Creating an impression

I watched, for want of any better entertainment, the BBC cut-and-paste highlights the Edinburgh Military tattoo and rather enjoyed it. I like military music if not the reason for it. A few thoughts, random and unwonted struck me. In the way that some National Anthems fail miserably to be regal and imposing (often the Eastern European ones in which the words probably count more than the tune) so the style of marching and the choice of instrument can belittle a regiment.

The Austrians - or the Swiss, not sure which, have lot of flutes which make a pretty sound but aren’t martial. The Poles have long "trombity beskidzkie" which look like Alpenhorns, sound pleasingly like mellow bass trumpets but obviously weren’t meant for carrying into battle. The same regiment did some fancy footwork and Russian style on-and-off your knees kicking but it was all a bit Ballet Rambert. The Regiment from Carolina boogied to jazz and blues for heavens’ sake - the chap with a ring of drums round his waist is to be commended for keeping up the swing!! But would you take any of that seriously when on the field of battle? I know there aren’t battlefields any more and the enemy doesn’t have to be cowed by your Haka, but the regiments that looked the most as if they mean business were the Scottish Black Watch, Scots Dragoons and so forth with their big stompy boots, swinging sporrans, Skean Dhu’s and -most of all the lusty bagpipes yowling and thundering fit to blow you off the hillside.

There was a desert regiment. impressive in their thobes, shemagh scarves and headrings, all looking romantically like Lawrence of Arabia but the marching style was a tad mincing and I felt they missed their camels. Wishful thinking of course - they have much harsher steeds these days.