A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Zapfenstreich

by Jacob Adam Kappey

ZAPFENSTREICH. The German word Zapfenstreich is said to owe its origin to General Wallenstein, who during the Thirty Years War in Germany found his unruly troopers so fond of nightly revels and drinking, that to prevent it he introduced the tattoo, or 'last call,' after which every soldier had to retire to rest. To insure obedience to this call, he ordered that when it was sounded the provost of the camp should go to all the sutlers' booths, and see that the barrels of drink were closed and a chalk-line drawn over the bung, as a precaution against serving drink during the night. Heavy penalties were enforced against the sutlers, if on the morning's inspection the chalk line was found to have been meddled with overnight. This act of 'sealing the bungs' appealed more forcibly to the senses of the revellers than the tattoo which accompanied it, and led to the signal being called Zapfenstreich literally 'bung-line,' which it has retained in that country ever since. [See Tattoo, vol. iv. p. 63.]

The 'Grosse Zapfenstreich' (grand tattoo) of modern times, is in reality a monster serenade, which usually terminates the grand annual manœuvres of the German army. On the last evening before the troops are dismissed to their homes, the bands of all the regiments who have taken part in the mimic war, combine, forming a monster mass of from 1000 to 1400 instrumentalists, who perform by torchlight, in presence of the Emperor and numerous high officials assembled, a suitable programme, immediately followed by the proper Zapfenstreich, in which, besides the band, all buglers, trumpeters and drummers of the army take part. After an introductory eight bars for fifes and drums, a few drummers commence a roll very piano, gradually increasing in power; this crescendo is augmented by all the drummers to the number of over 300 rapidly joining in until a thunderous forte is reached, when they break into four bars of simple beats in march-tempo, followed by the combined bands playing the proper Zapfenstreich (an ancient Quickstep).

When this is finished, the 'Retraite' of the combined cavalry bands is played, consisting of the old trumpet calls, interspersed with rolls of kettledrums .and full chords of brass instruments. A short 'call' by fifes and drums is then followed by the 'Prayer,' a slow movement executed by all the combined bands—

Then a roll for the drums,—the trumpet signal 'Gewehr ein!'—and finally two bars of long chords bring the whole to a conclusion:—

Such a mere description as the above, even with the assistance of the published full score of the Grosse Zapfenstreich (Berlin, Schlesinger), cannot convey an idea of the purely traditional manner of the performance, which must be witnessed, with all the brilliant surroundings accompanying it, to get an idea of the stirring effect it produces.

[ J.A.K. ]