For several centuries, military brass bands have created a special atmosphere at celebrations, ceremonies of national importance and many other events. The music performed by such an orchestra can intoxicate every person with its special ceremonial solemnity.
A military brass band is a regular orchestra of a military unit, a group of performers playing wind and percussion instruments. The orchestra’s repertoire includes, of course, military music, but not only: when performed by such a composition, lyrical waltzes, songs, and even jazz sound great! This orchestra performs not only at parades, ceremonies, military rituals, and during drill training of troops, but also at concerts and generally in the most unexpected situations (for example, in a park).
From the history of the military brass band
The first military brass bands were formed in the medieval era. In Russia, military music occupies a special place. Its rich history dates back to 1547, when, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the first court military brass band appeared in Russia.
In Europe, military brass bands reached their peak under Napoleon, but even Bonaparte himself admitted that he had two Russian enemies - frosts and Russian military music. These words once again prove that Russian military music is a unique phenomenon.
Peter I had a special love for wind instruments. He ordered the best teachers from Germany to teach soldiers how to play instruments.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia already had a fairly large number of military brass bands, and under Soviet rule they began to develop even more actively. They were especially popular in the 70s. At this time, the repertoire expanded noticeably, and a lot of methodological literature was published.
Repertoire
Military brass bands of the 18th century suffered from an insufficient supply of music. Since at that time composers did not write music for wind ensembles, they had to make transcriptions of symphonic works.
In the 19th century, music for brass bands was written by G. Berlioz, A. Schoenberg, A. Roussel and other composers. And in the 20th century, many composers began to write music for wind ensembles. In 1909, the English composer Gustav Holst wrote the first work specifically for a military brass band.
Composition of a modern military brass band
Military brass bands can consist only of brass and percussion instruments (then they are called homogeneous), but they can also include woodwinds (then they are called mixed). The first version of the composition is now extremely rare; the second version of the composition is much more common.
Usually there are three types of mixed brass band: small, medium and large. A small orchestra has 20 musicians, while the average is 30, and a large orchestra has 42 or more.
Woodwind instruments in the orchestra include flutes, oboes (except alto), all types of clarinets, saxophones and bassoons.
Also, the special flavor of the orchestra is created by such brass instruments as trumpets, tubas, horns, trombones, altos, tenor trumpets and baritones. It is worth noting that altos and tenors (varieties of saxhorns), as well as baritones (varieties of tuba) are found exclusively in brass bands, that is, these instruments are not used in symphony orchestras.
Not a single military brass band can do without such percussion instruments as small and large, timpani, cymbals, triangles, tambourine and tambourine.
Leading a military band is a special honor
A military orchestra, like any other, is controlled by a conductor. I would like to draw attention to the fact that the location of the conductor in relation to the orchestra members can be different. For example, if a performance takes place in a park, then the conductor takes a traditional place - facing the orchestra and with his back to the audience. But if the orchestra performs at the parade, then the conductor walks ahead of the orchestra members and holds in his hands an attribute that is necessary for every military conductor - a tambour pole. The conductor who directs the musicians in the parade is called a drum major.
Military band
Military band- a special full-time military unit designed to perform military music, that is, musical works during drill training of troops, during military rituals, ceremonies, as well as for concert activities.
Central Band of the Czech Army
There are homogeneous military bands, consisting of brass and percussion instruments, and mixed ones, which also include a group of woodwind instruments. The leadership of a military orchestra is carried out by a military conductor. The use of musical instruments (wind and percussion) in war was already known to the ancient peoples. The use of instruments in the Russian troops is already indicated in the chronicles of the 14th century: “and the many voices of the military trumpets began to blow, and the jew's harps teput (sound), and the warriors roared without wolf."
Admiralty Band of the Leningrad Naval Base
Some princes had 140 trumpets and a tambourine with thirty banners or regiments. Old Russian military instruments include kettledrums, which were used under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in the Reitar cavalry regiments, and nakrys, currently known as tambourines. In the old days, tambourines were small copper bowls covered with leather on top, which were struck with sticks. They were tied in front of the rider at the saddle. Sometimes the tambourines reached extraordinary sizes; They were carried by several horses, and eight people struck them. These same tambourines were known to our ancestors as timpani.
