Military band. Military brass band: a triumph of harmony and strength History of military music

A list of them will be given in this article. It also contains information on the types of wind instruments and the principle of extracting sound from them.

Wind instruments

These are pipes that can be made of wood, metal or any other material. They have different shapes and emit musical sounds of different timbre, which are extracted by means of an air stream. The timbre of the "voice" of a wind instrument depends on its size. The larger it is, the more air passes through it, from which the frequency of its oscillation is lower, and the sound emitted is low.

There are two ways to change what a given type of tool publishes:

• adjusting the air volume with your fingers, using a slide, valves, gates, and so on, depending on the type of instrument;
• increasing the force of blowing the air column into the pipe.

The sound depends entirely on the flow of air, hence the name - wind instruments. A list of them will be given below.

Varieties of wind instruments

There are two main types - copper and wood. They were originally classified in this way, depending on what material they were made of. Nowadays, to a large extent, the type of instrument depends on the way in which sound is produced from it. For example, the flute is considered a woodwind instrument. Moreover, it can be made of wood, metal or glass. The saxophone is always produced only in metal, but belongs to the class of woodwind. Copper tools can be made from a variety of metals: copper, silver, brass, and so on. There is a special variety - keyboard wind instruments. The list is not so long. These include harmonium, organ, accordion, melody, button accordion. Air enters them thanks to special furs.

What instruments belong to the wind

Let's list wind instruments. The list is as follows:

• pipe;
• clarinet;
• trombone;
• accordion;
• the flute;
• saxophone;
• organ;
• zurna;
• oboe;
• harmonium;
• balaban;
• accordion;
• French horn;
• bassoon;
• tuba;
• bagpipes;
• duduk;
• harmonica;
• Macedonian guide;
• shakuhachi;
• ocarina;
• serpent;
• horn;
• helicon;
• didgeridoo;
• kurai;
• trembita.

Some other similar tools can be named.

Brass winds

Brass musical instruments, as mentioned above, are made from various metals, although in the Middle Ages there were also those made of wood. The sound from them is extracted by strengthening or weakening the blown air, as well as by changing the position of the musician's lips. Initially, brass winds were reproduced only in the 30s of the 19th century, valves appeared on them. This allowed such instruments to reproduce the chromatic scale. The trombone has a retractable curtain for this purpose.

Brass instruments (list):

• pipe;
• trombone;
• French horn;
• tuba;
• serpent;
• helicon.

Woodwind

Musical instruments of this type were originally made exclusively of wood. Today this material is practically not used for their production. The name reflects the principle of sound extraction - there is a wooden cane inside the tube. These musical instruments are equipped with holes on the body, located at a strictly defined distance from each other. The musician opens and closes them with his fingers while playing. This produces a certain sound. Woodwind instruments sound according to this principle. The names (list) included in this group are as follows:

• clarinet;
• zurna;
• oboe;
• balaban;
• the flute;
• bassoon.

Reed musical instruments

There is another type of wind instruments - reed. They sound thanks to a flexible vibrating plate (tongue) inside. The sound is extracted by exposure to air, or by pulling and pinching. On this basis, you can make a separate list of instruments. Wind reeds are divided into several types. They are classified according to the method of sound extraction. It depends on the type of reed, which can be metal (for example, as in the pipes of an organ), slipping freely (as in the jew's harp and harmonics), or beating, or reed, as in reed woodwinds.

List of instruments of this type:

• harmonica;
• jew's harp;
• clarinet;
• accordion;
• bassoon;
• saxophone;
• kalimba;
• harmonic;
• oboe;
• hulus.

Wind instruments with a freely slipping tongue include: button accordion, labial. Air is pumped in them by blowing in the musician's mouth, or by bellows. The air flow causes the reeds to vibrate and thus the sound is extracted from the instrument. The jew's harp also belongs to this type. But his tongue does not vibrate under the influence of the air column, but with the help of the musician's hands, by pinching and pulling it. Oboe, bassoon, saxophone and clarinet are of a different type. In them, the tongue is striking, and it is called a cane. The musician blows air into the instrument. As a result, the tongue vibrates and sound is produced.

