Military Music And Its Story - online book

The Rise & Development Of Military Music

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	114               MILITARY MUSIC AND ITS STORY.
	brass. In this country its adoption has been slow, and it is only of recent years that it has been recog­nised in the "score." Although forming a "choir" of seven instruments, only four receive general acceptance, and in our service the E flat alto and the B flat tenor are usually considered sufficient to take a place in wind band music. Another French invention worthy of mention is the sarrusophone, designed by a band­master named Sarrus. The instrument is made in six or seven sizes similar to the saxophone and played with a double reed, but is not much used. We have followed the reform of military bands on the Continent, and the rapid development of the resources of wind instruments, bringing such a wealth of tone colour that the wind band was considered an asset to the progress of art. We must now see how England fared at the time of Wieprecht's and Sax's movements with regard to organisation. An illustra­tion of the composition of a first class band of the period, and that of an ordinary cavalry regiment, is appended :