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By music teachers, for their students
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The batterie-fanfare is a special kind of wind band, with its origins in the French military bands of the XIXᵉ century.
Originally, the batterie-fanfare accompanied military regiments during parades, ceremonies and the taking up of arms. Its function was as much musical as practical: to set the rhythm for the soldiers' marching steps and to add drama to public gatherings.
The special feature of a brass band is that it uses only so-called "natural" instruments, i.e. instruments that do not have valves or chromatic mechanisms, but that operate on the harmonic series:
Natural brass instruments: bugles, cavalry trumpets, horns, bass trumpets, ordinance tubas, etc.
Percussion: drums, snare drums, bass drums, cymbals, timpani, sometimes percussion keyboards.
The result is a very bright, powerful sound that is instantly recognisable.
Since the 1950s, civilian drum bands (often community or municipal) have expanded widely in France. They no longer confine themselves to ordinance music, but explore a very varied repertoire:
traditional marches
transcriptions of classical works
original creations specially written for this type of orchestra,
variety and popular music.
Bright, energetic sound, suitable for parades, ceremonies and open-air concerts.
A repertoire that plays heavily on rhythmic power and mass contrasts.
Often homophonic, but enriched over time by modern harmonic and rhythmic research.
The batterie-fanfare is a mainstay of the French brass band and popular music scene. They can be found in many towns and cities, attached to music schools, associations or music federations. The brass band continues to be a vehicle for conviviality and togetherness, much appreciated at local festivals and official events.