Where are wind instruments used?

The wind instruments, a list of which was presented in this article, are used in orchestras of different composition. For example: military, brass, symphonic, pop, jazz. And also occasionally they can perform as part of a chamber ensemble. It is extremely rare that they are soloists.

The flute

This is a list related to this has been given above.

The flute is one of the oldest musical instruments. It does not use a tongue like other woodwinds. Here the air is split against the edge of the instrument itself, due to which the sound is formed. There are several varieties of flutes.

Syringa is a single-barreled or multi-barreled instrument of Ancient Greece. Its name comes from the name of the bird's voice organ. The multi-barreled syringa later became known as Pan's flute. This instrument was played by peasants and shepherds in ancient times. In ancient Rome, syringa accompanied stage performances.

Recorder is a wooden instrument belonging to the whistle family. A sopilka, a flute and a whistle are close to her. It differs from other woodwinds in that there is an octave valve on its back side, that is, a hole for closing with a finger, on which the height of other sounds depends. They are extracted by blowing in air and closing the 7 holes on the front side with the musician's fingers. This type of flute was most popular from the 16th to the 18th century. Its timbre is soft, melodious, warm, but at the same time its possibilities are limited. Such great composers as Antonia Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Friedrich Handel and others used the recorder in many of their works. The sound of this instrument is weak and gradually its popularity declined. This happened after the transverse flute appeared, which today is the most used. Nowadays, the recorder is mainly used as a teaching instrument. Beginner flutists first master it, only then move on to longitudinal.

The piccolo flute is a kind of transverse. She has the highest timbre of all wind instruments. Its sound is whistling and shrill. Piccolo is two times shorter than usual. Its range is from “re” second to “to” fifth.

Other types of flutes: transverse, panflute, di, Irish, kena, pipe, pyzhatka, whistle, ocarina.

Trombone

This is a brass instrument (the list of members of this family was presented in this article above). The word "trombone" is translated from Italian as "big trumpet". It has existed since the 15th century. The trombone differs from other instruments of this group in that it has a curtain - a tube with which the musician makes sounds, changing the volume of the air flow inside the instrument. There are several types of trombone: tenor (the most common), bass and alto (less commonly used), double bass and soprano (practically not used).

Hulus

It is a Chinese wind reed instrument with additional pipes. Its other name is bilandao. He has three or four pipes in total - one basic (melodic) and several drone (low sounding). The sound of this instrument is soft, melodic. Most often, hulus are used for solo performance, very rarely in an ensemble. Traditionally, this instrument was played by men, declaring their love to a woman.

Barely hearing the sound of a military band ...

What emotions does instrumental music evoke in you? Most likely positive. What do you feel when you hear solemn drum sounds and brass instruments? Undoubtedly, cheerfulness, gaiety, high spirits. The role of the military band in the life of every person is amazing and irreplaceable. In childhood, admiring boys run after trumpeters-barbel, dreaming to be like them, in adulthood, not a single wedding ceremony takes place without the famous March Mendelssohn, at the end of life orchestra sounds accompany the deceased on his final journey. If you think about it, music performed by the military brass band accompanies us everywhere. The railway stations in Moscow, hospitably meeting and seeing off passengers, are filled with a variety of sounds: loudspeakers, the voice of dispatchers, shouts, noise, din. But there is one song that immediately comes to mind if you remember the hustle and bustle on the platform and the train giving the last beeps. Yes, this is the Farewell of a Slavic Woman March, again performed by a military brass musical ensemble. Historically in Russia, such orchestras have played an important role in society. After the decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who in 1547 ordered the creation of the first court military brass band, it was difficult to imagine any significant event without a march in the vast country. Remember, the Soviet film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession", the troops leave the capital city on the orders of the tsar under the famous "Marusya", since then they went to war with music and from the war they came to the sound of drums and wind instruments.

