Anzac Day: The playing of The Last Post

[Roscoe]

Anzac Day has been all over the news tonight, as it should be and The Last Post has been heard many times. But why don't they stick with tradition and play The Last Post on a bugle? All the renditions I have heard tonight are played on a trumpet and it just does not sound the same. 

The sound of a trumpet is just too pure, whereas the sound of the bugle is very raw and sounds completely different. 

So why do they play the last post on a trumpet? Doesn't anyone know how to play a bugle these days? Sacrilege!

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It always makes me stop and listen. Can't help it being an Army brat, I think I was brainwashed by all that khaki at an impressionable age.

I do really like the War Memorial Museum's Online Cenotaph, that is such a great initiative. And the research behind the names is fantastic. My Dad is up there now, so I laid a poppy for him, along with the ones for the greats. Nice to be able to do that. I should scan one of the photos of him in uniform, for the grandchildren and great grands to discover sometime in the future.

[Roscoe]

It always makes me stop and listen. Can't help it being an Army brat, I think I was brainwashed by all that khaki at an impressionable age.

I do really like the War Memorial Museum's Online Cenotaph, that is such a great initiative. And the research behind the names is fantastic. My Dad is up there now, so I laid a poppy for him, along with the ones for the greats. Nice to be able to do that. I should scan one of the photos of him in uniform, for the grandchildren and great grands to discover sometime in the future.

The sentiment is very good and I agree entirely, but that is not the question that I asked! I was wondering why they play The Last Post on a trumpet and not the traditional way on a bugle? It seems as though you did not read my post completely.

And since you mentioned it - do you know what a cenotaph is? It is a monument erected in memory of a person or people  whose body or bodies are buried elsewhere - in effect an empty tomb.

So, does anyone know the answer to my question? Is a trumpet easier to play than a bugle? I don't play myself, so I don't really know. So what is the reason? I'd be interested to know.

[king1]

as an ex bugle player while I was at sea cadets more than a few years ago, I think I can safely rule out it being any easier or harder to play - the only real difference is the valves on a trumpet, which allow a greater number of notes that it can play by extending the length of the tube.

[king1]

I would hazard a guess that the ones using Bugles are true bugle players, the others using trumpets are just from the local army band or similar and aren't really comfortable playing a bugle... or there is a shortage of bugles on ANZAC day

[Zurdo]

At an uncles funeral many years ago the RSA was there, and they played The Last Post - on a tape recorder !

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Oh I read it Roscoe, I read all your posts, never fear. I just have no idea why the trumpet has replaced the bugle, and actually don't see the difference, nor hear it, not being a fan of horns played loudly. But I guess you could google it, bound to be an answer on google, there seems to be one for just about every question under the Sun...

As for do I know what a Cenotaph is, yes. I did Latin at school and my grandfather spoke it, along with ancient Greek which is where the word originated. Family of nerds we were, warrior nerds at that...

[Kenj]

Roscoe has always thought the world was full of people who don't understand him. Aye Roscoe?

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Roscoe has always thought the world was full of people who don't understand him. Aye Roscoe?

I just love an excuse to convolute a conversation...