‘You drums and fifes, my whole life long’: The German military band and the emotional communities of the German Empire

Abstract

The performance of military bands across the German Empire has remained one of the most underdeveloped fields in the current historiography. With its presence at the most critical moments of modern German history, it makes sense for historians and musicologists to return to the Zapfenstreich to comprehend how military music came to dominate German emotional communities worldwide. Utilising both musicological, emotional, and cultural-historical theories, this thesis uncovers the deeply entrenched position of military bands and their music in public and cultural life across the Empire. Across the cultural marketplaces, the growing international institutions like the World Fairs and German cities, military bands possessed a unique emotional presence, drawing upon pre-standing collective experiences and regional and national identities. Through their performative ‘manipulation’ of these emotions and identities, military bands became a vital and—to some commentators—a dangerous feature of German musical culture. The use of emotional history allows German military music to be treated as a musicological and historical phenomenon. Rather than being limited to musical literature and written sources, an emotional and sensory account provides examples of how musical performances can be understood within historical and emotional environments.

Date of Award	1 Aug 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Matthew Jefferies (Supervisor) & James Garratt (Supervisor)