History of military music
Peter the Great cared about improving military music; Knowledgeable people were sent from Germany to train the soldiers who played from 11 to 12 o'clock in the afternoon on the Admiralty Tower. During the reign of Anna Ioannovna and later, at operatic court performances, the orchestra was reinforced by the best musicians from the guards regiments. Currently, our military orchestra has reached such perfection that it is possible to give an annual monster concert for the benefit of the disabled, in which several hundred musicians harmoniously perform very complex pieces. Our regimental bands consist of woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments, or only brass instruments (horn music; see French horn). Military music should also include choirs of regimental songbooks.
See Kastner, "Manuel de musique militaire", "Proceedings of the First Archaeological Congress" and general works on the history of music.
Notes
Additional links
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See what “Military Band” is in other dictionaries:
See Brass Band... Spirit. an orchestra that is a regular unit of a military unit (see Brass band). In Sov. Army of V. o. exist in combat units and formations (in regiments, divisions, on ships), during military operations. educational institutions and military. academies, at... ...
See brass band. * * * MILITARY ORCHESTRA MILITARY ORCHESTRA, see Brass band (see BRASS ORCHESTRA) ... encyclopedic Dictionary
A brass band, which is a regular unit of a military unit. See Brass Band, Military Music... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The guard of honor is a full-time musical group of the Russian Army. Created in December 1956 on the basis of the exemplary demonstration orchestra of the 40th Minsk detachment of the Convoy Guard of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Moscow Region and the orchestra of the 1st motorized rifle regiment 1... ... Moscow (encyclopedia)
Military parade on Red Square in Moscow on November 7, 1941- The parade of November 7, 1941 on Red Square in Moscow is equal to the most important military operation in terms of its influence on the course of events. It was of great importance for raising the morale of the entire country, showing the world that Moscow does not give up and is fighting... ... Encyclopedia of Newsmakers
- (from the Greek ορχήστρα) a large group of instrumental musicians. Unlike chamber ensembles, in an orchestra some of its musicians form groups that play in unison. Contents 1 Historical sketch ... Wikipedia
- (from the Greek orxestra, a round, later semicircular platform of the ancient theater, where, making rhythmic movements, the choir of tragedy and comedy sang their parts, from orxeomai I dance) intended for the joint performance of music. prod. group of musicians... Spirit. an orchestra that is a regular unit of a military unit (see Brass band). In Sov. Army of V. o. exist in combat units and formations (in regiments, divisions, on ships), during military operations. educational institutions and military. academies, at... ...
Noun, m., used. compare often Morphology: (no) what? orchestra, why? orchestra, (see) what? orchestra, what? orchestra, about what? about the orchestra; pl. What? orchestras, (no) what? orchestras, why? orchestras, (I see) what? orchestras, what? orchestras, about what? about… … Dmitriev's Explanatory Dictionary
- (from an orchestra) a group of musicians (12 people or more) playing various instruments and performing musical works together. the term orchestra in the 17th and 18th centuries. replaced the term capella, common in European countries. In terms of composition... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
An orchestra is a group of musicians playing various instruments. But it should not be confused with an ensemble. This article will tell you what types of orchestras there are. And their compositions of musical instruments will also be sanctified.
Types of orchestras
An orchestra differs from an ensemble in that in the first case, identical instruments are combined into groups that play in unison, that is, one common melody. And in the second case, each musician is a soloist - he plays his own part. "Orchestra" is a Greek word and is translated as "dance floor." It was located between the stage and the audience. The choir was located on this platform. Then it became similar to modern orchestra pits. And over time, musicians began to settle there. And the name “orchestra” went to groups of instrumental performers.
Types of orchestras:
- Symphonic.
- String.
- Wind.
- Jazz.
- Pop.
- Orchestra of folk instruments.
- Military.
- School.
