The Deguello is a piece of martial music associated with the Mexican army. It is a bugle or trumpet call that signifies the intention to give no quarter and slaughter everyone of the enemy forces.
I first came across it in the novel Texas by James Michener. At the time, there was no internet, so I could only imagine what it sounded like. When Youtube finally enabled me to listen to it, I thought it was a beautiful piece that was inappropriate for its purpose and message. The version I like the most is this one in the soundtrack for the movie Rio Bravo. While most other versions only have the trumpet, the Rio Bravo version opens with a slow drum beat and continues with a slow trumpet. The trumpet is slower than in other versions that I have heard. It has no flourishes which I imagine is a signifier of its serious intent.
The Mexicans got it from the Spanish who (according to James Michener) allegedly got it from the Arabs/Moors. The title of the piece is from the Spanish word "degollar" which means throat cutting. A beautiful word for an ugly act.
203
Brevity Quest 2023