The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-17

| TO the nghllng line as possible tine OAHU
master would plant pole 6urmountec
by a crescent, and decorated with one
of more horsetails, according to the
Pasha's rank. Round this standard the
instrumentalists would gather, and then
the melody instruments, consisting OF
zarnas-hard reed instruments with
cup-shaped mouth pieces-w would start
off with a sustained penetrating squeal,
the accompaniment being supplied by
the remainder of the band shaking and
iclashing the percussion, while the ket-
tledrume, tenor drums, and bass drums
beat the time.
AS the Asatic performers in Freder-
lex It's imported contingent died off
their places were taken by Pruesian reed
and brass instrumentalists, with the re-
suit that it was then for the first time
discovered how well the latter blended
with the percussion. This, accordingly,
WAC the genesis of the modern military
band. For many years, however, Prus-
STA was the only nation that conducted
it's martial music on these lines for IN
other armies the few bands which exist
ed We're composed of oboes, clarionets,
horns, and bassoons, without any per-
cuseion accompaniment.
| In the British Army, the Guards
bands, first introduced in 1856, were con-
stituted on the non percussion model
down to so late period as 1900, in which
year, owing to a question of discipline,
| the Duke of York sent over from Ger
many a full band of twenty-four instru-
metalists, equipped with clarionets,
oboes, trumpets, trombonee, and SER
pents, together with a staff of colored
men to play the cymbals. 'tambours de
basque" and to carry a crescent or, as
it was vulgarly termed g. "Jingling
johnny as the standard of the band.
Hitherto, it 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
regiments of the line to raise bands,
provided that the pay of a professional
instructor and the cost of the instru-
ments should be borne by the officers of
each corps. These bands We're rarely,
if ever, taken on active service, and,
therefore, the regiments as a rule
marched to the music of the drums and
fife, or, in the CAGE of the Highlanders,
to the bagpipes, Accordingly, during
the Napoleonic wars, it appears to be
extremely doubtful if any of the British
regiments engaged We're played on to
victory in the field itself On the other
hand, however, the French armies were
everywhere accompanied by magnificent
bands, each consisting of as many as
one hundred performers who did I'M
doubtedly animate the men with their
stirring strains and who, still playing
in their organized units, ventured as
near to the fighting line spossibe.
In the Crimea, the British, French,
and Turkish armies were accompanied
by their bands but in the case of our
own troops at least, the bandsmen, on
arriving at the front, appear to have
discarded their instruments and taken
their places in the ranks as active COM
batants Certain 1t is that at the close
of the campaign the Government deter
mined upon the entire reconstruction of
the band system of our army, a circum-
stance probably prompted by the split
up Of the bands which the war had oc-
oasioned.
The Schleswig- Holstein campaign of
1864 was marked by an incident recall
ing the French bands at the commence
ment of the century. At the storming
of the Duppel redoubts by the Prus
slams, the storming parties were played |
to their respective redoubts, right |
the zone of fire, by the stirring |
music of the "Preuesenlied. Again, |
on seeing that victory was his, the Red |
Prince" ordered up the massed bands |
to play TIE Deum. I'm the broad ditch
to the rear of Fort Number A." wrote
DR. Russell 1.-The bands of four regi- |
ments had established themselves close
behind them they played a chorale for
the days success. The effect was strik-
ing, and the grouping of the troops and
Of the musicians, with their smart uni
forms and bright instruments, standing
in the deep trench against the she'll
battered earthwork, and by palisades
riVen and shattered and shivered by
shot, was moot picturesque" Never
theless, the experiment was not repeat
ed by the victors in either the Austrian
II French campaign. In each, it is true,
heir full band accompanied every Prus-
sian and Saxon regiment while on the
march, but once the fighting had begun
he musicians We're converted into am
oulance men pro tenn, or attached
themselves to the bearer companies. Ac-
,ordingly we have to wait for the Rus
so-Turkish war of 1877 before finding |
bands bringing their influence
% bearas an incentive to discipline and
leroism. Skobeleff was the General who
Utilized them with this object, and the
,casion arose out of one of those bloody
lights round Plevna, when the flower of
he Russian infantry had been driven
rom their parallels with terrible
daughter. To retrieve the fortunes of
he day appeared hopeless, for the men
we're thoroughly cowed, and hung back
when rallied by their officers. At this
risis. the celebrated General remember
d the bands of the Imperial Guard
landing idle in the rear, and these were
.astily summoned. Soon the strains of
he Russian National Anthem burst
orth above the rattle of the Turkish
lusketry and the scream Of their shrap-
ell, and simultaneously the spirit of the
assalants underwent
tartling transformation. They plucked
D courage again, responded cheerfully
} the word of command, and finally
ucceeded in hurling the enemy back \
'om tn. position he had won. In fact, I