Introduction:
Military music has always been an important part of any army but today’s changes in the science of battle have relegated the role of the musical band very much into the background.
Can one imagine the changes which have been wrought by shock and awe campaigns and how this lightning quick battle scenario has changed everything with regards to military music?
In today’s day and age, the military band is nothing more than a showpiece as everything has changed in battle. Gone are the days when such situations such as The Charge of the Light Brigade would rule the roost and a military band would go charging into battle headlong with pipes and drums. However military music still plays an important part in the makeup of a military regiment, one only has to look at modern day British and American outfits to observe that these are fully equipped with the best musical talent on offer. Still the role of these bands is largely to perform during musical occasions and outings and battle is something which is very far from their minds and actions.
This intriguing quote says it all about military music in battle. “In the last seventy five years, 21,605,900 people have been in a marching band. In a single year alone, 3,080 compete in a world class drum and bugle corps”, such as the Troopers (Hell Bent for Victory, 2010). Things were not always this way, though. The adoration and regard for such music has been centuries in the making. One of the first recorded uses of military music was at the battle of Jericho:
“When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, ‘Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!’ 11So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. (Holy Bible, Joshua 6:8-11).
This chronicle of history serves as a record of military music at its earliest. The story in its entirety describes a group of people in battle. Their only desire is to destroy the wall in front of them and gain control of the city within. They do so by marching around it with trumpets and horns. So it was always a cause and effect in military scenarios accordingly even in the earliest of days
Since that battle, the use of military music gained such significance that the act of enlisting became known, during the horse and musket period, as ‘following the drum’ (Trotter, 2006). Soldiers of this period were required to obey commands smoothly and in formation. One must imagine that, while drilling on a field can create a high level of training, it would be impossible to replicate the conditions of battle. When clouds of smoke are added to the din of battle, oral commands, personal examples, and banners were not reliable means of giving orders and direction to an army. This is where music entered as a necessity. Commands transmitted by trumpets and/or drums were clear, unambiguous, and could be heard above the crash of gunfire. It was during this period that the tradition of American military music truly begins (Trotter. 2006). However changes in the warfare scenario have brought about a reappraisal in the way with which music has been used on the battlefield. As mentioned beforehand, there is rarely, if any engagement in military action or scenes
It is intriguing to note that General Washington, an accomplished flutist, worried about the quality of music in the army. Marching drill depended heavily on music, and the poor quality of his untrained musicians made precision nearly impossible. In an attempt to demolish these flaws, Washington ordered his musicians to attend regular training with the regimental drum and fife majors (http://www.usarmyband.com/). Despite his best efforts, though, the Continental Army remained fragmented and disorganized. The army had no regulations and no set procedures to conduct daily affairs. In 1778, General Washington appointed the Baron von Steuben as acting inspector general for the continental army at Valley Forge. The Baron von Steuben then wrote the Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, which was approved on March 29th 1779 (Lockhart, 2010). Chapter 21 of this regulation, entitled “Of the Different Beats of the Drum”, standardized drum calls into two categories: beats and signals. These set forth the traditions that would remain relatively unchanged until the electronic age would relegate bugle calls to ceremonial duties. This is definitely a cause and effect scenario where the advances in military technology relegated military music to the background.
After the nations of Europe had been fighting for three years, the United States finally entered into the World War I, taking their music with them. What they found when they arrived was that their allies, France and Great Britain, had vastly superior music. General Pershing, in the belief that bands were essential to troop morale, implemented a four-point plan to improve the army's band program. First, He urged congress to approve an additional 20 bands for the duration of the war and received authorization in July of 1918. Second, acting on his own authority, General Pershing increased the regimental band size from 24 to 48 pieces. This would be the first full instrumentation the Army band would possess, and would set the instrumentation for future army bands. General Pershing also established a band school at Chaumont, France where the curriculum included an eight-week course for bandmasters and a twelve-week course for bandsmen. This course of study was designed by Walter Damrosch, conductor of the New York Symphony, and included harmony, instrumentation, and conducting. Finally, all band leaders were commissioned as first and second lieutenants and were given authority equal to their responsibilities. In addition to his four-point program, General Pershing recommended that a Drum and Bugle corps be assigned to each infantry regiment (A History of U.S. Army Bands, 2005). During his tenure as commander of the American expeditionary force, General Pershing would hear such bands as the French Garde Republicaine and those of the household guards division in London. At the time, the United States did not possess a band which could equal or surpass those of our allies or even represent the Army in Washington. After becoming chief of staff in 1922, General Pershing ordered Captain Perry Lewis to form the Army Band. This band is still known as “Pershing's Own” (http://usarmyband.com/).
