Military band
A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind and percussion instruments. The conductor of a band commonly bears the title of bandmaster or music director. Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching bands in the world, dating from the 13th century.[1]
The military band is capable of playing ceremonial and marching music, including the national anthems and patriotic songs of theirs and other nations, both while stationary and as a marching band. Military bands also play a part in military funeral ceremonies.
There are two types of historical traditions in military bands. The first is military field music. This type of music includes bugles (or other natural instruments such as natural trumpets or natural horns), bagpipes or fifes, and almost always drums. This type of music was used to control troops on the battlefield as well as for entertainment. Following the development of instruments such as the keyed trumpet or the saxhorn family of brass instruments, a second tradition of the brass and woodwind military band was formed. A third type, that of a mounted band, serves cavalry and sometimes artillery formations.
Some police forces have their own police bands that provide a similar function to that of a military band. These bands are also scored as per a military band with instruments such as brass, woodwind and percussion.
The term also applies to civilian bands that are scored as a military band. However, most such bands now identify as symphonic wind bands or concert bands. In the 1920s and 1930s, the BBC maintained the BBC Wireless Military Band. The International Military Music Society published some transcribed recordings in the 1980s under its own label (IMMS 102)
Military bands in Africa[edit]
Algeria[edit]
Military bands take place in Algeria. The Algerian People's National Army maintains military bands in the country.
Angola[edit]
The Angolan Armed Forces maintains Portuguese-style military bands, primarily in the Army, Navy and Air Force and then in individual units of the FAA. The primary band is the 100-member Music Band of the Presidential Security Household, which is the official security service of the President of Angola.[9] The music band of the Army Command was created on 16 June 1994.[10] 4 years later, on 15 August 1998, the National Air Force created a music band within the artistic brigade.[11] Outside the navy's marching band, the navy also has a small musical group known as Banda 10 de Julho (10 July Band), based at the Luanda Naval Base.[12] All bands follow both the Portuguese and British precedent with the percussion at the front ranks of the band.
Military bands in Asia[edit]
Armenia[edit]
The Military Band Division of the General Staff of Armed Forces of Armenia oversees all of the military bands in Armenia.[58] The Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia is the seniormost military band in the entire military, performing at all state functions and national military parades. It follows the Russian and Europe a precedent for military bands, being formed from the former Band of The Soviet Army Yerevan Garrison. The combined band performs as a guest contingent in the military parade of the Artsakh Defense Army in Stepanakert. The Police Band of Armenia formerly served as the band of the country's Internal Troops. Like the Armenian Army and the Police of Armenia, the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations maintains a 48-member military brass band known as the Poghatin Nvagaxumb, founded recently in 2010 by order of by Minister Armen Yeritsyan.[59][60][61][62] The Armenian Border Guard also maintains its own brass band.
Brunei[edit]
The Band of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (Pancaragam Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei) is the official band of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. Raised in 1962, it was at first led by musicians seconded from British Army formations and graduates of the prestigious Royal Military School of Music. Badged at first as the regimental band of the then newly raised Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, it became the Armed Forces Band in 1984, when the country attained independence. The band's first Brunei-born Director of Music, Major Haji Manaf bin Kamis, was appointed to that role that year and was on the helm during the country's first Independence Day parade on 23 February that year. Its international participation thru the years has been in military tattoos such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Brunei Darussalam International Tattoo and the Berlin Military Music Festival.[63] The RBAF Band first participated in the Hari Merdeka celebrations and the Kuala Lumpur International Tattoo in Malaysia in 2007 and has since become one of the more popular guest bands in Malaysian celebrations.[64] Since then the RBAF Band has served as the official state and protocol band of the nation, playing during state visits, the ceremonial opening of the sessions of the Legislative Council, passing out parades, state funerals and key national holidays. As of 2003 Major Awg Jaya bin Metussin is the director of music of the RBAF Band. Since its raising the band followed the format of British Army bands of line infantry regiments with the drumline at the front of the band, since it was formed with assistance from their musicians and experienced band leaders from the British Army as well as from the bands of both the Royal Brunei Police Force (established 1958) and the Royal Malaysian Police in the neighbouring Malaysian state of Sarawak.
Military bands in Europe[edit]
Austria[edit]
Military bands of Austria are for the most part similar to the German musical format, although some military bands lack a Corps of Drums, which is the most notable part of the German format. The Gardemusik Wien of the Guard Battalion is the seniormost band in the armed forces and is the one responsible for playing at all state ceremonies and events.
IMMS[edit]
The International Military Music Society (IMMS) is a public organization based in the United Kingdom that is dedicated to preserving military bands and their history internationally. The society has branches and members in 38 countries.[204]