From Zarzuelas to Military Bands: Building a Spanish Musical Identity

Abstract

The military bands were one of the most important educational and professional institution for the wind musician’s life in Spain from the 19th century onward. They influenced the appearance of the civil bands, which origins were often linked to Spanish military corps. In addition, military and civil bands served as a medium to legitimize the municipal council’s activities and as a propaganda tool. Both even had an important role in the weaving of societies, identities, and in the construction of public spaces. This study aims to delve into the wind band repertoire and its reception, considering the interactions with the audiences in the urban public spaces, throughout some cases of study. The comprehension of the re-significance process of zarzuela’s excerpts that were transformed in military anthems like the sailor prayer from the well-known zarzuela titled El Molinero de Subiza (Oudrid, 1871) will be studied here to understand the interactions between military and civil spheres in the construction of the soundscape and musical identity of Spanish cities.