Fanfare orchestra

A Fanfare Orchestra (Dutch Fanfareorkest, French Harmonie-fanfare) is a type of brass band consisting of the entire saxhorn family, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone), as well as percussion. They are seldom seen outside of Europe, with a high concentration of these bands in Belgium and the Netherlands, many of them civil bands with a few Dutch bands also serving the Armed forces of the Netherlands and its veterans.

Bands sporting similar instruments are also active in France, Luxembourg and in Germany, many of these German bands sporting fanfare band titles as several of them started up as these. Switzerland, Portugal, Lithuania and Norway have few such civil bands.

Starting in the 19th century, the adoption of the British brass band tradition in several countries in Europe as well as the enduring tradition of military bands made their way into the formation of the fanfare orchestra in the Low Countries. It is a type of brass band but with saxophones added, while also sporting extra brass instruments.

The civil fanfare orchestra exists not just to provide entertainment through music but also for the preservation of local musical traditions. As such the orchestra plays not just in concerts but also in civil events and celebrations.

Fanfare orchestras affiliated to the Dutch military also perform in events involving the armed services and military veterans in the Netherlands.

The German variant band, through, would or would not use saxophones depending on necessity. Few bands use drum and bugle corps instruments alongside the standard brass instruments.

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Wikipedia