AncientTimesPublished by the Company of fifers & drummers, Inc. fall 2011 Issue 134 $5.00

In thIs Issue: MonuMental MeMorIes

le CarIllon natIonal, ah! Ça Iraand the downfall of ParIs, Part 1

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HeAly FluTeCompAny

Skip Healy Fife & Flute maker

Featuring hand-crafted instrumentsof the finest quality.

Also specializing in repairs and restorationof modern and wooden Fifes and Flutes

on the web: www.skiphealy.comphone/Fax: (401) 935-9365email: skip@skiphealy.com

5 Division Street Box 23 east Greenwich, RI 02818

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• $5,1 • $1,1

• $5(

froM theedItor

In t

his

Iss

ue 1

2

Monumental Memories

6

End of the SummerMuster Season

7

Book Review: The Jaybird

8

Book Review: Connecticut’s Fife &

Drum Tradition

9

John McDonagh & St.Benedict’s: Becoming

Ancient

11

Corps Featured in CTTV Show

12

Message from thePresident

13

Le Carillon National,Ah! Ça Ira and theDownfall of Paris

18

Monumental CityMini-Jams: 1993-2011

20

Three GenerationsDrumming Together

on the cover: windsor fife and drum

Corps at westbrook, august 27, 2011

Photography courtesy of Eileen Rodgers

AncienttimesIssue 134, Fall 2011

published by

The Company ofFifers & Drummershttp:/ / companyoffifeanddrum.org

editor: Deirdre Sweeneyart & design director: Deirdre Sweeneyadvertising Manager: Robert KelseyContributing editor: Bill malingIllustrator: Scott BaldwinMembership/subscriptions:For corps, individual, or life membership infor-mation or institutional subscriptions:Attn: membership The Company of Fifers &Drummers p.o. Box 277, Ivoryton, CT06442-0277membership@companyoffifeanddrum.orgtel: 860-767-2237; fax: 860-767-9765editorial:For submissions or questions:deirdre.sweeney@hotmail.comancienttimes@companyoffifeanddrum.orgtel: 508-847-4460advertising:For rates and availability contact:Robert Kelsey, p.o. Box 185792,Hamden, CT 06518tel: 203-645-4231; email: am@ntwp.net

The Company ofFifers & DrummersPresident: John Hanewich,president@companyoffifeanddrum.orgfirst Vice President: mark logsdon, 586-247-1775,vicepresident@companyoffifeanddrum.orgsecond Vice President: Bill Bouregy, 860-526-1433,deepriverlawyer@netscape.netsecretary: Sarah Brown, 860-399-7572,secretary@companyoffifeanddrum.orgtreasurer: maureen mason,treasurer@companyoffifeanddrum.orgarchives / Museum Curator: Jim Clark, 860-346-3232,jimclark@fifeanddrum.netfacilities Co-Manager: Kevin Brown, 860-399-7572,brownwind@hughes.net Membership Chair: mark Reilly, 703-975-5517, mem-bership@companyoffifeanddrum.orgMusic Chair: Dominick Cuccia, 203-405-1176, music-committee@companyoffifeanddrum.orgthe Company store: Roberta ArmsteadThe Company of Fifers & Drummers, Inc.Company Store

p.o. Box 277, Ivoryton, CT 06442-0277 companys-tore@companyoffifeanddrum.orgAncient Times is published quarterly by The Com-pany of Fifers & Drummers, Inc., museum, music li-brary, Headquarters, p.o. Box 277 Ivoryton, CT.06442-0277, tel: 860-767-2237

The publication (ISSn0091-7176) seeks to keep individual, institu-

tional, and drum corps members throughout the world informed

primarily on the activities of traditional American fife and drum

corps known as Ancients. The Company maintains a museum and

headquarters on two-plus acres. It seeks to perpetuate the histori-

cal significance and folk traditions of American field music and to

foster the spirit of fellowship among all fifers and drummers.

Founded in 1965, The Company of Fifers & Drummers, Inc. is a tax-

exempt, tax-deductible, non-profit corporation.

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Iwould like to welcome more“letters to the editor” from ourreadership. While responses

to Ancient Times articles are defi-nitely encouraged, suggestions,praises, or complaints with re-spect to The Company of Fifers &

Drummers or other fife and drumrelated organizations, issues, etc.,are also welcome. Be sure to des-ignate any submission as a “letterto the editor” so I don’t mistake itfor a personal communication (seep. 6 for guidelines). In terms ofcontent and style, our only re-quest is that such letters bethoughtfully and respectfullywritten. If you want to see an ex-ample of what not to do, justcheck out the online commentssection of your local newspaper,which is without a doubt thestrongest challenge to the theoryof evolution. I have no specificword limit for such pieces, al-though generally our longest se-lections end at about 1,200 words.However, there are exceptions, asthis issue will demonstrate.

