The Musical Art of War: The Development of Marching Bands across Military History

Military history and marching band? How do these things come together in any meaningful way? The history of marching band comes from many different traditions that originated in military traditions. From the advent of linear warfare in ancient battlefields to the evolution of these tactics in the Napoleonic era, marching bands owe much of their traditions and history to infantry tactics. On top of this the evolution of instruments had much to do with the need to properly communicate during the din of battle forming many of the instrument families that we know of today. With the advent of nationalism many ideas such as national pride, unity, and morale start to express themselves more in the music that we start to hear on the battlefield. While marching bands no longer march off to war their presence should stand as a reminder and a testimony to this millenia old tradition of musical warriors.