1556—Siena, Italy

Because of political changes and financial difficulties, the city’s wind band is decreased from at least 7 full-time musicians to 5 players: 3 pifferi and 2 trombonists. A new set of statutes is drawn up for the ensemble, stating that the musicians, with their “flutes, trombones, and cornetts,” are to be “in constant readiness to play for the captain of the people and the lord priors [city rulers]” at all the required times and occasions decided upon by the ruling bodies (D’Accone, Civic Muse 577).