This season’s edition has a verydetailed historical essay by Robinengelman. Just as we frequentlyinclude articles on fife and drumevents, we also welcome essayson historical and musical topics.In my opinion at least, it is highlyunlikely that anything is too ob-scure, too dorky or too amateur tobe published. In the democraticspirit of the fife and drum com-munity, we generally try to “takeall comers,” so please do get intouch.

Deirdre Sweeneyeditor, Ancient Times

Jomi!FClar.i:._

Connecticut's FIFE& DRUM 'l'RAVITlOf\

FROMTHE EDITOR

2Ancienttimes

Bill Bevans, fiferI learned fifing from Gus malstrom

at age 15 – 60 years ago. I’m still fifingwith Hanaford’s Fyfe & Drum Corpsin Vermont where my wife Judy andI moved in 1990 and built Coach-works Farm: the only fitness / confer-ence center on a dirt road in VT. In the1970s and 80s, I helped organizepound Ridge Fife & Drum Corps innew york and hosted severalmusters.

A favorite monumental City mem-ory: hitchhiking with Alan Jemisonand Tom Warfield from Baltimore,maryland to our first Deep Rivermuster in 1954.

It’s a long walk along Route 80 fromnew Haven, which we reached atsundown, to Deep River, which wereached at the dawn of the musterday. In 1954, Devitt Field had concretebleachers but they felt like featherbeds. We woke to the sound of theSons of liberty, the Kirks, and twoguys dressed in white shirts andkhakis, John mcDonagh and Jim Dou-

glas: the most inspiring music I’d everheard.

Hitchhiking home was exciting too.Around midnight somewhere in themiddle of the Jersey Turnpike, we de-cided “to march to Baltimore.” We’djust started when the Turnpike policestopped, told us to get in after we ex-plained that “we were marching toBaltimore,” and gave us a fast ride tothe Delaware memorial Bridge.

I’ll never forget that muster!I saw Gus and other monumentals

at DRAm. no, I’m didn’t hitchhikethis time from my home in CraftsburyCommon, VT.

Joe Carter, snare / bass drummer

I joined St. Andrews Junior Fife,Drum, & Bugle Corps in 1951 at age12 and played with monumental CityAncient Fife & Drum Corps from1953-1955 as a bass drummer. I madetwo trips to DRAm with four othersdriving all night and arriving at 6Am.I received bass drum training from

nick Attanasio in 1954 at his home innew york. I partied at ed olsen’s inStony Creek, CT with ed, Kathy, BobWard, Jim edington, Carl Ballestracci,Jack and Gus malstrom.

I visited VFW 596 and Stony Creekrehearsals and attended three JaybirdDays.

I was a member of the old GuardFife & Drum Corps from 1961-1963,and had the honor of performing atpresident Kennedy’s funeral. Aftermy discharge, I played in local bandsat various Baltimore clubs. From 1964-1972, I had the privilege of workingwith Buck Soistman. I retired frombricklaying after 45 years.

much to my delight, I rejoined mon-umental City in 1992.

my wife Sharon joined the monu-mentals as Corps photographer. I nowenjoy playing golf and making drumsticks in my home in millersville, mD.

Gus Malstrom, fifer / directorpriceless memories; active as altar

boy; Boys Choir; Boy Scouts; caddie;

By GuS mAlSTRom

As a member and co-founder of the1950 monumental City Ancients,I have collected reminiscences

from surviving 1950 monumental mem-bers. eight of 15 known survivors have re-sponded with interesting tales of theirlives with the monumentals and life after-wards. I offer these stories for your fifeand drum reading pleasure.

monumenTAl

3Ancienttimes

began fifing at age 12; 27 years a mon-umental, with three brothers whowere also monumentals includingDan as flag bearer for 15 years; com-mittee member organizing originalmonumentals; attended 39 musters;nine competitions; played with 17corps including the Ancient mariners,lancraft and north Branford; houseguest / home host to many fifers anddrummers; lifelong friend of departeded olsen, Roy Watrous, les parks,Hugh Quigley, Bob Redican, John mc-Donagh, Gus moeller to name a few;still corresponding after 50 years withJack o’Brien and nick Attanasio;WWII Army Chemical Warfare vet-eran; French Interpreter in France;minstrel shows / plays; Westinghouseretiree after 35 years; loved flyingacross uSA; team accountant sellingF15 radar equipment to Air Force; sin-gle status; interests: family activities,family tree writer, working with thehandicapped, Colts / orioles /Ravens fan, studied piano and organ,played accordion, coin collecting,

computer, and golf; still residing inBaltimore, mD.

love being a monumental.

william J. Malstrom Jr., snare /bass drummer

First corps was St. Ann’s mid-1930s.Started with bugle. Switched to snaredrum. played drum in marching unitat California naval base. After 1946discharge joined American legionSenior Drum Corps. In 1947 went toengineering school. As snare / bassdrummer with brother Gus we wereorganizing members of the original1950 monumental City Ancients. leftcorps in early 1950s to raise a familywith wife Geri: nine children, 24grandchildren, and six great-grand-children.

