Fife from the American Civil War A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer. The word fife comes from the German Pfeife, or pipe, ultimately derived from the Latin word pipare. Fife-wooden, civil war era. ...
Fife-wooden, civil war era. ...
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. ...
The piccolo is a small flute. ...
An American college marching band on the field (University of Texas) A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who generally perform outdoors, and who incorporate movement – usually some type of marching – with their musical performance. ...
Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...
Physical description
The fife is a simple instrument usually consisting of a tube with 6 finger holes, and diatonically tuned. Some have 10 or 11 holes for added chromatics. The fife also has an embouchure hole across which the player blows, and a cork or plug inside the tube just above the embouchure hole. Some nineteenth-century fifes had a key pressed by the little finger of the right hand in place of a seventh finger hole. In Music theory, the diatonic major scale (also known as the Guido scale), from the Greek diatonikos or to stretch out, is a fundamental building block of the European-influenced musical tradition. ...
In music, the total chromatic is the collection of all twelve equal tempered pitch classess of the chromatic scale. ...
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of a wind instrument. ...
Fifes are made mostly of wood: grenadilla, rosewood, mopane, pink-ivory, cocobolo, boxwood and other dense woods are superior; maple and persimmon are inferior, but often used. Some Caribbean music makes use of bamboo fifes. Grenadilla is a name given to a number of different African black woods, most commonly Dalbergia melanoxylon (sometimes known as Mpingo). ...
This article is about a variety of timber. ...
Binomial name Colophospermum mopane (Kirk ex Benth. ...
Cocobolo is a hardwood from Central America yielded by two to four closely related species of the genus Dalbergia. ...
This article is about the box tree. ...
Distribution Species See List of Acer species Maples are trees or shrubs in the genus Acer. ...
Species See text A Persimmon is any of a number of species of trees of the genus Diospyros, and the edible fruit borne by them. ...
The music of the Caribbean is a diverse grouping of musical genres. ...
Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ...
Military and marching fifes have metal reinforcing bands around the ends to protect them from damage. These bands are called ferrules. Fifes used in less strenuous conditions sometimes have a lathe-turned, knob-like decoration at the ends for similar reasons. Some fifes are entirely made of metal or plastic. Some modern fifes are of two-piece construction with a sliding tuning joint similar to some recorders. In music, tuning is the process of producing or preparing to produce a certain pitch in relation to another, usually at the unison but often at some other interval. ...
Various recorders The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes — whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina. ...
Key and range Marching fifes typically play in the key of B flat. Fifes in the key of D and C are also common, and fifes in various other keys are sometimes played in musical ensembles. Fife music is commonly written in the key of D, and played as though the fife played in that key (playing notes D, E, F#, G, A, B and C# as finger holes are uncovered in succession) regardless of what key in which the fife actually plays. The fife sounds an octave above the written music. In music theory, the key identifies the tonic triad, the chord, major or minor, which represents the final point of rest for a piece, or the focal point of a section. ...
Like the Irish flute and the tinwhistle, the fife is a six-hole simple system flute. These flutes are unable to play all chromatic pitches, and many chromatic pitches that they can play are grossly out of tune. This tuning irregularity is part of the unique sound of the fife. Because of these restrictions on available notes the common six-hole fife is really only capable of playing in the keys of G, D, maybe A, and their relative minors. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
Tin whistles in a variety of makes and keys The tin whistle, also called the flageolet, pennywhistle, Irish whistle, or simply whistle, is a simple six-holed breath instrument. ...
In music, chromatic indicates the inclusion of notes not in the prevailing scale and is also used for those notes themselves (Shir-Cliff et al 1965, p. ...
An experienced fife player can play 3 full octaves although the fingering patterns necessary for playing in the third octave can be daunting to a beginner. Marching bands typically play only in the second and third octave since these are the loudest and most penetrating. In music, an octave (sometimes abbreviated 8ve or P8) is the interval between one musical note and another with half or double its frequency. ...
The fife in folk music The fife originated in fourteenth century Switzerland and spread throughout Europe by Swiss mercenaries. In medieval Europe, it was used in some folk music traditions to accompany dancing by all social classes. Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the...
Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) generally refers to movement used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. ...
The fife was one of the most important musical instruments in America's Colonial period, even more widespread than the violin or piano. The fife can still be heard in some Appalachian folk music, playing lively dance tunes. American slaves adopted fifes in their musical traditions, which derived from African music. African-American fife-and-drum music was one of the many sources of Blues music. The fife and drum tradition continued throughout the twentieth century, but is dying out. One of the most famous artists in the tradition was Othar Turner, a musician from Mississippi who played Blues on homemade cane fifes. Turner died on February 27, 2003. It has been suggested that Warning out of town be merged into this article or section. ...
The violin is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. ...
A short grand piano, with the top up. ...
Appalachian folk music is a distinctive genre of folk music originating in the Appalachia region of the United States of America. ...
This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...
Hand drumming has a significant role in African music]] African music is as vast and varied as the continents many nations and ethnic groups, so a general description of African music is not possible. ...
Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on the use of the blue notes and a repetitive pattern that most often follows a twelve-bar structure. ...
Othar Turner (aka Otha Turner) (June 2, 1908 – February 26, 2003), was one of the last well-known fife players in the vanishing American fife and drum musical tradition. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
There remains an active and enthusiastic group, primarily in the northeastern United States, that continues to play fife and drum music in a folk tradition that has gone on since just after the American Civil War. The center of this activity is in eastern Connecticut. There is a loose federation of corps, though not a governing body, called The Company of Fifers and Drummers, which maintains a headquarters and museum in Ivoryton, Connecticut.
Fife alone, or fife and drum is also used in numerous European countries, especially in the South of France (Occitany) : Languedoc and county of Nice, and in the province of Ulster in Ireland where it is played as an accompaniment to the lambeg drum The lambeg is a large Irish drum beaten with curved malacca canes. ...
Modern players of Celtic music, including folk-rock, sometimes include fifing in their arrangements. The Junkanoo festival of the Bahamas and Jamaica includes the music of bamboo fifes. Celtic music is a term utilized by record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic peoples of Western Europe. ...
Folk rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. ...
Junkanoo is a street parade with music, which occurs in many towns across the Bahamas every Boxing Day (December 26) and New Years Day. ...
The fife in military music The fife is loud and piercing, yet also extremely small and portable. By some reports a military fife can be heard up to 3 miles away over artillery fire. These qualities made it useful for signaling on the battlefield by European armies beginning in the Renaissance period (See also Early modern warfare). Armies from Switzerland and southern Germany are known to have used the fife (Soldatenpfeife) as early as the 1400s. Swiss and German mercenaries were hired by monarchs throughout Western Europe, and they spread the practice of military fifing. By the 1500s, the fife was a standard instrument in European infantries. Download high resolution version (710x1220, 112 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Flutist Categories: Édouard Manet ...
Download high resolution version (710x1220, 112 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Flutist Categories: Édouard Manet ...
Édouard Manet (portrait by Nadar) Édouard Manet (January 23, 1832 - April 30, 1883) was a noted French painter. ...
Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ...
The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ...
Gunpowder warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive. ...
A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national of a Party to the conflict and is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a...
Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ...
Accompanied by a snare drum, the company's fifer was responsible for conveying orders in battle. These included orders to fire, retreat, advance, and so forth. The fifer also gave signals at camp such as the call to arms. While the infantry company marched, the drummer and fifer set the cadence. During marches, the fifer improvised tunes, creating variations on a theme while keeping the rhythm of the march. While the unit rested, the drummers and fifers played music to entertain the soldiers. The snare drum or side drum is a tubular drum made of wood or metal with skins, or heads, stretched over the top and bottom openings, and with a set of snares (cords) strethced across the bottom head. ...
Standard NATO code for a friendly infantry company. ...
Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ...
By the eighteenth century, the military use of the fife was regulated by armies throughout Europe and its colonies. The rank of Fife Major was introduced, a noncommissioned officer responsible for the regiment's fifers, just as a Drum Major was responsible for the drummers. Books of military regulations included standard fife calls to be used in battle or at camp. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), or NCO, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been delegated leadership or command authority by a commissioned officer. ...
British regiment A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - commanded by a colonel. ...
A high school drum major uses hand gestures to lead his band. ...
By the late nineteenth century, warfare was changing and fifes were no longer practical as combat signaling devices. British armies stopped using fifers in the 1890s; the United States stopped in 1904. 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ...
Today the fife's military legacy lives on in marching bands and fife and drum corps in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States and other former British colonies. These groups often emphasize historical reenactment alongside musical performance, sporting period military costumes. An Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is a traditional drum corps that plays fifes and wooden rope tension snare and bass drums. ...
Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...
Modern Fifes The modern era of fifing in America began in about 1880, with the popularizing of civilian fife and drum corps, in a musical tradition that has come to be known as Ancient fife and drum (or simply Ancient). The rise of these corps led to a demand for fifes that were superior in intonation and better suited for group playing than those used during the Civil War. This call was answered by the Cloos Company of Brooklyn, New York, and their Crosby Model fife. These fifes were one piece, cylindrical bore instruments with six irregularly sized and placed tone-holes. Anyone who compares a Cloos to a fife made prior to this time will immediately note how much easier the Cloos is to play, how much better tuned it is, and how much louder the sound produced by the Cloos is.
After the death of Cloos Company founder George Cloos in 1915, the company continued to make fifes under the aegis of his son Frederick until it was bought out by Penzel-Mueller in 1946. Penzel-Mueller continued to make Cloos fifes for another six years after the buyout. The Cloos fife was, and continues to be, a highly respected and sought-after instrument among fife players.
In the late 1950's McDonagh model fifes, designed by renowned fifer John McDonagh and made by Roy Seaman, began to come into popularity. These were two-piece instruments with a dual conical bore - the foot joint tapered down from the joint to about an inch before terminus, where the bore cone reversed itself and opened up again slightly. These fifes were notably more internally in tune than any previous fifes, and had the added value of being tunable with each other (by sliding the joint). In addition, they gave the player greater dynamic control and could be played even louder than traditional fifes. At first, only six hole (Model J) fifes were made, but within a few years, McDonagh designed and Seaman manufactured a 10-hole (Model L). Two of the holes were used by RH2 - covering only one of the two produced F natural. Some players found this quiet difficult, so eventually (c. 1970's), an 11 hole model was introduced, with both the original double RH2 holes and an RH thumb hole to choose from for the F natural.
