What components make military music especially rousing?

Question

If someone were going to compose a piece of military music to especially rousing, what components would they be looking to emphasize? Like is there a certain key or time that military music is often played in that makes it especially rousing? What components of the brass section would the composer emphasize? I feel like the trombone and snare drums are instruments often emphasized; are there any others? Basically, are there any heuristics a composer might use if commissioned by some government to make young men willingly go into battle?

Answer 1

Traditional European military music emphasizes march rhythms, brass sections (primarily trumpets, not just trombones), and drums. But a lot depends on the culture/time. I would imagine rock music and its various descendants would be equally if not more effective around much of the world today, and (for instance) bagpipes are often referenced in descriptions of Scottish military events.