The History of Military Tattoo
What do pipes and drum mean in Scottish military music historically? Douglas N. Anderson has an answer to that question published in the Scot´s Magazine:
The Army's bands and musicians are a reminder of the splendours of bygone days. They also fulfil a very practical purpose. For most of the general public, military music means little more than the band in the park on a summer evening or the occasional civic ceremonial and Royal visit. Or perhaps the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which every year is a sell-out to huge audiences, many from overseas.
At these events the soldier musicians, all splendid in rich colours and glittering accoutrements, must sometimes seem to be putting on a display rooted somewhere between the toy box and the circus. The fact is, however, that the bands of the British Army, the tunes they play, and the clothes they wear represent an audible and visual embodiment of the traditions and achievements of the units to which they belong. The Scottish regiments, rich in this respect, are proud to have an even greater heritage in the music of the pipes.
Great War Pipes
Historically speaking, martial music fills two broad functions in the soldier's life; firstly as an accompaniment to his duties, and secondly as a source of entertainment and prestige. Traditionally the fifes and drums provided the first, and the military band the second. But the Scottish soldier had his own unique native instrument which performed both these services and more - the great war pipes!
Today, army piping is second to none and the jaunty piper in full dress typifies the sturdy "Jock". But it was not always so. In the past, only in the teeth of powerful disapproval did the Scottish regiments cling to the ancient music which had been their inspiration and comfort for centuries.
In the old Highland clan system the piper ranked fourth only to the chief and in consequence was held in high regard. This clan, or family, feeling has always been strong in Scottish regiments, particularly those raised in the Highlands, and it was to be expected that the piper should enjoy his traditional privileges and respect.
War Office Insists On Drum And Five
Unfortunately, this view was not shared by the gentlemen at the War Office in London who consistently refused to understand why those "savages" in the North of Britain should not march and fight to the music of the drum and fife, like everybody else in the British Army. Successions of annual Inspecting Officers intolerantly recommended the discontinuance of pipe music, and just as obstinately, but craftily, successions of Scottish commanding officers refused to obey.
The Royal Scots, the oldest regiment in the British Army, has a very long history of piping, yet it is on record that in the 17th century the pipers had to be hidden on Inspection Day. Indeed, it was customary in Scottish regiments for the pipers to be shown in the muster rolls as drummers or fifers; in this way they might draw the extra-duty pay of one penny per day. As recently as the early 1900's the Lovat Scouts and Scottish Horse listed their pipers as trumpeters.
Until the middle of the 19th century, the unofficial and clandestine pipers were distributed within the battalion at the strength of one to each company and played thus to their comrades on the line of march, on parade or in battle. At first they were dressed similarly to the rank and file; in Highland regiments this would be the red coat, kilt and feathered bonnet.
Marked By The Broadsword
But the special status of the piper was marked by the retention of the broadsword on its black leather shoulder belt, the handsome dirk and the full plaid long after these had been discontinued for the ranks.
At last, in 1854, the War Office grudgingly permitted the highland regiments to have, officially, a Pipe-Major and five pipers. But for the Lowland Scottish regiments the struggle for recognition went on. Regiments like the King's Own Scottish Borderers and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) who, prior to 1881, although clothed as English Line regiments, had jealously retained their pipes, were still denied official sanction. The best they could expect was that authority would turn a blind eye and a deaf ear so long as instruments, special uniform and pay were found from anywhere but public money - in other words, from the officers' own pockets.
It was about this time, the middle of the century, that the company pipers and the regimental drummers began to play together, in unison, as a Pipe and Drum Band. Now, too, the pipers' uniform was changed to the green doublet which we know today. The black leather sword belt, and plaid remained, but the feather bonnet was replaced (with the exception of the Black Watch and the Scots Guards) by a plain glengarry bonnet decorated with a black cock's feathers.
The pipers' role in army life has always been something more than to cheer the march and stir the blood in battle. It was for this latter reason, indeed, that the instrument was once classified as a weapon of war; so potent was the call to its followers that on countless battlefields the sound of the pipes has roused the Scots and saved the day.
"Hey, Johnnie Cope"
But in camp and barracks, even to this day, the pipes regulate the daily life of the Scottish soldier from the Reveille of "Hey, Johnnie Cope" to the meal calls of "Brose and Butter" or "Bannocks and Barley." During the day other calls alert the men to dress for parade, to muster for assembly and to accompany the duties. "Retreat," "Tattoo" and finally "Lights Out" ("Sojer Lie Doon on Yer Wee Pickle Straw") end the day.
If the piper meets the spiritual and nationalistic demands of the men, the role of the drummer - at first, anyway - was rather more functional; he kept the troops in step on the line of march and was the commanding officer's voice in battle. In the days of toe-toe-toe warfare between solid masses of men, the din of battle was immense and the corps of drums, stationed at the rear, would beat in unison to alter the direction and pace of the ranks.
