First call
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 | This article needs attention from an expert in Military history. The specific problem is: The First Call bugle call has a French origin; the history and adaptation within American culture needs to be much more thoroughly explained.. (May 2026) |
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"First Call" is a bugle call used in America primarily in three contexts: the U.S. Army; the U.S. Navy; and horse racing.
U.S. Army use
At a U.S. ground military installation (mainly the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force), it is a pre-reveille "courtesy" signal, sounded around 05:50, originally to assemble the trumpeters to deliver the reveille that is delivered at 06:00. Some locations also sound it a few minutes before "Retreat" (lowering the flag at the end of the day).[1]
In other military contexts,[<span title="Script error: No such module "decodeEncode".">clarification needed] it is used (e.g., 5 minutes) before sounding "Assembly" for any particular formation.[1]
In contemporary practice, Army bugle calls are typically performed only on weekdays (Monday through Friday), with the First Call at 06:25, the Reveille at 06:30, a Retreat (To the Color) at 17:00, and finally Taps at 21:00.[2]
U.S. Navy use
On ships of the U.S. Navy, "First Call" is sounded at 07:55, five minutes ahead of "Morning Colors" (raising the national ensign), and 5 minutes before "Evening Colors" (lowering the national ensign). In the absence of a bugle, the word is passed: "First call, first call to colors."[3]
The same ceremony takes place on shore establishments, but not on ships underway.[3]
Horse racing
At a horse race, "First call" is a signal that all mounts should be at the paddock exit in order to proceed to the track to begin the post parade. This started to be used at horse races before the 1860s.[4]
The tune is usually sounded by a bugler five to ten minutes before the scheduled start time of the race.[4]
The call serves a similar purpose in dog racing. When "First call" is used for this purpose, it is usually referred to as the "Call to the Post".[5]
Score
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title = "First call" tagline = ##f
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\partial 8
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g8-. \times 2/3 { g16 g16 g16 } g8-.
e8-. \times 2/3 { e16 e16 e16 } e8-.
c8-. e8-. c8-.
g8 r8 \times 2/3 { g16 c16 e16 }
g8-. \times 2/3 { g16 g16 g16 } g8-.
g8-. e8-. c8-.
g8-. \times 2/3 { g16 g16 g16 } g8-.
c4\fermata
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\midi { }
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Japanese horse racing
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". In Japan, a "fanfare" is played or performed just before the actual race starts, rather than five to ten minutes before, in order to proceed to the gates.[6] The practice started in 1959, when the Japan Racing Association started playing Bahn Frei! by Eduard Strauss after Radio Nikkei started to use the song for their radio broadcast to signify listeners that the race was about to start.[7]
The current fanfares adopted by the JRA were introduced in the late 1980s, with Koichi Sugiyama composing the fanfares used in Tokyo and Nakayama Racecourses.[8]
To date, the JRA uses 21 fanfares depending on the racecourse and the race grade that is about to start.[8]
"First call" is also used as a fanfare at Funabashi Racecourse, a regional horse race track in Japan.[citation needed]
See also
References
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- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Villanueva, Jari (2026-05-10). "First Call and Call to the Post". Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bugle Calls". Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Naval traditions about flags". Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ellis, Laura (2018-05-04). "Curious Derby: What's The Origin Of The Call To The Post?".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."A Last Hurrah for Hollywood Park". The New York Times. 2013-12-15. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."ファンファーレ（競馬用語辞典） JRA". Japan Racing Association (in 日本語). Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."競馬中継60年～あの日、あの時、競馬場で【3】". Radio Nikkei (in 日本語). 2016-04-26. Archived from the original on 2021-04-04. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Yoshida, Tetsuya (2021-12-24). "【有馬記念 Ｇ１ファンファーレ物語２】レース直前に曲を流すのは日本特有の文化". UMATOKU (in 日本語). Sports Hochi. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
Bibliography
External multimedia
- MP3 file, RealMedia file, FAS.org
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