The composition of the instruments of different types of orchestra is strictly defined. Symphonic consists of a group of strings, percussion and winds. String and brass bands consist of instruments corresponding to their names. Jazz bands can have different compositions. The pop orchestra consists of winds, strings, percussion, keyboards and
Types of choirs
A choir is a large ensemble consisting of singers. There must be at least 12 artists. In most cases, choirs perform accompanied by orchestras. The types of orchestras and choirs differ. There are several classifications. First of all, choirs are divided into types according to their composition of voices. These can be: women's, men's, mixed, children's, and boys' choirs. Based on the manner of performance, they distinguish between folk and academic.
Choirs are also classified according to the number of performers:
- 12-20 people - vocal and choral ensemble.
- 20-50 artists - chamber choir.
- 40-70 singers - average.
- 70-120 participants - a large choir.
- Up to 1000 artists - consolidated (from several groups).
According to their status, choirs are divided into: educational, professional, amateur, church.
Symphony Orchestra
Not all types of orchestras include this group: violins, cellos, violas, double basses. One of the orchestras, which includes a string-bow family, is a symphony. It will consist of several different groups of musical instruments. Today there are two types of symphony orchestras: small and large. The first of them has a classic composition: 2 flutes, the same number of bassoons, clarinets, oboes, trumpets and horns, no more than 20 strings, and occasionally timpani.
It can be of any composition. It can include 60 or more string instruments, tubas, up to 5 trombones of different timbres and 5 trumpets, up to 8 horns, up to 5 flutes, as well as oboes, clarinets and bassoons. It can also include such varieties from the wind group as oboe d'amour, piccolo flute, contrabassoon, English horn, saxophones of all types. It can include a huge number of percussion instruments. Often a large symphony orchestra includes organ, piano, harpsichord and harp.
Brass band
Almost all types of orchestras include a family. This group includes two varieties: copper and wooden. Some types of orchestras consist only of wind and percussion instruments, such as brass and military. In the first variety, the main role belongs to cornets, bugles of various types, tubas, and baritone euphoniums. Secondary instruments: trombones, trumpets, horns, flutes, saxophones, clarinets, oboes, bassoons. If the brass band is large, then, as a rule, all the instruments in it increase in number. Very rarely harps and keyboards may be added.
The repertoire of brass bands includes:
- Marches.
- European ballroom dancing.
- Opera arias.
- Symphonies.
- Concerts.
Brass bands most often perform in open street areas or accompany the procession, as they sound very powerful and bright.
Folk Instruments Orchestra
Their repertoire includes mainly folk compositions. What is their instrumental composition? Each nation has its own. For example, the Russian orchestra includes: balalaikas, gusli, domras, zhaleikas, whistles, button accordions, rattles, and so on.
Military band
The types of orchestras consisting of wind and percussion instruments have already been listed above. There is another variety that includes these two groups. These are military bands. They are used to voice ceremonies, as well as to participate in concerts. There are two types of military bands. Some also consist of brass instruments. They are called homogeneous. The second type is mixed military bands; they, among other things, include a group of woodwinds.
MILITARY ORCHESTRA - spirit. an orchestra that is a regular unit of a military unit (see Brass band). In Sov. Army of V. o. exist in combat units and formations (in regiments, divisions, on ships), during military operations. educational institutions and military. academies, at military headquarters. districts.
The basis of V. o. is a group of copper spirits. instruments - saxhorns. It includes cornets in B, altos in Es, tenors and baritones in B, basses in Es and in B (in some V. altos are replaced by horns in Es). In addition, the typical composition of the Sov regimental orchestra. The army (the so-called medium mixed composition) includes a group of wooden spirits. instruments: flute, clarinets in B, as well as horns in Es or in F, trumpets in B, trombones, percussion instruments, snare and bass drums and cymbals. Orchestras with a larger composition (the so-called large mixed composition) also have oboes, bassoons, clarinet in Es, timpani, and sometimes saxophones and strings. double basses, and a group of horns, trumpets and trombones is represented by a large number of instruments.
Unlike the symphony. orchestra, compositions of the V. o. not completely unified; in the armies of different countries various types are used. combinations of the above tools. In French orchestras. armies have long been dominated by a wooden spirit. tools in it. armies - brass, in American orchestras. army means. Saxophones take the place.
