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Essentially, a fanfare is a short, loud piece of music played to introduce the arrival of someone important \u2013 or a special event. It consists of a flourish of trumpets, or other brass instruments. Percussion is also often used. Webster\u2019s Dictionary defines a fanfare as \u201ca flourish of trumpets, a showy outward display.\u201d<\/p>\n
As well as that ceremonial meaning, \u2018fanfare\u2019 also has a more figurative meaning. This meaning probably has its\u00a0 roots in the late 15th-century Spanish word fanfa<\/em>, meaning \u2018vaunting\u2019. It may also derive from the Arabic word anfar<\/em> (\u2018trumpets\u2019).\u00a0 Whatever its origins, the word \u2018fanfare\u2019 first occurred in the English language in 1605.<\/p>\n A fanfare should not be confused with The Last Post<\/strong><\/a>, a moving tune performed at military funerals and remembrance services. The Last Post is played on the bugle, a simple brass instrument without valves. The Last Post was played at the funeral of Prince Philip<\/strong><\/a>, Elizabeth\u2019s husband, as the latter had enjoyed a distinguished military career.<\/p>\n What instrument is a fanfare played on?<\/strong> <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Fanfares have been a feature of the period of mourning. For example, a trumpet fanfare was played as Queen Elizabeth\u2019s coffin was carried into St Giles\u2019 Cathedral, Edinburgh for a 24-hour vigil on Monday 12 September.<\/p>\n Yes, in fact, the fanfare has been given a few different interpretations by classical composers. Undoubtedly the most famous of these\u00a0 is Aaron Copland\u2019s Fanfare for the Common Man<\/em>. We selected this beautiful piece as one of our best pieces of music for Independence Day<\/a><\/strong>. Other composers to try their hand at a\u00a0 fanfare include:<\/p>\n Arthur Bliss, <\/b>in his role as Master of the Queen\u2019s Music, wrote a series of Royal Fanfares for the marriage of HRH Princess Margaret in Westminster Abbey on 6th May 1960. However, these were not the only fanfares composed by Bliss: others included \u2018Greetings to a City\u2019, for three brass choirs.<\/p>\n Paul Dukas, <\/b>most famous for his orchestral magnum opus The Sorcerer\u2019s Apprentice<\/a>,<\/b> composed a fanfare for his ballet \u2018La P\u00e9ri\u2019 in 1912. In fact, Dukas\u2019 fanfare proved far more popular than the ballet itself.<\/p>\n Benjamin Britten. <\/b>In 1959 the great twentieth-century British composer wrote a Fanfare for St Edmundsbury<\/em>: a flourish for three trumpets, written for a Magna Carta Pageant at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds. <\/p><\/div> <\/section> \u00a0<\/p>\n French composer Andr\u00e9 Jolivet<\/b> produced many works for trumpet \u2013\u00a0 including the fanfare \u2018Narcisse\u2019, written for a production of Britannicus<\/em> by Jean Racine at Paris\u2019 Com\u00e9die Francaise theatre.<\/p>\nHas there been or will there be a fanfare for the Queen?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Are there other well-known fanfares in classical music?<\/strong><\/h3>\n