Some highlights in life: navy CB’s9/42 – 3/46 served in Alaska andGuam; liberty in Hollywood 1944;danced with Shirley Temple; hitch-hiked a ride with Ginger Rogers; cad-

died; Colts / orioles / Ravens fan;taught electrical estimating school;barber shop entertainer; active ’39Calvert Hall (football) alumnus;kissed Blarney stone; church usher;golfer; still residing in Baltimore, mD.

most important: participation indrum corps taught me responsibilityand coordination with others whichhave lasted throughout 89 + years.

Bill Mojica, snare drummerI was a very young guy when my

drumming career started. When Istarted taking drum lessons fromBuck Soistman, I didn’t know a ropedrum from a trash can. It wasn’t toolong before Buck decided that I shouldstart learning the Connecticut Halftime.Buck’s passion for rudimental drum-ming soon rubbed off and I found my-self marching to the sounds of the fifeand drum.

I find it difficult to rememberspecifics about the early

Left: Monumentals in downtownBaltimore, 1952

Right: Monumentals at the deepriver club house at 6 aM, 1955

First person recollections of the 1950s Monumentals

cont. on p. 4

memoRIeS

4Ancienttimes

monumen-tals. How-

ever, it is extremely gratifying to beable to play with friends that you haveknown most of your life. And for thatI am eternally grateful.

I continue to play as much as possi-ble with the monumentals and themiddle River Drum Corps and alsowith the Hanover lancers DrumCorps. I am working on a duet withnick Biscotti of yankee Rebels andReilly Raiders fame.

I enjoy hanging out with my fivebeautiful grandchildren and my threesons and daughter-in-laws and, ofcourse, my lovely wife Kathy.

Jim Price, bass drummerI joined the monumental City An-

cients in the early 1950s and started aspart of the color guard. I eventuallylearned how to play the bass drum. Ienjoyed the camaraderie with theother band members.

The practice sessions were a lot ofwork but they were also fun. We par-ticipated in a lot of local parades andthe people seemed to appreciate ourmusic and style. It was quite differentfrom the modern “march and maneu-ver” bands.

I made a trip to Deep River, CT withthe Ancients and enjoyed seeing othergroups like ours. I made a few goodfriendships (all lost by now) but thememories are still there. In reflection,my time with the Ancients was inter-esting and enjoyable.

pS. In 1985 I married Bobbie Stetka,a fifer from the “middle River” An-cients.

John schruefer, fifermy memories of the monumentals

begin with a tribute to Bill Bevans,who still teaches young fifers in Ver-mont. In the early ’50s, Bill and I werein high school. on one occasion, hebrought his fife with him, and as a mu-sician (organist) I expressed interest in

the instrument. Soon, he brought onefor me and patiently taught me the fin-gering and a few easy fife tunes.

It wasn’t long before I, joined by mybrother Walt who was already an ac-complished drummer, attended prac-tice sessions with the monumentalsand began in the color guard beforeadvancing to the playing corps. Weenjoyed the years of parades in Balti-more and surrounding towns, mustersin Deep River, long Island, and else-where, usually traveling convoys ofcars. After 1957, the demands of Hop-kins pre-med schooling precluded mycontinuing with the corps. Six years inob/Gyn at the Hopkins Hospital andthen on the full-time faculty for someyears before being wooed away byGeorgetown university in D.C. whereI worked on the faculty, teaching,doing perinatal research and manag-ing high risk pregnancies until I re-tired in 1988. my sweetheart Sylviaand I just celebrated our 50th anniver-sary. She was a great support to me asa monumental and we are proud ofour three accomplished sons, whowith our daughters-in-law, have pro-duced seven grandchildren for us.

The monumental City Ancients willalways hold a special place in myheart.

walt schruefer, snare drummerlearning the rudiments of drum-

ming early on as a member of the St.James Drum & Bugle Corps gave me a

head start to becoming a member ofone of the finest units in maryland: themonumental City Ancient Fife andDrum Corps. I went with my brotherJohn to his first practice, liked what Iheard and tried out. During thoseyears I remember best the trips tonyC and Deep River, CT.

my fondest memories were of the cartrips, the camaraderie, the jokes, thefun and the hospitality of our hosts atDeep River: especially Carl em-manuelson, who put us up and hiswife, who prepared wonderful break-fasts in their 18th century cottage.

I later drummed with the Savoys, aneight-piece Big Band playing the majorhotels in Baltimore and Washington. Idrummed with the First marylandRegiment, performing in Williams-burg, Hamilton, ontario, and paris.All this was made possible by my be-ginnings with the monumentals.