Following Pershing and the First World War was, of course, World War II. With the outbreak of the Second World War, musicians would again accompany American soldiers into battle, not only to keep up morale, but to fight alongside them. During the Battle of the Bulge, when the German panzers penetrated to within a stone’s throw of the 28th Infantry division headquarters, members of the Division band put away their instruments and fought to hold part of the line. One particularly daring clarinettist, PFC Collins, manned a bazooka and drove a truck loaded with the band's music in an attempt to save it (A History of U.S. Army Bands, 2005). However, they were not the only band involved in the fighting. The 101st and 82nd Airborne Division bands helped hold off three German divisions around Bastogne. Still, the history of bands in combat would not end there. One of the most famous examples, known as the “Thunder Road Incident”, occurred in Vietnam. Major General John Hay, Commanding General of the First Infantry Division, ordered his band to march down “Thunder Road” for a distance of one mile while playing the Colonel Bogey March. This road was critical to the division but was held by a North Vietnamese Army regiment. The enemy, confused by the action, withdrew from the area. “Thunder Road” was seized by the band, a remarkable combat victory won without a shot (A History of U.S. Army Bands, 2005).
Today, military music plays the same role in a much different way. Military music now takes the form of small bands that travel the war zones, rather than accompanying the troops in battle, to entertain deployed soldiers and raise morale (Wakin, 2010). While Divisional Bands continue to play march music at large ceremonies, such as retirements or changes of command, their traditional music style will continue on in groups like the Hell Cats, a special rudimental ensemble attached to the West Point Band (“West Point Band” http://www.usma.edu).
Peacetime years have changed the role of the musical band in the army quite drastically. During this time, Drum Corps, and the competitions in which they would compete, would be sponsored locally by churches, scout troops, or the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) (dci.org). To honor their roots in military tradition, these corps would take on a military look and feel. During the late sixties, many corps would feel stifled by their lack of creative freedom and would desire better funding from their sponsors. Many would say that current judging rules were limiting the creative potential both theatrically and musically. During this peak time, several corps would decide to “unionize”, as stated by Don Warren, founder of the Cavaliers. The organizations they created led to the Drum Corps Associates and Drum Corps International (DCI): the governing bodies for all- age and Junior corps respectively (dci.org).
One of these corps was the Troopers, founded in Casper, Wyoming by Jim Jones (troopersdrumcorps.org). Reflecting upon their western military heritage, their uniforms are reminiscent of the 11th Ohio Cavalry, stationed in Casper during the late 1800s, and their musical style is most reflective of the American spirit. In fact, their souvenirs are even sold from a facsimile of a covered wagon. During their first performance as a parade corps at the State American Legion Convention in Riverton, Wyoming, the corps played “Ghost Riders in the Sky”, “Wagon Wheels”, and “He's Got the Whole World in his Hands”. This would set a precedent that Troopers’ musical programs would follow for decades to come. The Troopers would go on to play for six United States presidents and would be DCI World Finalists nine times, including 2009. They have played for World's Fair Attendees, NATO Defense College delegates, and the United States Air Force Academy. Their music has touched the hearts of millions, from the first time they unveiled their curvilinear drill formation to their musical feats today with “Wanted” (troopersdrumcorps.org).
Conclusion:
“In the last seventy five years, 21, 605,900 people have been in a marching band. In a single year alone, 3,080 compete in a world class drum and bugle corps” (Hell Bent for Victory, 2010). Although some may scorn the path that marching music has diverged from the twenty-six traditional American drumming rudiments, no one can dispute that they did once follow the same path. There is a recruiting commercial for the United States Marine Corps band, “The President's Own”, which sports the slogan: “This sound once moved marines into battle, it moves people still” (Bradyhotz, 2010). This commercial is confirmation that marching music remains loyal to its roots. Louis L'Amour (1985) was also able to express the way marching music may capture one's heart when he said: “I shall miss the walking drum, Suzanne, miss it indeed. That drum has been our pulse, and often have I wondered what it is that starts the drum of a man's life to beating? For each of us walks to the beat of our own drum, an unheard rhythm to all our movements and thought” (p. 323). This drum that L’Amour speaks of moves both of my brothers and, while they have chosen different forks of the same path, neither can resist the call of the walking drum.
The change in military scenarios and the scientification of warfare have brought about vast changes in the role of military music in battle.
Works Cited
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Bradyhotz. "Quantico Marine Corps Band Commercial." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.
Hell Bent for Victory. Dir. Michael D. Gough. By Michael D. Gough. Perf. Michael D Gough, Ralph Hardimon, and John Masterson. MDG Films, 2010. DVD.
Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2003. Print.
L'Amour, Louis. The Walking Drum. Toronto: Bantam, 1985. Print.
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"The United States Army Band "Pershing's Own". " The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own”. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.
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"West Point Band - Ensemble Hellcats." West Point Band. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2012.
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