Off Season Rambling

[Tim K]

4 hours ago, traverbanking said:

The infantry (soldiers who marched on foot) used fifes because it takes both hands to play a fife. The cavalry (soldiers who rode a horse) needed one hand to hold the reins of the horse, so they could not play fifes. They played bugles.

Over the years I’ve visited Colonial Williamsburg and various Civil Ear battlefields. Colonial Williamsburg has devoted a great deal of time and energy into the history Fife and Drum units. Their Drummer’s Call Tattoo is the fife and drum corps equivalent to DCI  and Williamsburg and Yorktown are the fife and drum  equivalent of Blue Devils.

 I’m not sure if I heard this in Williamsburg, Yorktown, or Gettysburg or maybe even at the USS Constitution in Charlestown, MA but in the United States the transition from fifes to bugles was around the War of 1812. A major reason was new technology in warfare.  More powerful canons were developed and by the time of the Civil War rifles replaced muskets. With the newer weapons it was more difficult to hear the fifes. It was also easier to create distinct military calls with bugles than with fifes. 

In 2012 I went to Williamsburg between Allentown and Indy, too long a drive but that’s another story. While in uniform, the members of the fife and drum corps are in character and if you speak with any after the parade, they will answer questions as if they are teens from 1774-76. If you’ve never witnessed it, the parade through the “Revolutionary City” and military reenactment is impressive. Though I did not hear it from one of the members, I did learn that some of the drummers who are alums of Colonial Williamsburg have marched in 21st century drum corps. 

[IllianaLancerContra]

On 10/20/2022 at 12:30 PM, Tim K said:

Over the years I’ve visited Colonial Williamsburg and various Civil Ear battlefields. Colonial Williamsburg has devoted a great deal of time and energy into the history Fife and Drum units. Their Drummer’s Call Tattoo is the fife and drum corps equivalent to DCI  and Williamsburg and Yorktown are the fife and drum  equivalent of Blue Devils.

 I’m not sure if I heard this in Williamsburg, Yorktown, or Gettysburg or maybe even at the USS Constitution in Charlestown, MA but in the United States the transition from fifes to bugles was around the War of 1812. A major reason was new technology in warfare.  More powerful canons were developed and by the time of the Civil War rifles replaced muskets. With the newer weapons it was more difficult to hear the fifes. It was also easier to create distinct military calls with bugles than with fifes. 

In 2012 I went to Williamsburg between Allentown and Indy, too long a drive but that’s another story. While in uniform, the members of the fife and drum corps are in character and if you speak with any after the parade, they will answer questions as if they are teens from 1774-76. If you’ve never witnessed it, the parade through the “Revolutionary City” and military reenactment is impressive. Though I did not hear it from one of the members, I did learn that some of the drummers who are alums of Colonial Williamsburg have marched in 21st century drum corps. 

I’m in Yorktown, CW is just down the road.  All of the cast members (to use the Disney term) stay in character.  It is fun to engage them over whether they are on side of the Crown or the Revolution.  They get training as to how to make their argument in 1776 terms.   I recall a time when someone tried to get the Patrick Henry character to take a position on some 21st century issue; it was going well until a female politician was quoted; the PH character said ‘Well, this is what happens if you give women the sufferage’.  

Edited October 23, 2022 by IllianaLancerContra

[KVG_DC]

27 minutes ago, Tim K said:

Over the years I’ve visited Colonial Williamsburg and various Civil Ear battlefields. Colonial Williamsburg has devoted a great deal of time and energy into the history Fife and Drum units. Their Drummer’s Call Tattoo is the fife and drum corps equivalent to DCI  and Williamsburg and Yorktown are the fife and drum  equivalent of Blue Devils.

 I’m not sure if I heard this in Williamsburg, Yorktown, or Gettysburg or maybe even at the USS Constitution in Charlestown, MA but in the United States the transition from fifes to bugles was around the War of 1812. A major reason was new technology in warfare.  More powerful canons were developed and by the time of the Civil War rifles replaced muskets. With the newer weapons it was more difficult to hear the fifes. It was also easier to create distinct military calls with bugles than with fifes. 

In 2012 I went to Williamsburg between Allentown and Indy, too long a drive but that’s another story. While in uniform, the members of the fife and drum corps are in character and if you speak with any after the parade, they will answer questions as if they are teens from 1774-76. If you’ve never witnessed it, the parade through the “Revolutionary City” and military reenactment is impressive. Though I did not hear it from one of the members, I did learn that some of the drummers who are alums of Colonial Williamsburg have marched in 21st century drum corps. 

Thus began the “no woodwinds, can’t hear them on the field anyway” rule. 

[ironlips]

"Their Drummer’s Call Tattoo is the fife and drum corps equivalent to DCI  and Williamsburg and Yorktown are the fife and drum  equivalent of Blue Devils."

Absolutely on point. These units (the current ones and the ones they represent) are a major root of our modern "Drum Corps", and the contemporary activity owes its very existence to them.

[Tim K]

1 hour ago, IllianaLancerContra said:

I’m in Yorktown, CW is just down the road.  All of the cast members (to use the Disney term) stay in character.  It is fun to engage them over whether they are on side of the Crown or the Revolution.  They get training as to how to make their argument in 1776 terms.   I recall a time when someone tried to get the Patrick Henry character to take a position on some 21st century issue; it was going well until a female politician was quoted; the PH character said ‘Well, this is what happens if you give women the sufferance’.  

The first year the fife and drums in Williamsburg allowed young women to march, I talked with a marching member who was about 12 and asked her what it felt like to be a trailblazer. As I’m sure you know, going coed was a huge deal. She looked at me and said “my name is Josiah and I am an apprentice to Mr. Foster.” I was feeling terrible that I mixed up a boy for a girl, especially at that age, but she smiled and then I realized she was in character. I’ve been to Old Sturbridge Village, Plimoth/Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation), Mystic Seaport, and a few others. All are good about being in character, but none do it better than Colonial Williamsburg.

Regarding being in 1776, you’re correct. One time when I visited, I was in the blacksmith shop and spoke with another visitor who said “I can tell from your accent you’re from Boston” and the blacksmith said “I know Samuel Adams and that is not the way he speaks.” 

Edited October 20, 2022 by Tim K

[Weaklefthand4ever]

On 10/18/2022 at 11:49 PM, Jeff Ream said:

here i'll add fuel....

 

it stopped being a bugle when the first valve was added.

 

 

( i'll get my popcorn now)

At least it isn't a mylar vs kevlar debate Jeff. Been through that whirlwind before. 

[Weaklefthand4ever]

On 10/20/2022 at 11:56 AM, IllianaLancerContra said:

In Royal Marines band it is the drummers who are also buglers 

 

AND they place nom-licious Premier Resonator double snares so they get extra points from me. 

[IllianaLancerContra]

33 minutes ago, Weaklefthand4ever said:

AND they place nom-licious Premier Resonator double snares so they get extra points from me. 

I only see one drum per drummer/bugler.  Where are the double snare drums?

[MikeD]

On 10/20/2022 at 12:10 AM, Jeff Ream said:

thanks Corporal O'Reilly

Or Agarn!

[ironlips]

2 hours ago, MikeD said:

Or Agarn!

And since we're mentioning Hollywood Buglers, let us not forget Cpl Randy Boone, bugler at Ft. Apache in the Rin-Tin-Tin TV series. He taught me how to play "Assembly" and "To the Color" for my Cub Scout Troop.