I am retired now, happily married toKate, and still occasionally play thedrum. I am currently gathering re-search on how 18th century drumswere made, based on my own exten-sive research and the exact copy of adrum I built using 18th century tech-niques. Colonial Williamsburg is inter-ested in my work and the curator andrestorer of antique instruments hassuggested I publish my research onthis topic.

cont. from p. 3

w. Alboum HAt Co. InC.presentsAuthenticFife and Drum Corps Hats

For the finest quality headwearyou can buy. Call or Write:

(973)-371-9100 1439 Springfield Ave, Irvington, nJ 07111

5Ancienttimes

Top: Monumentals in Baltimore oneaster sunday, 1953

Right: waiting to perform at midnightin st. Casimir’s, new York, 1956

Bottom: Monumentals at fort Mchenry

IMPortant notICe

When your mailing address changes,please notify us promptly!

The post office does not advise us.

Write: membership Committee p.o. Box 227, Ivoryton, CT 06442-0227or email: membership@companyoffife-

anddrum.org

ImpoRTAnT: oBITuARIeS

If you know of a memberof the fife and drum com-munity who passes away,please notify the AncientTimes immediately so wecan ensure publication of atimely and thoughtful obit-uary.

6Ancienttimes

Ancient Timessubmission Guidelines

please submit articles and high-resolution photographs electronically to the edi-tor: ancientimes@companyoffifeanddrum.org or deirdre.sweeney@hotmail.com

Do include a brief 1-3 sentence fife-and-drum-related bio with your article soour readers can know more about our writers. Do include your photographer’sname with any photo submissions.

In the case of material that cannot be submitted electronically, please contactthe editor at the above email address or call (508) 847-4460 to make special sub-mission arrangements. Do not just mail material to The Company as the editorlives 100 miles away and cannot easily get to the mailbox.

upcoming Issue 135 submission deadline: december 31, 2011

wanted: ANCIENT TIMESContrIButors

The Ancient Times is always look-ing for writers, columnists, pho-tographers, and advertisers.

Contact the editor with interest,ideas and inquiries:ancienttimes@companyoffifeand-drum.org, or deirdre.sweeney@hotmail.com

The Ancient Times does accept un-solicited articles, although wecannot guarantee publication in aspecific magazine issue.

End of the summer muster seasonPhotography courtesy of Eileen Rodgers

Marquis of Granby march off stand atwestbrook, 2011. hurrican Irene forcedthe muster to conclude early on saturday.Most attendees escaped Irene’s wrath.

windsor fife & drum on stand, westbrook 2011

americlique performs on stand at the sudbury Muster, 2011.

Mariner Color Guard,sudbury Muster, 2011

Book reVIew

7Ancienttimes

By JIm lASKe

Ifirst became aware of this interest-ing book when George meinsenand I were named as Jaybirds of

the year in 2006. I understand edolsen’s choice of the name Jaybirds tohonor the older members of The Com-

pany was based on this book and thatmacKinlay Kantor was a fifer withCivil War sons of veterans groups andan honorary member of The Company.

Written in 1932, The Jaybird is thestory of an old Civil War fifer and hisgrandson as they go on the road to es-cape their life in a small town in Iowain 1916. The tale begins as the town ispreparing to celebrate Decoration Day(now known as memorial Day). Thefifer, Abner “Red” Feather, fought atChancellorsville, Cold Harbor andGettysburg but now is regarded as thetown drunk although still a skilledand spirited fifer. “Red” played ametal fife “with a brownish handker-chief he rubbed the thing until itshone. The nickel was marred by ir-regular patches where his tighteningfingers had worn through to the brassbeneath. each of the six holes gapedin a polished circle of yellow…. yessir. played it a long time. long time...”

Abner and a half dozen other veter-ans participate in the town cere-monies, playing tunes like Village

Quickstep, Wrecker’s Daughter, Jefferson

and Liberty, Raw Recruit and other

tunes familiar to any fifer. A bit of acurmudgeon about repertoire, Abnersays, “But Yankee Doodle, by God! mangets right sick of folks yelling from thecurbstone every time they let up,yelling for Yankee Doodle. Ain’t onedrum corps in ten that plays that veryoften. They seem to think them’s theonly songs in the world – that andMarching Through Georgia….. And thatain’t much good either – withoutplenty of stops and slurs. I wouldn’tgive a whoop for either of ‘em.”

Kenny, his grandson, is abandonedby his mother and Abner decides theymust leave town and head towardDodge City, Kansas to avoid havingKenny put into an “orphan asylum.”Their trek starts with them first jump-ing a railroad boxcar and then walk-ing through the countryside. Abnerearns their food money by playing thefife in the small towns along the way,and buys Kenny a fife, eventually

teaching his reluctant student Road to

Boston.Thrown in jail by local authorities,

Abner fools his jailer by pretendinghis fife is the barrel of a gun, thus es-caping to rescue Kenney from hisplace of confinement. Their adventureends abruptly before they reach theirdestination… but you will have toread the book to find out why!

