Reveille is perhaps always the most iconic and well-known of the military beatings. The French reveille, La Diane, is therefore an essential beating to start the morning at any re-enactment for a French impression from 1754 (French and Indian War era) through to the mid-19th century.
Continue reading to learn more about the historic function of La Diane.
We’ll also discuss practice tips to learn how to perform the Single Drag version of the French La Diane.
- Important Note: You will need to comfortably play a 5-Stroke Rolls, 9-Stroke Rolls, and Single Drags.
Main Purpose of La Diane
La Diane is the French reveille.
La Diane was played at daybreak as a signal for the soldiers to awaken and prepare for the day.
If the entire army was to march, La Diane was replaced with La Générale.
If only part of the army was to march, La Diane was replaced with Aux Champs.
When in a garrison, the drummers of the port guard mount the parapet, during which the guard would come with arms and listen to see if anything is happening outside the gate before opening it.
In campaign, the drummer of the camp guard beats La Diane, probably at the Place D’Armes or by the Colonel’s tent.
For more information, see:
- Ordonnance…service de l’Infanterie en Campagne 1753, 15; 56-7; 59
- Ordonnance … Concernant les Gouverneurs … 1750, 47
- Guignard 1725, 695-6
Ceremonial Use of La Diane
La Diane could also be used as a salute to an Officer on his reception or his Feast Day.
There is a Napoleonic beating, called Le Rigodon D’Honneur, which is used to signify honors of some kind. This beating is an embellishment of Le Rigodon, changing the single drags into Bâton Méle or stick tricks. This embellished beating probably originates from the use of La Diane / Le Rigodon as a salute to officers.
For more information, see:
- Guignard 1725, 695-6
Performing La Diane
Unfortunately, there is no fife or drum music for La Diane in the 1754 ordinance.
Instead, the first written version comes in the 1803 Ordonnance des Tambous et Fifres de La Garde Imperiale, titled “La Diane ou Rigodon.”
By the 1831 Batteries et Sonneries de L’Infanterie Française, La Diane is only written as a drum beating, this time a double drag in 6/8. Learn how to perform this Double Drag La Diane.
A Single Drag beating consists of quick single drags and triplet-based 5-stroke rolls.
La Diane breaks down into a Line A and Line B. Line A breaks down into Phrase 1, played 4 times over. Line B breaks down into Phrase 2 and Phrase 3.
Phrase 1
Line A of La Diane is essentially just one Phrase repeated four times over.
Below, I’ve broken Phrase 1 into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control to improve your 5-stroke rolls and Single Drags.
Special Notes
Set the metronome to 120bpm. The accents all line up with the strong click.
Keep your Single Drags tight and quick, with sharp accents.
Be very clear as you shift from 5-stroke rolls into Single Drags. They need to sound distinct from one another. In your Single Drags, don’t bounce the hard stroke in the drag.
Line A
To bring Line A together, we do have to make some slightly alterations:
- Phrase 1
- Phrase 1 – starts with a 9-stroke roll
- A left-hand 5-stroke roll
- 2x
In La Diane, there is typically a left 5-stroke roll at the end of the Line that bridges you back to the beginning of the line. We’ll see this again in Line B.
Fun Fact: For any drummers familiar with Ashworth’s ‘The Hessian’, from the American Reveille, you should notice the similarity with The Hessian’s Line A and La Diane’s Line A. If you replace the first 5-stroke roll and 9-stroke roll with a 7, you’d have the same opening.
Phrase 2
Line B of La Diane breaks down into two similar phrases.
Note: In the original, it appears to begin with a Single Drag. My interpretation opens with a 5-stroke roll, as this seems more likely opening.
Below, I’ve broken Phrase 2 into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control to improve your 5-stroke rolls and Single Drags.
Special Notes
Set the metronome to 120bpm. The accents all line up with the strong click.
Keep your Single Drags tight and quick, with sharp accents.
Phrase 3
Line B ends with Phrase 3, which is quite similar to Phrase 2.
Note: In the original, it appears to begin with a Single Drag. My interpretation opens with a 5-stroke roll, as this seems more likely opening.
If you’ve completed the exercises above, you should be able to play Phrase 3 with ease.
Line B
To bring Line B together, we play:
- Phrase 2
- Phrase 3
- A left-hand 5-stroke roll
- Phrase 2
- Phrase 3
Fun Fact: Line the A Line is nearly identical to Line A of ‘The Hessian’, the B Line also shares many similarities. Ashworth’s ‘The Hessian’ is just Phrase 3 twice.
La Diane
To play the full beating, we’ll play:
- Line A: 1, 1 [with 9-stroke roll], [5-stroke roll] – 2x
- Line B: 2, 3, [5-stroke roll], 2, 3
Special Notes
Make sure to keep each Single Drag quick and tight.
Play the accents in the Single Drags and 5-stroke rolls sharp to make a clean, interesting dynamics throughout the beating.
Single Drag beatings should feel light, airy, and upbeat.
Conclusion
La Diane is a great beating to know to start the day at every event. It’s also good to have as a salute for any kind of ceremonial salute or celebration.
While we don’t have evidence of this beating prior to 1803, its existence as the American Hessian beating tells us that the beating is much older. Most likely, this beating is appropriate for a French impression as early as 1750s. Its certainly appropriate for the Revolutionary War-era and early Napoleonic Wars.
For Napoleonic Wars and later, see the Double Drag version of La Diane.
Want to learn more about the history of these French rudiments? Check out:
- History of the 5-Stroke Roll
- Practice Guide: Triplet 5-Stroke Rolls in The Three Camps
- History of the Single and Double Drags
Interested in learning how to perform other important French beatings? Check out:
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