Buglers Holiday

When Leroy Anderson wrote Bugler's Holiday he wasn't thinking of trumpet players (buglers) in the Military bands.

When I was in the United States Air Force Bands it seems that the trumpet players were the fall guys. Trumpet players had to do extra functions like reveille, military funerals and in some cases other special functions. They also had to play Taps on Memorial Day for the laying of the commemorative wreath.  

These functions were always annoying to the trumpet players in the bands that I was in because so frequently these duties fell on the player's day off. The rest of the musicians were dismissed and were home watching TV when reveille had to be played. This was traditionally played daily at 5:00 PM.  Reveille is the function for the trumpet player /bugler to play this special trumpet bit, companied by a contingent of Military Police whose job it was to bring down the American flag for the evening.  The flagpole is always situated in front of the Base Headquarters Building.  

One of my trumpet player buddies in the Air Force band was Jerry Lucas.   He was always ticked off for having to do this function when the rest of the band was at home relaxing.  He was a somewhat rebellious sort and took it upon himself (in retaliation) to play his own version of reveille. It suited his whims and seemed to placate his irritable demeanour (being stuck to do this job) to be "creative". Even though the rotation schedule dictated that a trumpet player might only have to play reveille once a week it still got under Jerry's skin.

Well, Jerry got to playing his version of reveille shorter and shorter. One time I listened to him do this function and I said, "Jerry they're going to catch on to what you're doing. You should play it longer before you get into trouble." The Air Police could never figure out why they couldn't time the lowering of the flag to the ending of Jerry's "music". 

Jerry would make it sound somewhat similar to what was actually written but after about an absurd 8 bars he was making up an ending with ritards and making is sound grandiose to indicate he was just about finished. It was always hilarious seeing the Air Police scramble to catch up to his ending.  I guess he just wanted to prove that he could get away with it.  He used to say, "They can make me play but they can't say much as to how I play it." Jerry knew the military personnel on the base didn't know what it was supposed to sound like so they just accepted what he played. (That base was a Strategic Air Command Base and flying big bombers was their responsibility not music.)

Once he was late coming to the Administration building (where the base flag is situated) for this function and was about a block away.  He knew he was going to get in trouble for not being there on time so he played it where he was. He was as I mentioned about a block away at some street corner.  He noticed that the flag was already being lowered. He just blew his version as loud as he could on that corner even stopping some traffic.

He got called up to explain his tardiness and he said that he was late because he wasn't feeling very well and was vomiting in the latrine just before the intended playing time. They accepted his excuse, as his story seemed plausible.

He also used to be my sidekick for military funeral functions.  I was the designated trumpet player at the grave sight as the flag draped coffin was lowered and the volley of rifles startled the bereaved. It was then Jerry's turn to "echo" my playing.  He was supposed to be a Hollywood version of Taps in the distance. (He was a powerful player in any regard but on these jobs he was especially loud, just to prove his point whatever that was.)

He was only about 50 yards back from the gravesite behind some bushes.   I could hardly keep from cracking up as to what he was doing. When he was especially loud then I knew that he was especially ticked off.  

Canadian bandsmen and trumpet players seem to be more respectful towards traditions. By the way the Canadian version of Taps on Remembrance Day is many times more difficult than the American Taps version. In  November when the weather can be treacherously cold and nasty all bets are off. It can be quite a challenge to play this piece without cracking a few notes along the way.

I 've heard many a trumpet player (bugler) clam notes on this very tricky Canadian piece.   In fact I haven't heard many good players play it without splitting a least one note. The weather always contributed to the quality of the bugler's (trumpet player’s) presentation.

At one Remembrance Day function this bugler / trumpet player clipped a few noticeable notes to the chagrin of the senior officer. After the ceremonies the musician had a ready excuse.  "Sir, I apologize for those notes but as you can appreciate it is very cold outside and my valves were sticking."  "I could hardly keep from having them freeze up on me." he explained.

The Commanding officer in charge of the proceedings accepted the musician's excuse as it seemed quite reasonable and admittedly it was very cold.

I guess the Officer wasn't a musician (certainly not a trumpet player).
Little did he know that the piece is completely played without valves. It's open horn as if played on a bugle. What sticking?

No wonder some people cry when the trumpet players play this piece at the cenotaph.

Web space donated by Encore...The Concert Band www.encoretheconcertband.ca