Oboes, trumpets, from
bones. and scrpents. together with
stan OF colored men to play the cymbals.
"tambours de BASQUE" aud TO carry
crescent. or. as IL was vulgarly termed. a
''Jingling Johnny" as the standard OF the
band. Hitherto. Il should be added, the
three regiments of Foot Guards had been
the only corps permitted TO own bands. but
shortly after this important innovation the
War Office granted permission to reg ments
of the line to raise bands. provided that the
nav of a professional instructor and the
cost OF the instruments should be borne Dy
the officers Of each corps. These bands
we're rarely IL ever taken on active service.
and therefore the regiment as RUE
marched TO the music Of the drums and
Bfes or. In the case OF the Highlanders.
10 the bagpipes Accordingly during the
NapoeIonic waTF it appears TO Ice extremely
doubtful il any Of the British regiments
engaged were played on to victory IN the
field itself on the other ham. however
the French armies were everywhere &C
comuanied by magnificent bands. each con-
sisting of as many as 100 performers VINO
did undoubtedly animate the men win
their stirring strains. and who. stiii play
ing in their organized units. ventured as
near to the fighting line as possible.
In the Crimea the British. French, and
Turkish armies were accompanied by their
bands. but. IN the case Of our troops. at
least the bandsmen. on arriving at the
front appear to have discarded their in
struments and taken their place in the
ranks as active combalants. Certain II IS
that al the close OF the campaign the Gov
eminent determined upon the entire recon-
struction of the band system OF our army
n circumstance probably prompted by the
spiit-up Of the bands which the war had
Occasioned.
Music al the Stunning of DuppeI.
The Schlcswig- HOlstein campaign OF
1864 was marked 10y an incident recalling
the French bands at the commencement
of the century At the storming Of tho
Duppcl redoubts by the Prussians the
stormiug parties we're played TO their re
spective rcdoubts right through the zone
of FIRE. by the stirring music of the
"Prcussenlied. Again on seeing that VIC
tory was his the Red Prince" ordered w
the massed bands 10 play Te Deum. In
the broad ditch 10 the rear Of Fort No 4"
wrote Dr. Russell. the bands OF four reg
imcnts had established themselves. and
while the cannOns were laundering close
behind them they played a chorale for the
days success. The effect was striking, and
the grouping of the troops and Of the mu-
sicians with their smart uniforms and
bright instruments standing In the deep
trench against the shell battered earth
work. and by palisades riven and shatter-
cd and shivercd by shot was most pic
tuTcsque." Nevertheless, the experiment
was not repeated by he victOrs in either
the Austrian or French campaign.
In each II is true. their full blnd a
companied every Prul IAN and Saxon regi-
ment while on The march, but once the
fighting had begun the musicians we're con-
verted into ambulance men pro TEN. or at
tached themselves to the bearer companies
Accordingly we have 20 wait for the Russo
4, -