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a maple and a rosewood fife

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Date: 04/29/03

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field military music woods

The fife first appeared in the fourteenth century. Swiss mercenaries popularized the instrument and for many years the fife served as the European military accompaniment for the drum. The instrument fell out of favor during the seventeenth century and nearly disappeared, replaced by the hautboy (an ancestor of the oboe). In the 1750's the fife regained its popularity. By the time of the American Revolution, both British and Americans adopted it to accompany the field snare drum. The fife is a cylindrical, side-blown instrument with six finger holes and no keys. The best woods for the instrument were hardwoods (rosewood, boxwood and cocabola). It is, though, a limited instrument. Most music for the fife is limited to the keys of D, G, and A, but the high shrill sound of the instrument carries well on the field of battle. It is a spirited and inspirational sound.