"Mounted Band of The Empress's Dragoons " Topic

REally nice!

More here
generalpicton.blogspot.com.ar

Amicalement
Armand

I thought the band was superb, but was enjoying the pictures so much that I pressed on down the sequence.

I just love the Light dragoons in Dublin post Waterloo. If only for the variety of carriages in the background. Very unusual to see them painted in such detail, when the whole purpose was to show the band. Brilliant primary source for me.

I treasure the Mamelukes' percussion band from Gringos40 and the other kettledrummers we have seen since, but few and far between in 28mm. The challenge with any conversion form cavalry figures is that they universally come with their left arm moulded to their chest holding the reins. The mameluke cymbalist is almost unique in that regard.

This work is inspiring

The painting showing George IV entering Dublin in 1821 is by William Turner – not the famous Turner but his less well known namesake. It's kept in the National Gallery of Ireland:

link

You can explore the painting in detail by zooming in here:

link

The band includes a kettledrummer, two trumpets, two trombones, two serpents, two horns, two bassoons, two clarinets, two big (or "bass") drums, and a jingling johnny.

Regarding the Empress's Dragoons band: nice effort but, in my opinion, it should have included more woodwind instruments (clarinets, bassoons), and a grosse caisse as well (just as the infantry and line dragoon bands did).

Traditional forms of serpents were held laterally, BTW. Turner was not completely successful in showing this (same is true of the bassons) but the fact is recognizable enough.

Minifigs always had their serpent players holding the instrument like a saxophone, which is wrong.

BTW, in 1806, the French instrument maker Piffault had developed a military serpent that was held almost like a saxophone. However, it proved to be unsuited for mounted bands (according to "Méthode de Serpent adoptée par le Conservatoire Impérial de Musique pour le Service du Culte et le Service Militaire" by Ozi, Gossec, Roze and Rogat, Paris 1812). Perhaps due to the dangers for the musician's teeth when playing the instrument in a forward position (that's why trumpets or clarinets usually were held sideways when mounted. Otherwise…)?

That is a wonderful find………..packed with detail.

Thanks!

"… (that's why trumpets or clarinets usually were held sideways when mounted. Otherwise…)…"

Just to illustrate what I mean:

link

link

First link to the National Gallery of Ireland doesn't work anymore. No idea why. Let's try again:

link

No, still doesn't, but the second got us to that brilliant picture….

Strange. Ok, for those who want some more information on painter and painting:

Go to the National Gallery of Ireland homepage:

nationalgallery.ie

Then click "Collection", then "Search Online Collection", then click the yellow "Search" button, then enter e.g. "William Turner 1821" in the "Quick Search" field, click the blue arrow, then click the left picture of the two. Voilà. If you click the picture again this gets you to the zoom-in facility.

Glad you like them my friend!. (smile)

Good info Scharmachthal… thanks!.

Amicalement
Armand

Just finished reading and drooling through my newly aquired copy of Rousellots "Imperial Guard Cavalry" and recognize these as trumpeters in parade dress post-1810. Splendid uniforms, some of the best of the day I would say, apart perhaps from the Chasseur trumpeter in full dress…
Cool to see them en masse like that, the whole band together, jingling johnny and all!
I have been following this guys blogg for a while.
Insanity on a level Dr Jeckyll really would appreciate!
Nice post, Thanks Armand:)

Great links, Scharnachthal, many thanks.

I got that (Rousellot's IGC) from Santa for Christmas as well……

What an inspiration that book and its illustration proves…

Now if it could inspire Gringos40 into yet another parade dress Imperial Guard….le musicien or no….

All we would need is a figure that comes as a torso. I would even leave the head separate (grenadiers, dragoons) . But above all the two arms come separate from the trunk. After that just cast any instrument you want and two arms!

A votre service mon ami!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

All we would need is a figure that comes as a torso. I would even leave the head separate (grenadiers, dragoons) . But above all the two arms come separate from the trunk. After that just cast any instrument you want and two arms!

I can only agree. Historex offers the best recipe so far, in my opinion. Scale is 1/30 and material is plastic but should also work for 25/28mm metal figures.

Separate arms for the each instrument (see esp. Nos. 249, 289-299, 419, 421, 685, 769):

historex.com/crbst_35.html

And separately made instruments:

historex.com/crbst_42.html

Regarding the pairs of arms:

No. 288, arms for "chef de musique", apparently holding a small conductor's baton. Not quite correct as contemporary bandmasters used to carry their own selected instruments with them. Which happened to be clarinets, in the majority of cases (but also flutes/piccolos, trumpets, even bassoons). Small conductor's batons were a later development and first used by civilian bandmasters. But, perhaps, the object he's holding is meant to be a piccolo…?

No. 421, arms for tambourine player. Actually, these arms appear to be suited for beaters of tambourines ("tambours de basque" or "tambours turcs", as the French called them) but, unfortunately, Historex forgot to make this instrument which was quite widespread, to judge from contemporary prints and musical scores. Instead, they offer a "tambourin oriental" (Instruments, No. 420) which is just a small kettledrum. I guess that – like so many others – they had fallen victim to Rousselot's misinterpretation of the term "tambours de basque" when reconstructing the band of the Guard Mamelukes (I mentioned that before). So, maybe, they felt urged to make an instrument as shown by Rousselot? Actually, to my knowledge, this type of kettledrum was not common in the French army. However, it seems to have been used by British (infantry) bandsmen, occasionally.

That is a brilliant posting and the Historex links are invaluable.

All we need is Ged to come up with a torso figure for a "dragoon, pre Bardin look". Again a choice of heads, bearskin or Helmet with horsetail…just a few of the arms you have shown, one or two instruments even…….. the rest we could scratchbuild.

But it starts with the left hand free of the torso. Very few such cavalry figures. Perry plastic dragoons (on foot) and a Mameluke cymbalist from Gringos40 is all I can recall…