Fanfare facts for kids
A fanfare is a short, exciting piece of music. It's usually played to celebrate something special or to announce someone important. Think of it like a musical "ta-da!" moment!
Fanfares are often played when a king, queen, or president arrives. They are mostly performed by trumpets, French horns, and other brass instruments. Sometimes, drums join in too.
The word "fanfare" can also mean a big, public event. This can be true even if no music is played.
Contents
The History of Fanfares
Fanfares first became popular in the Middle Ages. Some movies show trumpets playing fanfares in ancient Rome. However, there isn't much proof that this actually happened.
In the 1700s, in France, a fanfare was a lively piece of music. It often had notes that repeated. Modern fanfares come from the 1800s in Britain. They were written for big national events. An example is the crowning of a new king or queen. The famous composer Hubert Parry wrote a fanfare called "I Was Glad." He wrote it for the crowning of Edward VII.
Famous Fanfares You Might Know
Many fanfares are well-known today. Here are a few examples:
- The trumpet fanfare for the Kentucky Derby horse race.
- Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland.
- Fanfare for a New Theatre by Igor Stravinsky.
- Fanfare for St Edmundsbury by Benjamin Britten.
- The 20th Century Fox Fanfare by Alfred Newman. You hear this at the start of many movies!
- Icarus Dream Fanfare from the Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra by Yngwie Malmsteen.
- Victory Fanfare from the popular Final Fantasy video game series.
- Fanfare for Orchestra by Nigel Keay 1 .
- Majestic Fanfare by Charles Williams.
Fanfares in Our World Today
Fanfares are still very common today. You might hear them as opening music for TV and radio news shows. They are also often used as "victory marches" in video games. This is especially true in Role Playing Games.
You can also see fanfares at military parades and other events. For example, British Army bands have special teams. These teams have four to eight trumpet players just for fanfares. Even new universities, like the University for the Creative Arts in England, ask composers to write fanfares for their graduation ceremonies.
Special Fanfare Trumpets
A special kind of trumpet is often used to play fanfares. It is usually called a herald trumpet. This trumpet has a long, straight tube. Often, a colorful banner can hang from it.
There are three main sizes of fanfare trumpets:
- A Bb trumpet
- A tenor trumpet
- A bass trumpet
- Classics for Kids: What's a Fanfare? [1] (audio program)
See also
In Spanish: Fanfarria para niños
