Brass instruments played an important role in the regiment. When it first mustered in 1815, the unit had seven trumpeters; upon arrival in Landshut, two more trumpeters joined; by 1817, historical records show that the cavalry band (or Trumpeterkorps) was sixteen musicians strong, their music used for both signaling and ceremonial purposes. They played the Trabmarsch by Karl Zikoff for parading at trot and Carl Latann’s Frei weg! at gallop. The cavalry’s presentation march (Präsentiermarsch) was accompanied by Eduard Hayn’s 1824 Langsamer Marsch.

Before Franz Ferdinand served as Inhaber of the heavy cavalry regiment, the symbolic role was held by his cousin, Crown Prince Archduke Rudolf of Austria. Rudolf also met a tragic end: he was discovered dead in 1889 after an apparent murder-suicide pact with his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera. His death put Ferdinand in line for the throne. And Ferdinand’s assassination would spawn the conflict that became the 2nd Royal Bavarian Heavy Cavalry’s final charge.