The author of The Jaybird won apulitzer prize in 1955 for his book, An-

dersonville, the story of the infamousConfederate prison in Georgia. Healso was the author of Long Remember,a story about the battle of Gettysburg.macKinlay Kantor (1904-1977) was anewspaper man and prolific author of30 novels. A review of his novel, Val-

ley Forge, appeared in a 1976/77 win-ter issue of the Ancient Times. The

Jaybird is available for purchase onwebsites selling used books.

editor’s note: Review author, Jim laske, a lancraft snare drummer, was a 2006 Jaybird of the year. This year, Dannyo’mara and Bill maling, also lancraft snare drummers, were honored by The Company in october as 2011 Jaybirds ofthe year. The review is timely as it is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. As this anniversary continues, I welcomemore Company members to contribute articles to the Ancient Times about Civil War-related fifing and drumming.

THe JAyBIRDby MacKinlay Kantor

C.p. Burdick & Son, Inc.Four Generations of Warmth

Fuel oil/excavation Services24-Hour Service

860-767-8402

main Street, IvorytonConnecticut 06442

8Ancienttimes

By DeIRDRe SWeeney

James Clark’s new book Connecti-

cut’s Fife & Drum Tradition is thefirst published history of fife and

drum. Clark surveys the history of thistradition, beginning with its roots inthe european middle Ages, uses inRevolutionary and later Civil WarAmerica, and its continuation and de-velopment at the local level from thelate nineteenth century through todayin Connecticut.

Clark uses historic manuscripts,such as the Massachusetts Collection of

Martial Musick, and militia records toassemble much of the early history ofthe American fife and drum traditionthrough the beginnings of the 19thcentury, with a focus on what can begarnered from these documents aboutthe musical proficiency and style ofthe musicians at the time. The secondhalf of the book is largely devoted tothe personalities and conditions thatshaped the modern (perhaps that is,the modern “ancient”) fife and drumworld, notably within the competi-tions of the Connecticut Fifers &Drummers Association, as well asthose corps, moodus and east Hamp-ton, that preserved the ancient style.

Clark is himself a drummer and it istherefore not surprising that he goesinto great detail about the evolution ofthe drumming tradition and the stylis-tic and technical accomplishments ofthe most celebrated drummers. As afifer, I definitely learned a lot about

drumming that I didn’tknow. While I did learnmore about the fifing tra-dition from his book,given the volume of infor-mation provided on drum-ming, I finished wonderingwhether or not there is morethat could be written aboutfifing. An index and, for themore academic among us,footnotes would also be wel-come additions. While it was ob-vious that much material wasrooted in historical documentsand personal experience, I was cu-rious where other information wasfound, particularly anecdotes aboutsignificant musicians.

As the title declares, Clark specifi-cally examines Connecticut’s fife anddrum tradition. In a survey of modernfife and drum, more could probably bewritten about the impetus the bicen-tennial up here in massachusetts gaveto the formation of fife and drumcorps and attendant reenactment mili-tia in the 60s and 70s. In light of my re-view in last season’s issue of SamuelBayard’s pennsylvania collection, I amalso curious how the Connecticut tra-dition connects with the practice of fifeand drum elsewhere in the east. I ap-preciated that Clark referred to thecontradiction within fife and drum be-tween its militaristic utterances andthe more raucous, jamming impulse.Bayard touched on this too, writing

that the penn-sylvania fifers played for

dancing (in addition to the now de-funct small town corps). To what ex-tent at least fifing, if not drumming,extended into activities beyond theformal corps setting is something I atleast would be interested to read moreabout.

I would especially recommend thisbook to younger fifers and drummers,although, for the sake of our reader-ship, let’s leave “younger” undefinedat the moment. Given that many of ushave experienced fife and drum not asa tradition rooted in our local commu-nity or family, I found his accounthelpful in filling in the gaps in myown knowledge, particularly as tohow a tradition ostensibly rooted inthe military is now largely the domainof civilians. Clark has definitely struckthe right balance too,

Book reVIew

ConneCtICut’s fIfe & druM tradItIon

James Clark of the Connecticut Valley Field Music writes the first history of Connecticut’s fife and drum heritage

cont. on p. 12

9Ancienttimes

By GeoRGe CARTeRIS

In 1994, after 20 years, I recon-nected with John mcDonagh; hehad gotten my office number and

called. Thereafter, we met regularlyfor lunch and conversations on music,fifing and drum corps. Those chatscomprise much of what I’ve includedin this article. It’s mostly about JohnmcDonagh and his lasting influenceon St. Benedict’s Junior Ancient Fifeand Drum Corps of the Bronx, ny. Hecame to the corps in 1946 as assistantfife instructor and became head fife in-structor and musical director in 1951.

