Page 42 - La Musica e l'Arma

42 La Musica e L'arMa Dai trombetti all’Unità D’italia

Trumpeters

usic has been present in the Carabinieri Force since its
foundation when the first trumpeters were responsible
M for transmitting the commanders’ orders and for sound-
ing the daily routine in the barracks.
The trumpeters, or “trombetti” as they were called in Italy in the
19th century, were the progenitors of the musical ensembles in
the Carabinieri Force. A trumpeter was a very important figure
who had the task of transmitting orders quickly and accurately
even over long distances thanks to the high-pitched sound of
the trumpet, with signals that sounded the daily routine in the
barracks, guided the actions of the different units during training
or in combat, and sounded the pace at which the movement of the
cavalry was to be made. Those signals were simple music expressions,
sequences of squeals and very short melodic phrases. Later, real music
began to be played when the first military bands called fanfare performed
anthems and marches. The manual “Provisional Basic Instructions for
the Royal Carabinieri Force” published in 1820 officialised the presence
and role of trumpeters.

Regno di Sardegna, 1835/1845.
Guardie del Corpo.
Trombettiere in grande uniforme.