Page 164 - La Musica e l'Arma

164 La Musica e L'arMa Bande straniere e affini

Iisola di Madeira (Portogallo), 1929. Una bella immagine dall'alto della banda della GNR
al centro della piazza cittadina attorniata da curiosi e appassionati (Divisão de História e Cultura da Guarda - GNR)

The Band of the

Guarda Nacional republicana

he Royal Guard of the Lisbon Police was the not last long. In 1901, the Lisbon band already had
first armed military organization to maintain 60 musicians. After the establishment of the Por-
T public order in Portugal. It was created in tuguese Republic (1910), the Municipal Guards
1801 by Prince Regent D. João. In 1810, Marshal were dissolved by the Provisional Government and
Beresford reorganized the Corps and decided to cre- the Garda Nacional Republicana (National Republi-
ate a band of 11 up to 15 musicians. In 1828, the band can Guard) was subsequently created by Decree of
was composed of 16 performers. By 1849 the band of 3 May 1911. The GNR established the creation of
the Municipal Guard of Porto had been established; two music band: one in Lisbon and another one in
three more bands were created in 1918-19 but did Porto. The Lisbon Band consisted of 61 musicians in
the Carmo quarter and the Band of Porto was com-
posed of 29 members. The GNR Band was the first
one, and for many years the only one, to perform as
a symphony band. In the early 1920s, the General
Command Band in Lisbon had more than a hundred
musicians and included cellos and rabecões at a time
when the band affirmed itself on the national music
scene. In 1929, the Guard band performed several
concerts in Spain (in Madrid and in Seville) and in
1930 it played in Brazil. Following the general trend
among bands to improve their quality, the symphony
band has increased the number of its musicians and
is currently composed of 125 performers.