Napoleonic French Imperial Guard Band

The regiments maintained a band composed of specially engaged musicians, the numbers of which were fixed by regulation at 7, plus the Bandmaster, but this figure was exceeded by the Corps in a quite remarkable fashion (up to as many as 40 musicians, but on average 20).

The band was formed in three ranks: the first comprised the « Turkish » style percussion: Jingling Johnnie, bass drum, side drum, cymbals and triangle; the 2nd, the woodwinds: clarinets, flutes, oboes and bassoons; in the 3rd rank was the « brass »: serpents, trombones and horns.