La Retraite: Learn the French Retreat

La Retraite is a particularly useful beating to learn to improve both your functionality in battle recreations as well as add more ceremonial flair to camp life.

This beating should be an essential call for any French impression from at least 1754 (French and Indian War era) through to the mid-19^th century.

Continue reading to learn more about the historic function of La Retraite, as well as practice tips for learning how to performing the beating.

• Important Note: You will need to comfortably play a Ra Simple / French 4-Stroke Roll, a 9-Stroke Roll, and alternating Flams in order to perform this beating.

Main Purpose of La Retraite

La Retraite was beaten every day at sunset to signal the end of the work day. This was 8pm from No 1 until Easter and 9pm from Easter until Nov 1.

At La Retraite, the piquets formed for inspection, during which their weapons were checked and then returned to the Place D’Armes. After La Retraite, the flags were folded and stored by the Corporal and Sergeant of the piquet.

On campaign, at this time, all fires should be extinguished and then the men should be sent to their tents. Anyone found wandering after this time should be arrested by the guard

In a gated town or garrison, an hour after La Retraite, the doors of the garrison were closed.

All the drummers of the regiment performed La Retraite together while marching along the front of the regiment. When there were barracks, they were to beat for 500 paces around the barracks (which would take about 8-9 minutes). If in a city or large garrison, the drummers of the guard mounted the parapet to play while the rest of the drummers marched through the town – separating and going along their assigned routes until they reached the end.

For more information, see:

• Code Militaire 1728, vol. 1, vol. 1, 64; 364
• Ordonnance … Concernant les Gouverneurs … 1750, 44; 46; 55-56
• Ordonnance…service de l’Infanterie en Campagne 1753, 17-18; 28
• D’Hericourt 1756, vol. 2, 35-36; 153; 169

Battlefield Use of La Retraite

When used in battle, La Retraite meant to form a column of retreat.

Performed:

2 Strokes + 2 Rolls + La Retraite

The guard drummers beat the strokes and rolls. La Retraite was taken up by the rest of the drummers as a cadence to form and then march in the column of retreat.

When the drums ceased, the soldiers halted and faced outward to form the square.

To reform the Line of Battle, the Drummers beat Le Drapeau or used Aux Champs.

In a similar fashion, the Drummers could signal to Form a Column of Attack with L’Assemblée or use Aux Champs for various other columns.

For more information, see:

• Instruction sur l’Exercice de l’Infanterie 1753, 33; 49-50
• Ordonnance … sur l’Exercice de l’Infanterie 1755, 198

Signal to Beat La Retraite

To signal La Retraite, the Major (Drum Major?) would use his sword or cane as follows:

1753 Version:

• Grasp the cane in the middle.
• Arm outstretched in front of the body at the height of the tie, wrist turned inward.  

1755 Version:

• The sword crossed behind his back.

Performing La Retraite

In the 1754 version, La Retraite is written in Cut Time.

As expected, Instruction des Tambours (1754) clearly indicates that La Retraite is performed at 60bpm.

• In later 19^th century versions, it’s clear that La Retraite is meant to be an opportunity for virtuosic performance.
• There appears to be a common variation of La Retraite in 3/4, meant to be performed at the halt.
• The most common embellishment is to transform the flams into Inverted Flam Taps (Coup Anglais).

Advice on Tempo and Rhythm

Despite being performed at 60bpm, this beating has some quick movements.

To help us get this movements clean and keep the tempo accurate, we’ll utilize a metronome set with subdivisions on the eighth notes.

Want to learn more about how to improve your Tempo and use metronomes for productive practicing? Check out my Tempo Practice Guide.

Set the Metronome

Let’s start by setting the Metronome to subdivide eighth notes so we can develop our internal rhythm.

