Darmstadt MS 1224 & MS 1225
Transcription of the Erbprinz von Hesse-Darmstadt’s Fife Manuscripts
During the 18th century, most German regiments performed their own, unique tunes for the various duty calls, such as Reveille, Retreat, Grenadier March, etc.
The Erbprinz (Crown Prince) of Hesse-Darmstadt was an avid music fan and, from the mid- to late-18th century, he spent time collecting these various tunes.
His first manuscript, MS 1224, represents a somewhat disorganized series of pages containing Grenadier Marches, Quicksteps, Reveilles, Zapfenstreich (Tattoos or Retreats), Fahnen Marches (Flag Marches, or Troops), and other miscellany from dozens of different regiments.
His second manuscript, MS 1225, represents an organized compilation of the same. The majority of these tunes originally appear in MS 1224, but some are new. In many cases, the same tune appears multiple times throughout the two MSs, demonstrating slight changes over time.
The majority of tunes in MS 1225 are paired with a harmony part; less than half in MS 1224 also have a harmony.
Overall, these two manuscripts represent a massive display of 18th century German military music. This is a great resource for any fifer interested in the 18th century Prussian or Hessian armies.
The tunes are organized based on type of tune. When possible, they are labelled by regiment.
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