The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-01

man on the field. and taken away by him
as a memento of the day. After his death
1T was given by his son to the local band
az BCondael, where il proba oily aged
conspicuous part in many village fete,
from whose possession II pa Ssed into the
hands of Messrs. Mahillon & Co, who sent
il to the Royal Military Exhibition of
1890. However in furnishing a brief con-
nected narrative dealing with the IT sence
of bands in battles, it will first of all be
necessary to explain how comparatively
modern a thing military music rea ly is.
The blare, the crash, and the rousing sug-
gestiveness associated with martial in
strumeatation were quite unknown 10
Western Europe before the beginning Of
the eighteenth century at which period
Frederick IL of Prussia received as a
present from the Sultan of Turkey COM
plete Janissary band. The characteristc
instruments of those semi-barbarou5
troops were cymbals, triangles and bells
besidesga fine variety of drums. The p~oce-
dure of the performers themselves was as
follows: As near To athe fighting line as
possible the bandmaster would plant a pole
surmounted by a crescent and decorated
with one of more horsetails, according 10
his Pasha's rank. Round this standard the
instrumentalists would gather, and then
the melody instruments, consisting Of Ear
nas-hard reed instruments with cup-shap-
ed mouthpieces-would start off with
sustained penetrating squeal, the accom-
panment being supplied by the remainder
of the band shaking and clashing the per-
cussion. while the kettledrums, tenor
drums, and bass drums beat the time.
As the Asiauc performers in Frederick
IL imported contigent died off their places
We're taken by Prussian reed and brass in
strumentalists, with the result that 1t was
then for the first time discovered how
well the latter blended with The percus-
sion This, accordingly, was the genesis
of the modern military band. For many
wears, however. Prussia was the only ma
ton that conducted its martial music on
these lines. for in other armies the few
oboes clarionets, horns, and bassoons,
without any percussion accompaniment
In the British Army the Guards bands,
first introduced in 1886, were constituted on
the non-percussion model down 10 so late
a period as 1900, 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 clarionets, oboes, trumpets, from
bones, and serpents, together with STAFF
of colored men to play the cymbals tam
bours de basque" and to carry a crescent,
or, as it was vulgarly termed a "JinSling
Johnny" as the standard of the band
Hitherto it should be added the three reg
iments of Foot Guards had been the only
corps permitted TO own bands, but shortly
after TINS important lHuONdllOn the war
Office granted permission TO regiments OF
the line to raise bands provided that the
pay of a professional instructor and the
cost of the instruments should be borne by
the officers of each corps. These bands
were rarely, If ever. taken on active SER
vice. and, therefore, the regiments as a
rule marched TO The music of the drums
and fife. or in the case Of the highland
ers. TO the bagpipes. Accordingly. during
the Napoleonic wars, II appears to be ex-
tremely doubtful II any of the British reg
iments engaged were played on TO victory