I joined the corps in September 1962,with over two-dozen fourth gradeboys from the parish’s grammarschool. We were recruited as fifers; nodrummers were taken in that year.The corps was a very popular parishactivity with many members. Aroundthe parish there were lots of corpsalumni; including my uncle and threeneighbors on my block. The corps wasat its largest in the 1960s and 70s. Ros-ters show over 250 members amongthree levels: novices, intermediatesand regulars (the top line players),each consisting of fifers, drummers, acolor guard, twirlers and a drummajor. The 1966 roster also showsthere were three fife instructors, three

drum instructors, two drill instructors,a twirling instructor and the corpsmoderator (director).

In 1932, Father Richard, St. Bene-dict’s pastor, established a cadet corpsof military drill teams with a fieldmusic unit to accompany them on pa-rade. They were commanded bymajor Thomas Jenkins, a World War Iveteran in the parish. The field musicwas taught by Harry Clark on fife anded Classey Sr. on drum. ed also in-structed the fife drum and bugle corpsat St. Anselm’s (organized 1912) in thesouth Bronx. St. Anselm’s was anotherBenedictine order parish. It was con-sidered to be the older brother of St.Benedict’s. There are no records nam-ing the first bugle instructor.

In 1939, the drill teams were dis-banded and the field music unit wasreorganized into a fully fledged fife,drum and bugle corps by the new pas-tor, Father Albert. He hired three in-structors who excelled in teachingcompetitive drum corps: Jim eding-ton on fife, Tom Heath on drum, andmax Welker on bugle. These men co-incidentally also instructed the St.Anselm’s corps where Father Albertwas moderator before his assignmentto St. Benedict’s parish.

Jumping ahead, over the winter of1954 the “modern” fife, drum and

bugle corps, transitioned to “ancient”fife and drum. This was the idea ofJohn mcDonagh.

By the late 40s, John felt fifes and bu-gles were becoming less compatible.Buglers were more interested in the“marching and show” venue develop-ing in the VFW/ American legion cir-cuit. But, more important to John, afife line sharing time with a bugle sec-tion limited its own musical showcasepotential. mcDonagh also shared hisfeeling that ancient fife and drumwould become the pre-eminent musi-cal class in standstill competitive asso-ciations. He was materially provedcorrect by the early 60s. At the north-eastern States Championship Associ-ation (formed in 1950) the ancient fifeand drum class had grown while al-most every other musical class experi-enced some level of decline; someeven disappearing by the 70s.

The event putting in motion thistransition was the death of maxWelker, St. Benedict’s longtime bugleinstructor in 1950. more than a bugleinstructor, he was a professional mu-sician. Indeed, he was a violinist withthe new york philharmonic orchestrain the early 1900’s. A hand injury dur-ing his service in World War Iprompted him to switch to trumpetand rejoin the phil-

Editor’s Note: Alumni of St. Benendict’s Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps met up at this year’s 2011 DRAM, including George

Carteris. George had previously put together a history of the corps on the occasion of its 50th anniversary in 1982, and has now of-

fered the Ancient Times this account of the corps’ transition from the ancient to modern class based upon his conversations with

John McDonagh as well as his own recollections and those of other, older alumni.

John mcDonagh & St. Benedict’s: Becoming Ancient

cont. on p. 10

10Ancienttimes

harmonic inthe 20s as a member of the brass sec-tion. When John mcDonagh was a jun-ior fifer in St. Anselm’s, max was theirbugle instructor. In many ways Johnregarded him as a musical mentor.John aspired to do on fife all that maxhad accomplished on horn. Some ofJohn’s first solo fife arrangementswere taken from max’s horn music.As long as max Welker led the buglesat St. Benedict’s, it was a strong andworthy part of the corps. But, as Johnsaid, max’s death set in motion plansto transition the corps.

Changing musical class from mod-ern to ancient meant eliminating thebugle section even though most wereexcellent players. So John mcDonaghconducted fife classes for buglers whowished to remain in the corps. Severaltook these classes and a few becamegood fifers. Changing class also dic-tated changing the musical style andrepertoire of the corps: primarily, notrelying on modern marches as wascustomary with modern corps. Therewas little artistic license availablewhen playing well-known marches. Itwas considered inappropriate tochange or embellish the music. Johnstated, “I would have been murderedif I dared change the music to a piecelike Stars and Stripes. I was boxed intoplaying the same music as everyoneelse.”

The ancient class was musicallywide open. There were many styles ofmusic such as hornpipes, quicksteps,reels, polkas, jigs and even originalcompositions. many tunes alreadyhad multiple versions; so writing an-other version with all the desiredchanges and embellishments was nota problem.

prior to his taking over the musicalreigns at St. Benedict’s, John was nostranger to arranging ancient music.In the late 1940’s he arranged Clem. Al-though it was ancient-style music, itwas arranged with parts for fifes and

bugles. It was debuted in 1949 at acontest by a group of fifers, drummersand buglers calling themselves St.Anselm’s Seniors. In 1950, while a fiferwith the famous Charles T. Kirks ofBrooklyn, he tried out an early versionof Paddy’s Day in New York, it too withbugle parts.

