The performance took place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, with the historic bugle call ringing out from the tower of St. Mary’s Basilica in Kraków’s Main Market Square, as is tradition, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The pair of US Army trumpeters are members of the Topside Brass Band, affiliated with the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, which is currently touring Poland, according to officials.
Natalia Waberisch, a spokeswoman for the US Consulate General in Kraków, told PAP that the consulate had invited the two soldiers to play St. Mary’s Trumpet Call as it is “a very unique musical piece, intimately connected with the city of Kraków.”
Following Saturday’s performance, the US Army trumpeters were visibly emotional, telling reporters it had been “a special moment” for them, according to the PAP news agency.
The American soldiers said that while learning to play St. Mary’s Trumpet Call, they also learned about the history of this time-honoured piece of music, and the legend surrounding it, PAP reported.
Topside, a New Orleans-style brass band stationed in Naples, Italy, arrived in Poland for a series of free concerts, according to officials.
After a concert in Kraków on Friday, the US army band was scheduled to play the southern cities of Tarnów, Busko Zdrój, Sandomierz and Kielce between June 17 and 20, with a set list combining traditional New Orleans jazz pieces, global pop smashes and Polish hit songs, the PAP news agency reported.
Topside regularly tours Europe and Africa, giving around 100 concerts a year, Wabersich said.
Topside perform at Kraków's Main Market Square on Friday. PAP/Łukasz Gągulski
Kraków’s St. Mary’s Trumpet Call
St. Mary’s Trumpet Call is played every hour, on the hour, by members of Kraków’s fire brigade who are on fire-spotting duty in the highest tower of St. Mary’s Basilica, the PAP news agency reported.
Since 1927, the noon performance has been aired live by public broadcaster Polish Radio.
The bugle call’s origins and author are unknown, but the earliest written mention dates back to 1392, historians said.
According to popular legend, during the 1241 Mongol invasion of Poland, a sentry on duty in the St. Mary’s Basilica tower spotted the approach of the Mongol hordes and launched into St. Mary’s Trumpet Call to warn of the incoming attack.
Thanks to his warning, officials managed to close the city gates, but the trumpeter was shot in the throat by a Mongol arrow in mid-song, the legend says.
The trumpeter was killed, bringing the bugle call to an abrupt end, and to this day, each performance of St. Mary’s Trumpet Call concludes in a similar abrupt fashion, the PAP news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, rmf24.pl