V. o. Sov. The Army and Navy are staffed by qualified profs. military musicians in long-term service and from ordinary conscripts. With many V. o. there are music pupils. At the head of V. o. costs military conductor with a higher education in music. education and being at the same time an officer-commander.
Among V. o. Sov. There are many highly professional people in the army. groups (Exemplary Orchestra of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, Exemplary Orchestra of the Navy. Fleet, exemplary orchestras of the Air Force Engineering Academy named after H. E. Zhukovsky and the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze, headquarters of Moscow, Leningrad, etc. . military districts).
Repertoire of V. o. consists of plays for service purposes (marching, counter, funeral marches, music of military ceremonial - evening dawn, changing of guards), conc. plays and entertaining music (dances, pieces of light, so-called garden music, fantasy music, rhapsodies, medleys, overtures). See also Military music.
Literature: Matveev V., Russian military orchestra, M.-L., 1965; Saro J. H., Instrumentationslehre für Militärmusik, V., 1883; Kalkbrenner A., Die Organization der Militärmusikchöre aller Länder, Hannover, 1884; Parés G., Traite d'instrumentation et d'orchestration a l'usage des musiques militaires..., P.-Bruss., 1898; Laaser C. A., Gedrängte theoretisch-praktische Instrumentationstabelle für Militär-Infanterie-Musik, Lpz., 1913 ; Vessella A., La banda dalle origini fino ai nostri giorni, Mil., 1939; Adkins H. E., Treatise on the military band, L., 1958.
P. I. Apostolov
A brass band is a group of performers on wind and percussion instruments, one of the mass performing groups. A similar composition is typical for military bands. Used in many countries of the world since ancient times.
Brass band instruments
Main brass group
The core of the brass band is wide-bore copper wind instruments with conical bore:
- cornets
- flugelhorns
- euphoniums
- violas
- tenor
- baritones
Another group consists copper narrow-bore instruments with cylindrical bore:
- pipes
- trombones
- horns
Woodwind group:
labial lingular
- flutes
lingual reed
- clarinets
- saxophones
- oboes
- bassoons
Group of main percussion instruments:
- big drum
- snare drum
- dishes
Group of secondary percussion instruments:
- triangle
- tambourine
- timpani
Also used jazz and Latin American drums:
- rhythm cymbals
- conga and bongo
- tom-toms
- claves
- Tartaruga
- agogo
- maracas
- castanets
- pandeira et al.
The main groups of the orchestra, their role and capabilities
The basis of a brass band is a group of instruments existing under the general name "saxhorns". They are named after Adolphe Sachs, who invented them in the 40s of the 19th century. Saxhorns are distinguished by their uniform scale and shape.
At first the saxhorn family consisted of seven and then nine varieties: from sopranino to subcontrabass. In musical practice, three types of conventional brass instruments are most often called:
- tenor
- baritone
Saxhorns were an improved type of instrument called bugles (byugelhorn). Currently, this group is usually referred to as the main copper group.
Saxhorn group:
- high tessitura instruments: sopranino saxophone (cornet in Es), soprano saxophone (cornet in B);
- middle register instruments: alto, tenor, baritone;
- low register instruments: saxhorn-bass and saxhorn-double bass (tuba Es, Bb)
The other two groups of the orchestra are woodwinds and percussion.
The group of saxhorns actually forms a small brass band. With the addition of woodwinds to this group, as well as horn, pipes, trombones And drums- form small mixed and large mixed compositions.
In general, a group of saxhorns with a conical tube and a wide scale characteristic of these instruments have a fairly large, strong sound and rich technical capabilities. This especially applies to cornets, instruments of great technical flexibility and bright, expressive sound. They are primarily entrusted with the main melodic material of the work.
Middle register instruments (altos, tenors, baritones) perform two important tasks in a brass band:
- Firstly, they fill the harmonic “middle”, that is, they perform the main voices of harmony, in a wide variety of types of presentation (in the form of sustained sounds, figuration, repeated notes, etc.).