Today, in peacetime, any military band song evokes emotions among contemporaries, because it is associated with the events of the recent past - the Great Patriotic War. Annually 9th May in every city of the country, trumpeters and drummers in beautiful military uniforms walk along avenues, boulevards, parks and stadiums. Solemn sounds trombones, trumpets, horns, clarinets, saxophones, drums and timpani are carried along the city streets, announcing the residents that they need to celebrate, rejoice, remember their deeds and live peacefully today.
In the modern world, a brass band performs military marches not only during parades, reviews, special events, which need to be given a certain flavor. Nowadays, orchestra members are invited to weddings, anniversaries, such a service as ordering a military orchestra for corporate events and large-scale city holidays is popular. Their repertoire includes music of different times and genres, do not be surprised if at the wedding ceremony you hear the song “Yesterday” by the legendary The Beatles from a military band or some jazz composition.
In European countries, people are creative in their own way, they invite groups of trumpeters and drummers to discharge a newborn from a maternity hospital, to graduation from schools and colleges, on Youtube military bands videos are presented in various versions, you can enjoy these bright and unusual performances.
If you also came up with an idea to decorate your holiday, give solemnity to some event, add a musical flavor to the evening, invite a military band... Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Samara, Vladivostok - let high-quality live music thunder in all cities of Russia, let each event take place on an unprecedented scale.

An orchestra is a group of musicians playing various instruments. But it should not be confused with the ensemble. This article will tell you what types of orchestras are. And their compositions of musical instruments will also be consecrated.

Varieties of orchestras

An orchestra differs from an ensemble in that in the first case, the same 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 part. Orchestra is a Greek word and translates to dance floor. It was located between the stage and the audience. The choir was located on this platform. Then it began to look like 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 instruments of different types of orchestra is strictly defined. Symphonic consists of a group of strings, percussion and wind instruments. String and brass bands are composed of instruments that match their names. Jazz can have a different composition. The pop orchestra consists of brass, strings, percussion, keyboards and

Choir varieties

A choir is a large ensemble of singers. There must be at least 12 performers. In most cases, choirs perform accompanied by orchestras. The types of orchestras and choirs are different. There are several classifications. First of all, choirs are divided into types according to their composition of voices. It can be: female, male, mixed, children's, as well as boys' choirs. According to the manner of performance, folk and academic are distinguished.

And also choirs are classified by the number of performers:

• 12-20 people - vocal and choral ensemble.
• 20-50 artists - chamber choir.
• 40-70 singers is average.
• 70-120 participants - big 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 includes: violins, cellos, violas, double basses. One of the orchestras, which includes the string and bow family, is symphonic. He will build from 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, occasionally timpani.

It can be of any composition. It can include 60 or more stringed instruments, tubas, up to 5 trombones of different timbres and 5 trumpets, up to 8 French horns, up to 5 flutes, as well as oboes, clarinets and bassoons. It can also include such varieties from the group of winds as oboe d "cupid, 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 have in their composition a family This group includes two varieties: copper and wood. 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 cornet, horns of various types, tubas, baritone-euphoniums. Secondary instruments: trombones, trumpets, French horns, flutes, saxophones, clarinets, oboes, bassoons. If the brass band is large, then, as a rule, all the instruments in it increase in number. Harps and keyboards can very rarely be added.

The repertoire of brass bands includes:

• Marches.
• Ballroom European dances.
• Opera arias.
• Symphonies.
• Concerts.

Brass bands often perform in open street areas or accompany the procession, as they sound very powerful and bright.

Orchestra of folk instruments

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, zhaleyki, 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 serve to sound ceremonies, as well as to participate in concerts. Military bands are of two types. Some also consist of brass horns. They are called homogeneous. The second type is mixed military bands, which, among other things, have a group of woodwind in their composition.

MILITARY ORCHESTRA - spirit. an orchestra, which is a regular unit of a military unit (see. Brass band). In the Sov. Army V. about. exist in combat units and formations (in regiments, divisions, on ships), with the military. educational institutions and military. academies, at the headquarters of the military. districts.

The basis of V. about. is a group of brass spirit. instruments - saxhorns. It includes cornets in B, altos in Es, tenors and baritones in B, basses in Es and in B (in some V. o. altos are replaced by French horns in Es). In addition, the typical composition of the regimental orchestra of the Sov. The army (the so-called average 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. Enlarged orchestras (the so-called large mixed composition) also have oboes, bassoons, clarinet in Es, timpani, sometimes saxophones and strings. double basses, and the group of horns, trumpets and trombones is represented by a large number of instruments.

