Army needs more musical instruments

Reuters ^ | 4/10/02 | staff

[LarryLied]

North Korea, the world's most heavily militarised state, has resisted beating swords into ploughshares despite years of famine.

But communist leader Kim Jong-il suggested on Wednesday the world's fifth largest army might at least augment its swords with saxophones.

"It is very gratifying that servicemen are making lots of good quality musical instruments by their own efforts," the North's official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted Kim as saying on a tour of a museum of army gifts to him and his father.

"More musical instruments of various kinds should be produced and sent to units so that all the servicemen may always lead a joyful and optimistic life," he said.

Kim marked his ninth anniversary on Tuesday as chairman of the National Defence Commission -- still his top official title even though he heads the communist party and the country of 22.5 million people.

The 60-year-old Kim, who North Korean officials say has composed operas, said his troops were not only "firmly prepared politically and ideologically and in military technique, but also proud ones with high cultural and artistic attainment", KCNA said.

[griffin]

Let's see....sax or food...sax or food...sax or food. Call me crazy, but I'll fall off the fence for a good burger!

[Risky Schemer]

Weren't some American troops issued plastic ocarinas in WWII?

[LarryLied]

OK, you forced me to do a search. One learns the strangest things on Free Republic:

". . .the ocarina was cheap, and available to everyone.  During WWII, ocarinas were issued to soldiers who carried them in their rucksacks into the European arena.  These particular ocarinas were made from Bakelite -- an early form of plastic.

On my display case I keep a old songbook as well as an antique ocarina on the counter.  The songbook is titled “Music is Fun With This Gretsch Ocarina Book”, written for men in service, printed in 1940.  To get used to the tablature they had several easy tunes to learn.  One of the first is called "Marching Men".  Written in 4/4 time, the song is one line long and consists of a range of one note.  The hapless tune begins with A which is repeated three times followed by a rest.  The next measure is the same.  The third measure is one note, one rest, one note, one rest.  Then there is nothing but rest.  The last measure is a repeat of the first.  Three little tunes later is one called, "Watch Your Step". . . .more history of the ocarina

[Wm Bach]

[Risky Schemer]

During WWII, ocarinas were issued to soldiers who carried them in their rucksacks into the European arena. These particular ocarinas were made from Bakelite -- an early form of plastic.

What a sound that must have made, all the troops playing ocarinas at once.

Could have been worse. They could have issued them accordians . . . ;o)

[eastsider]

Army Element, Armed Forces School of Music

[LarryLied]

When the California was sunk at Pearl Harbor, many of those on the ship in the Navy band spent the rest of the war on land working on breaking enemy code. The military found musicians had an aptitude for the work. My uncle played the coronet and was on the California. Why I asked him about the war he was cold, aloof and the subject was closed. In 1993, he came from CT to my home in AZ all excited. He got the word he could finally tell people what he did.

[eastsider]

My experience in the Army Band (and as a music major in college) is that musicians in general have an uncanny aptitude for language, so while I'd not heard about deciphering, it certainly makes sense. What I never did quite figure out was why the Army bandmen's wartime mission was to protect headquarters, although the reason might be related to the bandmen's average GT score being among the highest of all Army units.

BTW, the Armed Forces School of Music trains Army, Navy and Marines. The Air Force band, OTOH, only recruits musicians who don't need MOS training, and the Air Force bandmen are assigned to a unit directly from basic training.

Many thanks for the story about your uncle and the California.