Around this time, Roy Seaman decided to retire from actively manufacturing fifes. An apprentice, Larry Trout, took over the operation.
In 1997, John McDonagh, along with his fife study group, decided that the time had come to make some changes and updates to the original design. A new manufacturer, Wilson Woods, with critical oversight from Roy Seaman once again, produced the new fife, called the Regimental Model. Along with this new fife a number of fingering changes were suggested to take full advantage of the improved design. For a number of years, both Larry Trout and Wilson Woods made McDonagh fifes. Note that Larry Trout still produced the original version fife from around 1960. Both makers have discontinued making fifes as of 2003.
Most recently, The Cooperman Company, a Vermont-based maker of fifes and drums for the Ancient and reenacting communities, has taken over the manufacture of McDonagh fifes. Their new fifes most closely resemble the Wilson Woods Regimental models.
The early 1990's saw the emergence of The Healy Flute Company as a major player in fife manufacture. Skip Healy is a champion fife player and well-known Irish fluter from Rhode Island. His fifes are two-piece, six or ten hole instruments with a Boehm style bore (cylindrical foot and truncated parabolic head) and huge tone holes. Tuning is even further refined than on the McDonagh. The Healy also offers a bit more dynamic control than the McDonagh, though perhaps a bit less volume when pushed to the extreme.
Simultaneously with the emergence of the McDonagh fife, a maker named Ed Ferrary assumed the mantle of the now defunct Cloos company, producing traditional 6-hole cylindrical fifes. For those who continued to play traditional fifes, the Ferrary became the fife of choice. After Mr. Ferrary's death, his tooling and equipment was bought by a maker who prefers to remain anonymous, and who markets his fifes through outside sellers under the name "Model F".
The early 1960's saw the founding of The Cooperman Fife and Drum Company, founded by Patrick Cooperman. Cooperman fifes continued in the Cloos vein, with the significant addition of a plastic tube fife available at a very low price (still available and still under $10) and used by nearly every beginning fifer. By the mid 1970's, Cooperman had retired from his previous full time job and dedicated himself completely to making traditional fifes, drums and drumsticks for the Ancient community. The Cooperman Company has remained in operation and continued to grow and flourish under the control of other family members since Patrick's death in the mid 1990's. They make a wide variety of fife models, primarily of the traditional Ancient variety, but also including the McDonagh model (as discussed above).
Other current makers of traditional fifes include The Sweetheart Flute Company of Enfield, Connecticut, founded and run by Ralph Sweet, and the Peeler Fife Company of Moodus, Connecticut, owned and operated by Ron Peeler.
In the Ancient community, there are those who are also historical reenactors, and those who maintain close ties to their own groups' often lengthy history and tradition. These folks play the traditional fifes - Ferrary, Model F, Peeler, and some Sweet and Cooperman fifes. Groups with lesser ties to history and tradition and greater ties to musicality and competition usually choose McDonagh or Healy fifes. There seems to be a geographic distinction, with New York, New Jersey and western Connecticut groups pprefering McDonagh fifes and central to eastern Connecticut and the rest of New England playing Healy's.
A few other things to note: Ron Peeler makes exact reproductions of Firth and Pond fifes - down to the small, regular tone-holes - for use by the strictest of reenactors. He also makes a Firth and Pond cosmetic reproduction with larger tone-holes for playing in groups with more modern traditional fifes. His work is remarkably good. These fifes are the only correct Civil War reproduction fifes available. Most reenactors (though they may not realize it) are playing fifes that are reproductions of models that were popluarized in the 1950's. Ron has also experimented with reproductions from other eras, including War of 1812, and will produce custom reproduction fifes upon request.
Walt Sweet (Ralph's son) makes a fife that is cosmetically traditional (one piece, six hole), but has a Boehm style bore. It is called the Suffield model. He also makes a two-piece fife with a hidden joint and conical bore that is indistinguishable from a traditional fife from 10 feet away.
References - Brown, Howard Mayer, and Frank, Jaap, et al. "Fife." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie, Vol. 8. NY: Oxford University Press, 2001.
External links - Fife Tips & Tricks, articles pertaining to the playing of the fife.
- Blues and History, a biography of Othar Turner and a brief history of African-American fife and drum music.
- The Virginia State Garrison Fifes and Drums, a history of the development of the Virginia State Garrison Regiment fifes and drums and their representation today.
- Fife traditional music in the county of Nice (France).
- Fife fingering guide
- Ulster Scots and Scots Irish Fifing Music
- The Company of Fifers and Drummers, organization of corps and individuals who perpetuate the Ancient (U.S.) fife and drum tradition.
- E. Boyle , A man's dedication to teaching people how toplay the fife
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