Unlike symphony. orchestra, compositions of V. o. not completely unified; in the armies of different countries, various are used. combinations of the above tools. In orchestras, French. armies have long been dominated by a wooden spirit. tools in it. armies - copper, in the orchestras of Amer. army means. the place is occupied by saxophones.

V. about. Sov. The Army and the Navy are recruited from qualified prof. military musicians on long-term service and from ordinary military service. With many V. about. there are muses. pupils. At the head of V. about. is a military man. a conductor with a higher muses. education and being at the same time an officer-commander.

Among V. about. Sov. The army has a lot of high prof. collectives (Exemplary Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Exemplary Orchestra of the Military-Naval Fleet, exemplary orchestras of the Military Air Engineering Academy named after HE Zhukovsky and the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze, headquarters of Moscow, Leningrad, etc. . military districts).

Repertoire V. about. consists of plays for service and combat purposes (marching, counter, funeral marches, music of a military ceremonial - evening dawn, divorce of the guards), conc. plays and entertainment music (dances, plays of light, so-called garden, music - fantasy, rhapsody, medley, overtures). See also War Music.

Literature: Matveev V., Russian military orchestra, M.-L., 1965; Saro J. H. Instrumentationslehre für Militrmusik B. 1883; Kalkbrenner A., ​​Die Organization der Militärmusikchöre aller Länder, Hannover, 1884; Parés G., Traité d "instrumentation et d" orchestration a l "usage des musiques militaires ..., P.- Bruss., 1898; Laaser CA, Gedrängte theoretisch-praktische Instrumentationstabelle für Militär-Infanterie-Musik, Lpz., 1913 ; Vessella A., La banda dalle origini fino ai nostri giorni, Mil., 1939; Adkins HE, Treatise on the military band, L., 1958.

P. I. Apostolov

For several centuries, military brass bands have been creating a special environment at celebrations, ceremonies of state importance and many other events. The music performed by such an orchestra is capable of intoxicating 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: in the performance of such a composition, lyric waltzes, songs, and even jazz sound great! This orchestra performs not only at parades, ceremonies, military rituals, during combat training of troops, but also at concerts and in general 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. Military music occupies a special place in Russia. Its rich history dates back to 1547, when the first court military brass band appeared in Russia by decree of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

In Europe, military brass bands reached their heyday under Napoleon, but even Bonaparte himself admitted that he had two Russian enemies - frosts and Russian military music. These words prove once again that the military music of Russia is a unique phenomenon.

Peter I was especially fond of wind instruments. He subscribed to the best teachers from Germany to teach soldiers to play instruments.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was already a fairly large number of military brass bands in Russia, and under Soviet rule they began to develop even more actively. In the 70s, they were especially popular. At this time, the repertoire expanded noticeably, a lot of methodological literature was published.

Repertoire

Military brass bands of the 18th century suffered from an insufficient number of musical works. Since at that time composers did not write music for wind ensembles, they had to do 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 especially for a military brass band.

Composition of a modern military brass band

Military brass bands can only consist 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.

There are usually three types of mixed brass bands: small, medium and large. The small orchestra has 20 musicians, while the average is 30, and the large orchestra is already 42 or more.

From woodwind instruments, the orchestra includes flutes, oboes (except alto), all types of clarinets, saxophones and bassoons.

Brass instruments such as trumpets, tubas, French horns, trombones, altos, tenor trumpets and baritones also create a special flavor of the orchestra. It should be noted 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.

No military brass band can do without such percussion instruments as small and large, timpani, cymbals, triangles, tambourine and tambourine.

Running a military band is a special honor

A military orchestra, like any other, is run by a conductor. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the location of the conductor in relation to the orchestra members can be different. For example, if the performance takes place in a park, then the conductor takes the traditional place - facing the orchestra and with his back to the audience. But if the orchestra performs at the parade, then the conductor goes ahead of the orchestra and holds in his hands an attribute that is necessary for every military conductor - a vestibule. The conductor who directs the musicians in the parade is called the tambour major.