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132 MILITARY MUSIC AND ITS STORY.
Scotland so great was the enthusiasm for bands, that contests were organized in 1862-3 and 1865, "with a view of increasing the efficiency of Volunteer and other bands in Scotland."9 This general repair of bands brought about the birth of two more " staff " bands— the Royal Engineers' Band (1856) and the Royal ArtilÂlery Brass Band (1856).
The former corps had raised a small band in the " thirties," a very poor, unofficial affair. The new band was quite a fresh organization and comprised thirty-six performers. The Royal Artillery Brass Band, which carried off first prize at the Crystal Palace band contest of 1871, was re-instrumented in 1878 as a full military band, and called the Royal Artillery Mounted Band. This became a very fine combination, and gave weekly symphony concerts (purely as a military band), playing the entire symphonic works of Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn, quite a novelty in those days. It was disbanded in 1887-8, although it provided a nucleus for a band of the same name, which exists to-day.
The instrumentation of the original band just before its dissolution was: |
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1 Piccolo.
1 Flute.
2 Clarinets, E flat. 16 Clarinets, B flat.
4 Bassoons. |
2 Sarrusophones. 7 Cornets. 2 Trumpets. 4 Horns 1 Baritone. |
4 Euphoniums.
5 Trombones.
5 Bombardons. 3 Drums, etc. Total, 57. |
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' Marr, "Music and Musicians." |
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