For several centuries already, military brass bands have created a special entourage at celebrations, ceremonies of national importance, and many other events. Music performed by such an orchestra is capable of intoxicating each person with its special ceremonial solemnity.
A military brass band is a regular orchestra of a military unit, a group of performers playing wind and percussion instruments. The repertoire of the orchestra includes, of course, military music, but not only: performed by such a composition, lyric waltzes, and songs, and even jazz sound great! This orchestra performs not only at parades, solemn ceremonies, military rituals, with military training of troops, but also at concerts and in general in the most unexpected situations (for example, in a park).
From the history of the military brass band
The first military brass bands were formed in the medieval era. In Russia, military music has a special place. Its rich history dates back to 1547, when, by decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the first court military brass band appeared in Russia.
In Europe, military brass bands reached their heyday under Napoleon, but even Bonaparte himself admitted that he had two Russian enemies - frosts and Russian military music. These words prove once again that the military music of Russia is a unique phenomenon.
Peter I was notable for his special love for wind instruments. He wrote out the best teachers from Germany to teach soldiers how to play instruments.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were already quite a large number of military brass bands in Russia, and under Soviet rule they began to develop even more actively. In the 70s they were especially popular. At this time, the repertoire increased significantly, many methodical literature was published.
Repertoire
The 18th century military brass bands suffered from an insufficient number of pieces of music. Since at that time composers did not write music for wind ensembles, it was necessary to transpose symphonic works.
In the XIX century, music for brass bands was written by G. Berlioz, A. Schoenberg, A. Roussel and other composers. And in the XX century, many composers began to write music for wind ensembles. In 1909, the English composer Gustav Holst wrote the first work specifically for the military brass band.
The composition of the modern military brass band
Military brass bands can consist only of brass and percussion instruments (then they are called homogeneous), but can also include woodwinds (then they are called mixed). The first version of the composition is now extremely rare, the second version of the composition of musical instruments is much more common.
Usually a mixed brass band can be of three types: small, medium and large. In the small orchestra, 20 musicians play, while on average 30, and in the large already 42 or more.
Wooden wind instruments make up the orchestra for flutes, oboes (except alto), all kinds of clarinets, saxophones and bassoons.
Brass instruments such as trumpets, tubas, French horn, trombones, altos, tenors trumpets and baritones create a special coloring of the orchestra. It should be noted that altos and tenors (varieties of saxhorns), as well as baritones (varieties of tuba) are found exclusively in brass bands, that is, these instruments are not used in symphony orchestras.
No military brass band can do without such percussion instruments as small and big drums, timpani, cymbals, triangles, tambourine and tambourine.
Managing a military band is a special honor.
A military band, like any other, is managed by a conductor. I would like to draw attention to the fact that the location of the conductor in relation to the orchestra can be different. For example, if the performance takes place in the park, the conductor takes a traditional place - facing the orchestra and back to the audience. But if the orchestra performs at the parade, the conductor goes in front of the orchestra and holds in his hands the attribute that is necessary for every military conductor - vestibule. The conductor, who controls the musicians at the parade, is called a circuit reel.
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