From Signaling to Ceremony

Abstract

Since man’s earliest struggles against himself to his most recent triumphs over the gods, the trumpet has enjoyed an illustrious existence as an essential tool in military organizations. Its boisterous calls inspire men to charge headlong into battle, fighting with reckless abandon and vicious ferocity; the robust, yet piercing tone striking fear into the hearts of their enemies. Brilliant fanfares march impressive formations of fighting men passed the reviewing stand to be inspected by the commanding general, his staff officers, and reverent spectators. Somber, yet pure sonorities accompany the mournful cries of those left behind as the dearly departed are laid to rest in the field of honor. From the battlefield to the parade field to the cemetery the trumpet has known many names over the centuries and has been fashioned out of numerous materials. Although accounts of its use to organize and motivate soldiers during the heat of battle spans millennia, its purpose in today’s militaries is more ceremonial than tactical. This presentation aims to examine the advancements in the technology that lead to a tactical shift in the way modern wars are fought and relegated the trumpet to a more ceremonial role away from the battlefield.