Military music meets pop and hits at the Basel Tattoo 2024
Published: Saturday, Jul 20th 2024, 11:20
Updated At: Saturday, Jul 20th 2024, 11:40
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The Basel Tattoo festival is focusing entirely on music in the current edition. And with a lot of pomp and pathos, with little military drill, but with original cocktails of military music and pop.
The vast majority of the almost one thousand participants at the Basel Tattoo wore uniforms, including kilts and skirts, smocks and pants with decorative stripes. And yet the military bands from the USA, Singapore, Switzerland and Australia performed little traditional marching music - apart from the rousing performances by the Massed Pipes and Drums with hundreds of bagpipe players and drummers.
The United States Army Field Band thrilled the audience at Friday's premiere in the packed arena at the Basel barracks with a groovy rock classic "Proud Mary". The Australian Army Band presented itself with a medley of popular hits as a cheerful entertainment orchestra with a special performance by a digeridoo virtuoso. The Singapore Police Force Combined Band built a musical bridge from the Scottish-influenced West to China.
And the Swiss Army Forces Brass Band provided one of the highlights of the evening with their almost breathless musical furioso through every conceivable style of music.
Interaction - as a matter of course
The One Voice Children's Choir from Salt Lake City and the OzScot International Highlight Dancers (with one man in their ranks), who were accompanied by different orchestras in several performances, played a special role. Once again, the Basel Tattoo was able to shine in its special discipline, namely the interplay of different orchestras and formations from all corners of the world.
This came across so naturally, as if the various bands had been playing together for years. This was particularly impressive during the mass performances, which brought several hundred musicians to the arena under the direction of musical director Christoph Walter.
Standing ovation
However, the real highlights of every Military Tattoo are the performances of the Massed Pipes and Drums. In Basel, around 200 bagpipe players and drummers from almost a dozen formations thrilled the audience with the legendary march "Scotland the Brave", which was greeted with a standing ovation.
The Basel Tattoo can be experienced on the Basel Kasernenareal until July 27.
©Keystone/SDA
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