As the audible spirit of the regiment, its heartbeat as it were, the drums were held in some importance and often bore the special emblems and honours. It followed that the players should reflect this regard so they, too, were embellished with specially decorated uniforms and they enjoyed the privilege of extra pay.
Until the early 1800's drummers wore reversed coats, that is to say, where a regiment was dressed in red coats with yellow collars and cuffs, as in the Gordon Highlanders, the drummers would wear a yellow coat with red collar and cuffs. The "wings", the seams, the sleeves and any other blank spaces were filled with a lace of special pattern.
The Drum Major
The Corps of Drums were under the command of the Drum-Major, and because of their particular significance he was always a man of exemplary conduct and bearing. On the march the drums would precede the column, and at the head of all the Drum-Major would symbolise the proud spirit and achievements of the regiments. Often he was a figure of gorgeous and fanciful splendour. Scottish regiments, however, were generally content to clothe him in a rather more elaborate version of the drummers' uniform and with a symbolic drum-belt bearing the insignia and battle honours. In his hand he carried the decorated staff, with which to signal instructions and direction to the players.
As warfare became more fluid, and the movement of men more rapid, the drums were gradually replaced as a means of communication by the further-reaching bugle. The drummers, however, did not lose face, for the new instrument was given to them to play and the work-a-day calls became part of their duties.
In Light Infantry and Rifle regiments the bugle had always been used in the field, indeed, in many cases it appears in the regimental badge. Separate files of buglers without drums, therefore, were a feature of their bands and often marched to the fore under the command of the Bugle-Major, as in the Highland Light Infantry and the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
While the campaign for recognition of the pipes was being pursued official permission existed for some music at least. The War Office grudgingly acknowledged that soldiers needed cheering up on the march and in camp and, besides, a good loud band was an aid to recruiting.
"The Sittin' Doon Band"
In spite of their unauthorised pipers Scottish regiments were permitted the normal establishment of a Bandmaster and musicians, known affectionately to the Jocks as "the sittin' doon band". Prior to the introduction of keyed brass in the early 1800's, instrumentation consisted of harmonic brass, chromatic woodwind, and percussion Continental and Oriental influence could be seen in such instruments as the oboe, tambourine, cymbals and the popular Jingling Johnnie. Valved brass was added later in the form of cornets, clarinets, tubas and others.
Bandsmen, they were expected to be a credit to the regiment and were embellished accordingly. White tunics were introduced about 1830 and these looked most effective with the feather bonnet, tartan and, often, the long tartan scarf or shoulder plaid. After 1874 the Band reverted to red tunics like the rank and file, but with the addition of extra lace, wings and a music pouch on a shoulder belt.
Today, some of the last vestiges of the former splendour of the great regiments of the British Army can really only be found in the bands and musicians. Here, the individualities, the proud and honourable, if sometimes eccentric, distinctions in dress and custom maintain a precarious hold against austerity and standardisation. No where are these seen to be more picturesque, more splendid and more thrilling than in the music and uniforms of Scotland's regiments.
Fife & Drums
The history of Fife and Drums is a different story as we learn from the The Kentish Guards Fife and Drum Corps.
The fife and the drum are prehistoric musical instruments; simple in design, they were first made before man’s written history. They were and are used in various forms and combinations in nearly every culture. The first time that they were used together in a form which we would recognize as “fife & drum” was in Switzerland. The Swiss had won their freedom in 1291, and had become famous for the bravery and excellence of their military. The needs of extended marches and camp life encouraged the development of fife and drum music in the 1400’s. The rest of Europe took notice of this military musical form at the climatic Battle of Marignano (near Milan, Italy) in 1515.
The Germanic Principalities adopted this military music in the 1500’s and 1600’s. The French employed Swiss mercenaries in the 1600’s and 1700’s who used their fife and drum music and influenced the rest of the French Army. During the reign of Queen Anne of Great Britain the English Army had become very disorganized and undisciplined. The Hanoverians (George I) who succeeded Queen Anne in 1714 reorganized the English Army, requiring the troops to march in step to proper military music. Thus fife & drum music was adopted by the British military (except for the Scottish regiments). This was the model, which the English colonists in North America followed in forming their military organizations.
The Structure
In the military pattern, a company of about 100 men would have one or two fifers, and one or two drummers. When 8 or 10 companies were gathered together to form a regiment, their fifers and drummers were “banded” to form a regimental band. Thus a fife and drum corps is the musical unit of a regiment of 800 to 1,000 men. The regiment is traditionally the largest military unit “commanded by one voice,” and so the fife and drum corps of 8 to 40 men (typically 16 to 20) is the largest size this musical form historically achieved.
