DRUMS.
Who can fail to react to them?
As I
grew up, one of the earliest sounds that impressed me was the sound of drums.
It actually went far beyond that to the idea of drums and the influence of the
drumbeat.
The
link to this primitive influence was instilled and re-inforced at almost every
level. From civic pageantry , to comic books, to military parades and
entertainment and tales of history, the influence of drums was important.
My
childhood was launched during the Second World War, and even going to the
Movies in my pyjamas as a very little fellow carried by Dad and Mum, I learned
the necessity to stand for “God Save the King” before the show began – drums rolled
and the mighty anthem burst forth while the image of King George VI appeared against
a background of ocean waves (which of course, we “knew” Britannia ruled with
our help). So the drums attested to dignity , honour and glory.
But
when I was at home, Tarzan comic books and others, referred to different drums
: menacing, not understood – jungle drums! Who knew what “the natives” in the
African Jungle were up to ! Surely with all those drums in the night menace was
the intent. And I pretty soon learned that the heroes – apart from Tarzan and
his skimpy loincloth, were desperately scared of those “jungle drums” – it seemed
that the Safari Suit and Pith Helmet goodies and even their almost civilised
native bearers were often scared out of their wits at the sound of drums.
Then the movies got into the “swords and sandals” genre – ancient Rome and later still Ancient Egypt. Drums again but now the drums had a different role – they inspired resolution in the troops of Rome and earlier of Egypt, but that very relentless resolution whilst it steeled the troops, struck fear into the hearts of the enemies of the two Empires. I was steadily absorbing the lore of the Drum.
Then
came the Death and Funeral of King George Vi and I learned the effect of the
muffled drums, and the solemnity of the muffled Base Drum and its slow beat.
After
an indecent length of time, there came the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II. Civic processions and military parades abounded as the
English-speaking world determined that it would shake off the austerity and
gloom of wartime and open the “new Elizabethan Age”! The drums were everywhere
involved it was a drummers Paradise. But these drums marked nothing but joy,
confidence and celebration.
DRUM OF THE ROYAL MARINES
The world was changing rapidly. Thoughts of “jungle drums” became embarrassing
reminders of the now unpopular “colonialism” – what had been pre-war a sign of
glorious power, and at the same time called forth the concept of “noblesse
oblige” was truly awkward and embarrassing. The former colonies were all in
short order to become independent nations. They too were embarrassed by the fact
of having been colonies and wanted nothing to do with memories or imaginings
of “jungle drums” – if they had anything to say long distance they would use
the telephone or telegraph.
All the
while there was an entirely different type of drum at work. The United States
was to bring many new influences to the world, and prominent among those was its
own varieties of music. In the 19th Century through the compositions
of John Philip Sousa new zest was brought to Military Band Music and the roles
available to the drum in that time were very important. Quite a world apart
from such military music however lively, was the evolution of popular band
music . Here the drummer came to be a stand-out performer. No one was more
successful than Gene Krupa (1909 – 1973) .His wild solo drumming performances in
jazz music were immensely popular. Whereas drums had always had a powerful
mental, spiritual and psychological effect, jazz drumming seemed more to relate
to merely physical excitement.
Summing it all up, we can see that the impact of drums on man has always been at a very basic level – a primitive level if you will – instilling fear, or awe or giving voice to grief, or exciting emotions of force, vigour, invincibility or terror of the perceived threat or the imagined unknown threat. Then, when all the banners and standards of honour and dignity were falling the wild abandon of the jazz drumming swept everything else away. ,
All good fun!