So in 1954, John easily met St. Bene-dict’s need for an “ancient” repertoirewith two medleys. Competition inthese years required a 2/4 and a 6/8competition standpiece: two separatearrangements. Prince Charlie was the2/4 and Gen. Robert E. Lee was the 6/8.each medley included harmony com-posed by mcDonagh. Another point tonote is that John also composed thedrumming to these medleys and all ofhis arrangements.

This was before the developmentand introduction of his concert fife. Hewas working on the fife but it was notready. The fifes used by the corpswere six-hole Crosby model Cloosfifes made by the penzel-muller Com-pany in Brooklyn, ny. They soundedshrill in the top register and lacked afull depth of tone in the lower register.Fife harmonies in 1954 had to dealwith the limited musical capabilities ofthis fife. John said that when his newconcert fife was adopted in 1960, itmeant rewriting harmony in many ofhis arrangements.

Back in the 1950s, the ancient classdid not typically play “orchestrated”musical arrangements. Indeed, fewjunior or senior corps’ played muchharmony at all except for short pas-sages within a medley. Typical med-leys were usually one or two tunes, adrum solo, then ending after anothertune or two. nevertheless, they wereenjoyable medleys to hear; they justdidn’t have the musical depth that wetake for granted today.

What John introduced with his “an-cient” arrangements for St. Benedict’swas an enhanced level of playing tech-nique and musical presentation;

mostly by a greater use of harmonythroughout the piece. Furthermore,his fife music required fifers to doubleand/or triple tongue notes; even en-tire musical phrases. notes andphrases were further stylized withfluttering and buzzing effects. Fifemusic was fully annotated with noteplaying instructions regarding legato,staccato, breathing, phrasing, etc.These techniques were also beingtaught to fifers in the St. Benedict’sSeniors (later rebranded the new yorkRegimentals in 1957).

St. Benedict’s was often the first stopfor music that would later be playedby the seniors. The juniors had theirown versions of Clem and Paddy’s Day

in New York. An original compositionby mcDonagh titled Bold Boston at St.

Benedict’s was later reworked andplayed as Bold Bastards by the ny Reg-imentals. Both Prince Charlie andRobert E. Lee John compared to Regi-mental arrangements Royal Highland

Airs and Johnson & Hood (Band 13).other exhibition music includedMoonlight, Conflict, Thunder & Blazes

and Georgia Camp Meeting.Victory, an original composition by

John mcDonagh in 1961 for St. Bene-dicts, was the piece that broughteverything together. It introduced thenew mcDonagh concert fife and pro-vided a showcase for the playing skillsof the fife line. There was multi-partharmony throughout the score and itincorporated triplet runs with musicalrhythms rarely played on fife up tothat time. especially pleasing to theear was the 32 measure fife line solowritten in five-part harmony. Al-though I began this paragraph callingthe piece Victory, when first given tothe corps it had no title and was re-ferred to simply as “the new 2/4.” mc-Donagh said he never named it. noone knows for sure how it got thename. Victory was only used for exhi-bitions; it was much too lengthy forcompetition under playing rules of

cont. from p. 9

11Ancienttimes

that era. Prince Charlie and Robert E.

Lee remained the corps’ competi-tion pieces.

John mcDonagh retired from St.Benedict’s in 1963. Succeeding Johnas head fife instructor and musicaldirector was Bob o’Brien: an out-standing fifer with the ny Regi-mentals. In 1965, Bob introduced anew competition piece to the corps.Bantry Bay was an arrangement byFrank Grady (another nyR fifer). Itwas a medley of traditional tunesuniquely arranged with tripletonguing and multi-part harmony.Following a drum solo, the medleyended with an obscure tune enti-tled Bubbling Over. In 1967, George“pepe” peragine took over fromBob (yes, pepe was also a nyRfifer). The Bantry Bay medley wasmodified by dropping the first halfof the medley in favor of anothertune Deutschland Polka. This too in-cluded what were now consideredmandatory musical elements: tripletonguing and multi-part harmony.The corps won two northeastern ti-tles playing these medleys.

After the 1971 northeastern, therule requiring two, two-minutecompetition pieces on stand waschanged to one, two and a halfminute piece. So, for 1972, the corpsat last adopted Victory to use incompetition. Its longer length fitbetter with the new time require-ment. The fife line had the highscore at the 1972 northeastern andin 1973 the full corps won its 10thnortheastern title since entering the“ancient” class in 1955. For me, Iaged out of junior corps eligibilityright after this competition.