The musicians provided music for the army on the march. As Napoleon would prove, music would be very effective in motivating an army to march long distances. The musicians were also used to broadcast various signals. Military camp life required a succession of daily signals: time to get up, breakfast call, sick call, assembly, lunch, duty calls, dinner, evening retreat, lights-out (curfew). The “Tattoo” comes from the Dutch “die den tap toe” which was a signal for the beer sellers to “turn off the taps” so that the soldiers could finish their beers and report back to camp. This signal consisted of the fifes and drums marching up and down the streets of the garrison town or camp playing as they marched - at the end, they would stop marching, and conclude with a hymn.
While the army was encamped (or billeted in a city) the “officer of the day” (supervising at that moment) would always have a drummer with him to give impromptu and emergency signals: to sound “alarm” at an imminent attack or to call for a conference of the officers, or the sergeants, or to gather all of the musicians for some formal duty. Contrary to common opinion, signals generally were not given during battles, excepting “cease fire” and related signals. The battlefield was too noisy and confusing, and, as the French discovered when they experimented with the idea in the 1750’s, the enemy could hear your signals. Sometimes the musicians might march in front of their army before the face of the enemy to taunt them and to encourage their own troops, but at a safe distance.
Musical signals, however, were used to position the troops onto and off of the battlefield. Signals were given to make varying formations, turn in various ways, halt, march, extend and retract lines. An army on the march could be stretched-out or compacted by playing the appropriate music. An important daily duty, whether at camp, on the march, or just before and after a battle, was the Parade. The Parade was a formal assembly of all personnel; here troop strength, and equipment could be inspected, unit orders could be given, awards and punishments conferred, and formal announcements issued. A “Trooping of the Colors” would display the flags, which the troops were to follow. Music played an important part in this millennium-old ceremony; musical signals were given to announce various parts of the ceremony and move the troops at appropriate times. This Parade, or Assembly, or Military Review is also the form of the Muster, traditionally called about four times a year to count and inspect the local militia, and have them demonstrate their military skills.
Fife & Drum In The American Revolution
The British Army and the English colonists confronting each other in the American Revolution both used fife and drum music. Thus fife and drum music is strongly associated with the birth of America. Fife and drum music, however, continued to be used by the American military into the American Civil War. The increased range, accuracy, and rapidity of firearms extended and rapidly moved the battle lines, and long marches were replaced by transportation on railway and steamship, making the use of fife & drum obsolete. After the Civil War, the bugle was preferred, though fife and drum was used by shipboard Marine detachments until 1921.
Civilian fife & drum corps, however, blossomed around the year 1876, the centennial of American independence. Nostalgic, patriotic Americans of this era recreated this music, which they so strongly associated with the American Revolution. Many local militia companies had turned into fire-fighting companies and supported fife and drum corps as town bands. The music of these civilian groups rested upon its military roots, but was free to develop for other purposes. This civilian, patriotic music grew into a strong folk-tradition, and as it continues today
Traditional fife and drum corps engage in parades and their form of musters and tattoos, wherein they display their musical abilities, sometimes in contest, but usually just in fun. Some corps play music within this folk tradition, which grew out of the 1870’s, while others specifically recreate authentic music of the American Revolution, or the Civil War. They are primarily located on the East Coast between Virginia and Massachusetts, with the heaviest concentration in Connecticut; scattered groups exist elsewhere in the United States. There are a number of corps in Switzerland who play in the American, “Ancient” style, thus returning this musical form to its origins.
The Kentish Guards are a militia company formed in East Greenwich Rhode Island in 1774; they then had two fifers and two drummers, appropriate for a company-sized organization. The Kentish Guards never disbanded, making them the sixth oldest military organization in the United States in continuous existence. They had a variety of musical units throughout their history, and in 1966 formed a regimental-sized fife and drum corps, the Kentish Guards Fife & Drum Corps. There are only four fife and drum corps in the United States that are part of an actual military organization: The Kentish Guards, and Pawtuxet Rangers in Rhode Island, the Second Company Governor’s Footguard in Connecticut, and the Old Guard of the 3rd U.S. Army in Ft. Myers, Virginia.
The KGF&DC wears the uniform worn by the Kentish Guards between 1790 and 1820, and readopted in 1928. On the snare-drum shell is the canton from the Kentish Guards’ Flag: a red field with a Rhode Island anchor and a federal eagle; over the eagle’s head are sixteen stars and on the eagle’s chest is a shield with sixteen stripes, as there were sixteen states when this coat-of-arms was designed, around 1800.
The Corps plays a variety of music from the traditional fife & drum repertoire as well as authentic pieces; these include a medley of tunes taught by their original fife instructor of 1774, William Williams. The Kentish Guards Militia, being a legally constituted military organization, offers the KGF&DC many rare opportunities to play in military ceremonies: ceremonial inspections of the Kentish Guards by the state Adjutant General, at Gubernatorial Balls, and for visiting dignitaries. These are rare opportunities to experience the fife and drum musical tradition in its military context.
