Early Fife Music
sound of the drum. He also gives instructions as to tongueing: "Il-y-a deux maniéres de flutter; l'une en tetant, l'aultre en rollant. Au premier la langue du joueur faict té, té, té ou tere, tere, tere, et au second jeu rollé, la langue, du joueur faict relé, relé, relé." The former method is "plus aigre et rude," and therefore more suitable for war. This highly interesting and rare old book contains a "Tablature du fifre ou arigot (i.e., flute[1]) au troisiesme ton" from C Sol to Ela. This table is stated to have been compiled by "Isaac
Fife Music from Arbeau's Orchesographie.
Huguet, organiste." Some very early fife music will also be found in Mars his Triumph by T. B. (1638), to accompany the manual and firing exercises.
In 1530 Cardinal Wolsey entertained King Henry VIII. at Whitehall with a concert of drums and fifes, and they were used in Lord Mayors' showsIntroducedinto the
French and
English
Armies in the sixteenth century. In 1671 Charles I. prohibited persons from playing them at fairs, etc., without a licence from the Royal Trumpeter. Rabelais in 1532 mentions fifes and tambours, and Du Bellay (Essai sur les
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- ↑ Cotgrave's Dictionary (1632) defines l'arigot as a name for flute or pipe, so called by clowns in some parts of France.
