Military Music And Its Story - online book

The Rise & Development Of Military Music

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	REORGANISATION.                               115
	Reform in English bands was not heralded by any government decree as in Prussia and France. It was brought about in two ways, firstly, by the establish­ment of a uniform instrumentation, and secondly, by the establishment of a military school of music. The former was not a pre-conceived scheme for reorganisa­tion as we shall see presently. Printed music for mili­tary bands at this date was very scarce. The little there was came from the Continent, and this was arranged for instruments peculiar to their bands. Wessel had issued some band music between 1830-40, but the circulation was limited and the arrangement theoretical rather than practical. Those regiments that had bandmasters capable of composing or arranging were the best off, but their manuscripts were jealously guarded. All sorts of expedients had to be resorted to for the purpose of replenishing the regimental music library. If two regiments met, and their bandmasters were friendly, it was usual for them to inspect one another's repertoire, and make exchanges. This state