Bugles in Military History

As this course is titled "Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature", when it comes to early historical information about brass instruments, I avoid discussing details about specific instruments and their development. Instead, I try to focus on brass ENSEMBLES and their music. 

 

In the record of early western music, prior to 1400, the vast majority of written music is sacred, due to the devoted and scholarly religious scribes who recorded it for posterity. Secular music, (such as dance music, folk music, love songs and lullabies) existed but was rarely written down and was passed down in the aural tradition or often improvised. Similarly, "ensembles" of ancient brass instruments existed for use in ceremonies, during war, for royalty, and long-distance communication. However, much of that music was not written down, or was monophonic or unison in nature and most likely learned aurally. It is for that reason I have not included much discussion of the bugle in the course until now. The video below, from the YouTube channel The History Guy provides an insightful examination of bugles, including the implication of groups of bugles throughout history.