1. Set the Metronome to 120bpm.
2. If you can, set the Metronome to 2 clicks.
   • My metronome lets me use different sounds. I prefer a strong click, followed by one soft click.  
3. The metronome is now playing at 60bpm, but is subdividing as eighth notes (1 & 2 &).  
   • This means what you hear are eighth notes at 60bpms.
   • The strong click is each step and the weak click the middle of the beat.

Phrase 1

La Retraite breaks down into 3 or 4 phrases, depending on how you want to think about it. We’ll break it into 3 phrases for ease.

The most difficult part of Phrase 1 is the tightness of the 9-Stroke Roll. Notice that in the original music it’s notated as 32^nd notes. That means, once we play this in cut time, that we need to play a duple 64^th note 9-stroke roll.

Want to learn more about roll skeletons and understanding the rhythm of Double Stroke Rolls? Check out my blog post about Roll Skeletons and Why You Should Use Them To Practice Rolls.  

Below, I’ve broken Phrase 1 down into simple exercises to build proper rhythm control and tempo.

Note: In these exercises, the right hand will line up with a click from the metronome. 

Special Notes

To help push through the tight 9-stroke roll, keep your sticks low to the head.

Phrase 2

Much like many of the 6/4 beatings, La Retraite also displays some “Swiss Army Triplet”-like sticking.

The trick to Phrase 2 is performing these quick flams cleanly and with the correct sticking.

For more tips and tricks on “Swiss Army Triplets”, check out how to play the beating L’Assemblée or Le Drapeau.

Below, I’ve broken Phrase 2 down into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.

Note: In these exercises, the right-hand Flams will all align with a click on the metronome. The left-hand flam must come between the clicks.

Special Notes

Really focus on the right-hand dominate movement. Let your right hand drive the tempo by following the metronome.  

Phrase 3

Phrase 3 incorporates Phrase 2, but with more elements.

The trick to Phrase 3 is keep a clean Ra Simple (4-Stroke Roll).

To develop a clean Ra Simple here, see some tips for performing Aux Champs or my Practice Guide for Ra Simple.

Below, I’ve broken Phrase 3 down into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.

Note: In these exercises, nearly all Flams will align with a click on the metronome. The Ra Simple must start after the weak click.

Special Notes

Make sure to play a strong Ra Simple by starting the roll after the weak click.

Focus on keeping the flams on the clicks. After the Ra Simple or quick Flam movement, the tendency will be to rush into the next set of flams.

La Retraite

To play the full beating, we’ll play:

Phrase 1 + Phrase 2 + Phrase 3

Special Notes

Focus on the amount of rest between each phrase – use the weak click to keep you from rushing the beginning of the next phrase.

La Retraite: Embellishments

For any advanced drummers interested in developing their skills with some French embellishments, here are two variations of La Retraite by Nociel (1863).

This version utilizes:

• Inverted Flam Taps
• Ra Simple, inserted into a string of 16th notes
• French Saute rudiments

Conclusion

La Retraite is a very under-utilized beating at events. It can be used to add variety to the battlefield recreation, should your unit need to retreat.

More interestingly, it can be used to mark the end of the day – either the hour when the event closes to visitors or the end of the night when curfew starts.

La Retraite is also a great opportunity for more advanced musicians to flex some of their skills and attempt to incorporate some embellishments into the beating if you play the beating several times over.

Luckily, the beating does not appear to change from the 1754 version through to the 1831 ordonnance. This makes this beating fit French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Napoleonic War era impressions. Napoleonic and later impressions should certainly explore the variations, though these might be equally appropriate for any time period.

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Want to learn more about the history of these French rudiments? Check out:

• History of the Ra Simple / French 4-Stroke Roll
• Practice Guide: Ra Simple
• History of Flam Rudiments

Interested in learning how to perform other important French beatings? Check out:

• L’Assemblée
• Le Drapeau
• La Générale
• Aux Champs
• La Diane – Single Drag
• La Diane – Double Drag 

Need more help improving your Tempo?

• Tips for Improving Your Tempo