- Secondly, they interact with other groups of the orchestra, primarily with the cornet (one of the usual combinations is the performance of the theme by cornets and tenors in an octave), as well as with the basses, which are often “helped” by the baritone.
Wooden group
An important addition to the main brass band composition is a group of woodwind instruments:
- flutes
- clarinets (with their main varieties)
in large numbers also:
- oboes
- bassoons
- saxophones
The introduction of wooden instruments (flutes and clarinets) into the orchestra allows one to significantly expand its range, for example: the melody (as well as the harmony) played by cornets, trumpets and tenors can be doubled one or two octaves upward.
Strike group
Finally, it is necessary to emphasize the particularly important importance of the percussion group in a brass band. Main percussion instruments:
- big drum
- snare drum
- dishes
Given the very unique specificity of the brass band and, above all, the high density, massive sound, as well as frequent cases of playing in the open air, on a hike, with a significant predominance of marching and dance music in the repertoire, the organizing role of the drum rhythm is especially important.
Therefore, a brass band, in comparison with a symphony band, is characterized by a somewhat forced, emphasized sound of the percussion group. When we hear the sounds of a brass band coming from a distance, then, first of all, we perceive the rhythmic beats of the big drum, and then we begin to hear all the other voices.
Small mixed brass band
The decisive difference between small copper And small mixed the orchestra is pitch factor: thanks to participation flutes And clarinets with their variations the orchestra gains access to the high register "zone". Consequently, the overall volume of the sound changes, which is very important, since the fullness of the orchestra’s sound depends not so much on absolute strength, but on the register width and volume of arrangement.
In addition, opportunities arise to compare the sound of a brass orchestra with a contrasting wooden band. Hence a certain reduction in the boundaries of the “activity” of the brass group itself, which to a certain extent loses the universality that is natural in a small brass orchestra.
Thanks to the presence of a wooden group as well as the characteristic copper ( horns and trumpets), it becomes possible to introduce new timbres that arise from mixing colors both in the wooden and copper groups, and in the wooden group itself.
Thanks to great technical capabilities wooden "copper" is relieved of technical force, the overall sound of the orchestra becomes lighter, and the “viscosity” typical of the technique of brass instruments is not felt.
All this taken together makes it possible to expand the boundaries of the repertoire: A small mixed orchestra has access to a wider range of works of various genres.
Thus, a small mixed brass band is a more advanced performing group, and this, in turn, imposes broader responsibilities both on the orchestra members themselves (technique and ensemble coherence) and on the leader (conducting technique and selection of repertoire).
Large mixed brass band
The highest form of brass band is a large mixed brass band, which can perform works of considerable complexity.
This composition is characterized primarily by the introduction trombones, three or four (to contrast the trombones with the “soft” group of saxhorns), in three parts pipes, in four batches horn.
In addition, the large orchestra has a significantly more complete woodwind section, which consists of three flutes(two full and piccolo), two oboes(with the replacement of the second oboe with a cor anglais or with its independent part), large clarinet groups with their varieties (clarinet "A", "C" and bass clarinet), two bassoons(sometimes with contrabassoon) and saxophones.
In a large orchestra, bass instruments are tubes, can be replaced sousaphones or helicons(their structure, principles of play, fingering are the same as that of the tuba), and sometimes a double bass or bass guitar is added.
The strike group is becoming denser timpani(usually three):
- big
- average
- small
It's clear that big orchestra Compared to the small one, it has significantly greater colorful and dynamic capabilities. It is typical for him to use more diverse playing techniques - the widespread use of the technical capabilities of wooden instruments, the use of “closed” sounds (mute) in a brass group, a wide variety of timbre and harmonic combinations of instruments.
IN big orchestra It is especially advisable to contrast trumpets and cornets, as well as the widespread use of techniques divisi (duplication of the common batch) for clarinets and cornets, and the division of each group can be up to 4-5 voices.
It is natural that large mixed orchestra significantly exceeds small orchestras in terms of the number of musicians (if a small brass orchestra has 10-12 people, a small mixed orchestra has 25-30 people, then a large mixed orchestra has 40-50 musicians or more).
Brass band. Brief essay.
I. Gubarev
Soviet composer, 1963
