British Army Quadrille by Louis-Antoine Jullien –

The British Army Quadrille, performed with enormous success at the Agricultural Hall Concerts.



The British Army Quadrille was an immensely popular piece of music composed by M. Jullien (1812-1860) in 1846, it was arranged to be accompanied by four military bands. This particular version was published to accompany the revival of the piece in 1867. This music was not a Quadrille set to be danced to, rather it was a performance piece for use at the Promenade Concerts that Jullien himself conducted in the 1840s.

The Examiner newspaper for the 17th October 1846 advertised on Jullien's behalf: "Notwithstanding, however, the shortness of the Season, M. Jullien has determined to present to his patrons every possible attraction, and has made such arrangements as will afford them Four Weeks of Unrivalled Musical Entertainment. During the recess he has composed a new Grand Descriptive Military Quadrille, to be entitled "THE BRITISH ARMY QUADRILLE," and intended as a companion to "The British Navy," which was, last winter, honoured with such distinguished approbation. In order to render complete the Grand and Novel Effects introduced in this Piece of Music, M. Jullien has (by the kind condescension of the Military Authorities) succeeded in engaging, (entirely in addition to his own complete and numerous Orchestra,) FOUR DISTINCT MILITARY BANDS. ... These Four Grand Military Bands will, during the progress of the Quadrille, be combined with the Concert Orchestra, and form a Musical Ensemble, at once novel and extraordinary. The whole conducted by M. JULLIEN."


The music was posthumously revived in 1867. The Times newspaper for the 6th August 1867 advertised: "Jullien's British Army Quadrille, Revived, with Enormous Success, at the Fairy Palace Concerts, Agricultural Hall. This Evening, and every evening until further notice, the BRITISH ARMY QUADRILLE, with all the effects introduced at the popular concerts of the late M. Jullien. ... Admission 1s."

A review published a few days later in Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper for 18th August 1867 offered further details: "The extraordinary attractions of this "Fairy Palace" are being continually augmented. Last week the programme underwent an entire change, and several special features were introduced. The most striking of these was the revival of Jullien's celebrated British Army Quadrille, which was produced with the most extraordinary effects. The grand orchestra, conducted by Mr Kingsbury, was strengthened by the addition of four military bands, under the direction of Mr Dan Godfrey, which were introduced at intervals from various parts of the building. When the signal was given, drums and fifes were heard in the distance, and shortly after the band of grenadier guards marched into the building, playing grandly. The bagpipes of the Scots fusilier guards were then added; and in a few moments martial strains were heard in the gallery. The band of the St George's rifles appeared, and marched down on either side of the dais, and further increased the immense band in the orchestra. The united bands then played together, the effect being heightened by a discharge of artillery from without. When the bands played the "National Anthem" at the conclusion, the audience, which numbered upwards of ten thousand persons, rose en masse, and cheered vociferously."

The publication itself was advertised for sale in the Illustrated London News for the 10th August 1867: "The British Army Quadrille. Enormous success of this Popular Quadrille at the Agricultural Hall. Arranged for the Pianoforte, 4s; Duet, 5s. Metzler and Co., 37, Great Marlborough-street, W."