| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
HAUTBOYS. |
53 |
||
|
only be indulged in by those corps whose officers were wealthy, and consequently the quality and condition of bands depended to a great extent upon the length of the officers' purses, and their musical tastes. That some took special care not to allow much latitude in this direction, witness an order dated 1731, for the Honourable Artillery Company, which provided that the music of the Grenadier Company should consist of " one curtail three hautboys and no more."4
One factor that specially deterred the progress of " bands" in England, was the revival of the " drums and fifes," which were adopted in 1748 after the Flanders campaign. This class of music soon came into great popularity with all foot regiments and even found its way into the cavalry.5 A perusal of the soldiers' songs of the Dibdins will convey some idea of its vogue.6
Regiments of "horse" exhibited at first little inÂclination towards adopting the "band of music," for the simple reason that they thought them impracticable for mounted work, and appear to have been quite content with their trumpets and kettledrums, which were kept strictly on the lines of past centuries.7 |
|||
|
'Raikes, "History of the Honourable Artillery Company."
'Hinde, "Discipline of the Light Horse," 1778. 'Concerning introduction of the fife into the British service, both the Royal Artillery and the Foot Guards claim the honour. The question is dealt with fully in the author's " Memoirs of the Royal Artillery Band," 1904.
'Kappey, "Military Music." |
|||