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The German TV station ARD transmits from the British Trooping the Colours on the Horseguard grounds in London

June 13th 11.35AM -13.05PM

British coverage is likely to be better, but on the continent some of us may have access to the German.

Sound recording could be better, and the voice overs make me want being the big strangler. Still this is a unique presentation of a military music tradition.

The massed bands of the 5 foot guards and the two mounted bands joining forces are impressive.

Klaus

Saw the whole parade, but was less impressed this year. One short clip showed the complex spinning wheel move when the massed band of 222 foot guard soldiers rotated 90°. At least in Europe it is not common to see a bassoonist marching backwards in a circle. That one was well captured by the cameras, but most of the time they avoided the really interesting elements. Very little was seen of the mounted bands actually playing. That has been better in previous transmissions.

The sound was disappointing. My TV is so rich in descant, that I take it down to about 30% to avoid my eardrums being ripped. Here I turned it up to 100% and still mostly heard the trombones. None of the great Alford marches. Scipio always is there. A drinking song from Mozart’s Don Juan was a surprise. In general the harmonies were very little varied.

With a good seat and a pair of binoculars it might have been interesting to watch this parade live.

Klaus

Good that this is broadcast in Germany.

I was surprised to see a bassoon at all. I did not think they were used for marching?

The mounted band instruments looked smaller. I wondered what they were playing. No chance to use a left hand operated 4th valve while riding.

I agree, not the best selection of music this year.

I couldn’t see it on the distant TV shots, but the mounted bands are said to be the original reason for the 3 valve compensating instruments. At one certain shot I also found the mounted players having especially small Eb tubas. That was until I realised it was the euphoniums placed next to the BBb tuba.

Before the show the mounted bands played the parade on the Mall. They don’t use a drum major, but the bandmaster rides in front waving his stick. I wonder whether anybody else than the kettledrummers are able to see that stick.

I see two reasons for the German transmissions:

The Germans are very interested in royalty and titles, only they have none themselves. Their commercial TV stations have regular reports on royal gossip. And then the British royal house basically is rooted in Germany.

Klaus