Musicas Militares

 

Musicas militares are a genre of music composed specifically for military settings and performed by professional soldiers called field musicians. The music can be used to announce military events, such as bugle calls and fanfares, or it may accompany marching formations with drum cadences. Military music can also be played to motivate and inspire soldiers as well as to help them organize and time their actions in battle. Depending on the culture, a variety of musical instruments have been used, including drums, fifes, flutes, bagpipes, trumpets or other horns, percussion such as cymbals and triangles, and larger military bands or orchestras.

Throughout history, the use of Musicas militares has changed with the development of new technologies and the changing nature of war. But the basic role of music in military settings has remained the same: to provide an element of rhythm to facilitate coordination, inspire and encourage soldiers, and help them focus and concentrate during combat or drill.

As a result, the military has always been closely connected to the arts and cultural traditions in general. The military's musical traditions have developed in parallel with the evolution of the armed forces and the needs of the army, navy, air force and marines.

Historically, a drumming group was an essential part of any navy or army and the drummer was considered the leader of the band. The drummer would set the pace for the rest of the musicians and was responsible for providing tempo, timing, and rhythm for the entire ensemble. In addition, the drummer was also responsible for announcing commands and orders in battle as needed.

Marines in the US often sang songs of their own composition - "Seamen's Lament" is an example - while they were preparing to load the guns or unload them before a mission. This allowed all the sailors to focus their efforts in synchrony, and made them much more effective as a team in combat or on other tasks.

A modern version of the military band is the Cuerpo de Musicas Militares, created by Royal Decree 742/2001 and located in the military educational establishment known as Grupo de Escuelas de Defensa based in Madrid. Membership in this body requires a minimum of four years in the Armed Forces and includes two escalas: superior, which encompasses ensigns to teniente coronel; and basic, which includes sargentos to suboficiales mayores. The enrolment in this body is managed by the Directorate-General of Reclutamiento y Ensenanza Militar, part of the Ministry of Defence.