 Initial reactions to the first
edition by interested friends of this distinctive music
have been so favourable as to warrent a further search
for more military Marches, and already new material has
been found and is being prepared for a second
compilation. I would greatly appreciate hearing from
collectors of German military music, from contributers
with musical knowledge or military facts and anyone with
comments or ideas. Have you a suggestion for a
coverpicture, perhaps?
Dedication
To The First Edition:
A short
introduction to the first edition of Historical Military
March Music originating from the Saxon Principalities.
The history of the military March dates back to the
period of the Thirty Years War, when the now traditional
instruments of the March, pipe, drum and trumpet were
commonly played. In the 1600's Marches were used to
accompany an army through towns and villages, whose male
occupants, young and old, were an important source of new
recruits, or into battle. The founding of professional
armies during these years went hand in hand with the
development of the March until every light-infantry
regiment, foot-soldiers and light-artillery, in
Kur-Saxonia had their own regimental music to march to.
This idea, that Marches served to identify a regiment
spread and was to become so popular that Marches were
awarded to different regiments and other land armies. On
the 18th April, 1898 King Albert of Saxony granted his
1st Kings Hussars, (regiment no. 18, the
"Grossenhainer Husaren") the exclusive use of
Müller's March. This March was composed by a trumpeter
in the 18th regiment, Alwin Müller, who had borrowed
motiffs from Spindler's "Husarenritt", and was
played at large public parades. After this date, only
under special circumstances was it possible for Marches
to pass the Saxon armies, survival of regiments (and
their Marches) depended as much upon the monies being
available to pay soldiers as upon a regiment's ability to
survive the battle! The intoduction of the Prussian
Method to the organisation of arms in 1867 secured the
future of many Saxon regiments and their Marches.
Peacetime military duties, the Changing of the Guard, the
Giving up of the Password, Great Parades in Alaunplatz,
and concerts given by regimental bandsmen in the Prince's
parks and gardens familiarised the public with military
music, and the March became very popular. After the First
World War, only two Saxon army regiments survived, but
Regiments No.'s 10 and 11, along with the 4th Artillery
Regiment continued the musical tradition of the oldest
Saxon armies. In the 1920's regiments whose history dated
as far back as 26th June, 1620 were reformed and became
"Artholorey zu Feldt" again. The consequences
of the Second World War effectivly ended the history of
military music and regimental bands in Germany and the
calender of events for military music which once included
the "Festung Königsstein" came to an end. But
memories of the time when military March music was all
pervasive have been, in recent years, re-awoken. In other
countries, Great Britain, France and Poland, the great
regimental music tradition continues.
Text (M. Beyer) translated by Nick Wootton Jones
Big thanks to all of you
who made the first edition possible, especially Jürgen
Hofmann.
You may place your order
for "Märsche aus Sachsen und Preußen 1898" by
e-mail.
Price 29,90 DM + postage
Callers welcome. Special
and limited editions are available. Please ask for
details.
Stefan Müller,
Schnellerstr. 102, D-12439 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (030) 6 36 34 27, Fax: +49 (030) 63 97 95 57
... To
Be Continued!
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