What is the Fife in fife and drum?

A fife /ˈfaɪf/ is a small, high-pitched, transverse aerophone, that is similar to the piccolo. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in Fife and Drum Corps, military units, and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer.

What was the purpose of a fife and drum corps?

The music in General Washington’s continental army consisted of fife and drum corps. What was the music’s purpose? During the Revolution, the army used fifes and drums not only to boost morale but also for communication and regimentation.

What is a fife?

: a small transverse flute with six to eight finger holes and usually no keys.

What is a fife and drum muster?

The heart of the Fife and Drum community is the “Ancient” Muster. At these events corps gather, conduct a parade and performance exhibition, and socialize. Here you will find detail on when and where these events are occurring.

Is Edinburgh in fife?

The Kingdom of Fife is just 20 minutes away from central Edinburgh by train. You’ll cross the famous Forth Rail Bridge – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – on the way there.

Where did fife and drum originate?

Switzerland
The first time that they were used together in a form which we would recognize as “fife & drum” was in Switzerland. The Swiss had won their freedom in 1291, and had become famous for the bravery and excellence of their military.

What is the famous Revolutionary War song?

The Liberty Song is an early American ballad composed by John Dickinson, and is often attributed as the origin of the phrase: “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

What type of instrument is a fife?

flute
fife, small transverse (side-blown) flute with six finger holes and a narrow cylindrical bore that produces a high pitch and shrill tone. The modern fife, pitched to the A♭ above middle C, is about 15.5 inches (39 cm) long and often has an added E♭ hole covered by a key. Its compass is about two octaves.

Where did drum corps come from?

Within the mainland United States drum and bugle corps can trace their origins to the many Veterans of Foreign Wars (“VFW”) and American Legion (“AL”) meeting halls, where First World War and Spanish–American War veterans met and formed musical ensembles to entertain their communities, some of them being veterans of …

What is the Deep River Muster?

The DRAM is the oldest and largest gathering of fife and drum participants and enthusiasts in the world and has been referred to as “The Granddaddy of All Musters”, and “A Colonial Woodstock”.

What does fife mean in Scotland?

fifenoun. A small shrill pipe, resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music. Fifenoun. A traditional county of Scotland now a Unitary Authority, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with landward boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire.

What does Fife mean in Scotland?

What is the history of the Fife?

Antedating the orchestral transverse flute, the fife is first attested in Europe during the 12th century. From the time of the Crusades it has been played with cylindrical side drums as an infantry instrument, notably in Switzerland and Germany. It is a folk instrument in Spain and in the Alps and Carpathians.

How long is a fife?

The modern fife, pitched to the A♭ above middle C, is about 15.5 inches (39 cm) long and often has an added E♭ hole covered by a key. Its compass is about two octaves. Fifes of conical bore have also been made since the 19th century.

What is the difference between marching band and drum corps?

Whereas a marching band will include flutes, clarinets and saxophones, a drum and bugle corps utilizes only brass and percussion and color guard (no woodwind instruments) and they are not affiliated with a school or college.

What does DCI stand for in band?

Drum Corps International (DCI), formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing, oversight and sanctioning body for North American drum and bugle corps, whose members are under 22 years of age.

What is the difference between a fife and a drum?

Fifes have been in use by military organizations (in their modern form) since the 16th century. Fifes originally accompanied companies of soldiers, providing music while on the march and in camp. Drums have had a role in militaries going back farther in history.

Why is the Fife and drum so important to the military?

Before radios, phones, or drones, the unique frequencies of the fife and drum were chosen for their ability to carry over long distances and cut through the fury of combat. “To Arms” was a general alarm, used when the army was surprised.

What is ancient fife and drum corps?

A Fife and Drum Corps is a musical ensemble that consists of flutes or fifes and drums. In the United States, fife and drum corps specializing in colonial period impressions with wooden fifes and wooden rope tension snare drums and bass drums are known as Ancient Fife and Drum Corps. These ensembles originated as at type of military field music.

What is a Fife?

A fife is a woodwind instrument in the transverse flute family, which sounds an octave above the written music and has 6 tone holes (some have 10 or 11 tone holes for added chromatics ).