Around 1980, changes were madeto the music eliminating sometriple tonguing sections. The solofife intro and some 16th runs weresimplified. It’s sad knowing thatthis fantastic composition by mc-Donagh has not been played as

originally written in over 30 years.unfortunately, the competition

arrangements from the late 60swere the last original music for St.Benedict’s. In the late 70s, the corpstried other arrangements alreadyplayed by other corps. There wasHillbilly and Old Comrades: neitherone very successful. more oftenthan not, the corps fell back tousing the 1980-ish version of Vic-

tory. The reason I feel this hap-pened is that there has not been adedicated and experienced fife in-structor (let alone a musical direc-tor) at St. Benedict’s since themid-70s. Without one, there was lit-tle chance of acquiring quality newmusic and certainly no one to en-sure the fife line maintained a highlevel of musical proficiency. Regret-tably, the junior corps has not trulyexisted for about 10 years; it existsin name only. Several membersfrom the 80s and 90s supplement ahandful of actual junior memberswhen the corps does have a playingfunction.

I was fortunate to be in the corpsduring many of St. Benedict’s bestyears. I also can’t imagine a bettersuccession of fife instructors: JohnmcDonagh, Bob o’Brien andGeorge peragine. Also, the qualityand variety of fife music madeavailable to us both to challengeand please fifers (at any playinglevel) was amazing.

In 1999, I reprinted and donatedcopies of John mcDonagh’s Fife In-

struction Manual to The Company tosell through the store. This manualwas originally given to St. Bene-dict’s fifers from 1955 through 1968.In order to bring the manual some-what up-to-date, I added some ofthe music mentioned in this articleto the book.

Corps Featuredin CT TV Show

By Tom pIeRAGoSTInI

Some of you may have noticed a TVcamera crew at the Westbrookmuster field. As a feature that I’m

producing for the community access TVshow Connecticut Stories, we were on loca-tion recording the event. my cameramanSteve Wood and I were able to capture themany sights, sounds and especially thespirit of the storm-shortened ancientmuster. Some of the corps appearing inthe 30 minute show are: Westbrook JuniorColonials Fife & Drum Corps, moodusDrum and Fife Corps, Connecticut BluesFife and Drum Corps, Connecticut ValleyField music and The Sudbury AncientFyfe & Drum Companie. The on-standperformances by Westbrook and lancraftare featured. The local history show isshot in the Charter studio in newtown,CT and is broadcast weekly in 14 townsin Fairfield and litchfield Counties onChannel CTV-21 at 8:30 pm Wednesdayand 2:30 pm Thursday. If you would likemore information about Connecticut Sto-

ries, please contact me at: connecticut.sto-ries@gmail.com or 203-243-5855.

Tom Pieragostini lives in Trumbull, CT and

is the producer for the TV show, Connecticut

Stories. He is a member of the Lancraft Fife

and Drum Corps from North Haven, CT and

can usually be seen dressed in Indian garb and

firing his reproduction 1764 Short Land Pat-

tern musket in the Color Guard. Tom is also

Lancraft's Treasurer, Business Manager and

Armorer.

12Ancienttimes

offering great detailbut at a steady enough clip that makeshis book eminently readable.

Clark’s assessment of modern fifeand drum is somewhat melancholy,given the diminished numbers fromits heyday. However, to prove thatsome things never change, I’m includ-ing this excerpt from an 1885 newspa-per article that Clark supplied in hisbook. It is entitled WALLINGFORD

INVADED: Twenty-one Drum Corps

Made the Air Hideous. Shades of DeepRiver?

“It will be weeks before this villagewill recover from the shock it has ex-perienced today. There has beennothing like it since the tornado of’78… What accursed fatality made

the drum corps of the state elect thequiet little village of Wallingford fortheir first state convention will neverbe known…

They descended on us from bothrailroads, the new york, new Havenand Hartford…They poured in onfoot, on wagons from every roadleading into the town, They broughtfifers with them to add to the tortureand the result was as if a thousandboiler shops were in operation all atthe same time with a man filing a sawbefore each one of them….

They showed no mercy for sex orage and they poured their din alikeon the ears of the just and the un-just…

not satisfied with the violent en-

trance into the unhappy village, theinvaders added insult to injury, byflaunting themselves through theprincipal streets in a shameless, butgaudy and glittering processionwhich the affrighted inhabitants evenaffected to admire…

After getting the entire village cor-ralled in the rink enclosure they pro-ceeded to extract a dime ransomfrom each and every one… Finallythe awful truth, came upon themwith a sickening force, that the drum-mers were about to enter upon acompetitive trial…

Special trains finally carried themaway, ending the first organizedDrummers Convention of the State ofConnecticut.”

By JoHn HAneWICH

For those who don't know me, I am John Hanewich,your new Company president, having taken over inApril at the annual meeting. I first would like to

thank Sylvia Hooghkirk for all her dedication and hardwork during her term. I would also like to thank all pastexecutive committee members. Without their efforts in thepast we would not be where we are today and we wouldunable to move on to the future. I look forward to workingwith a very energetic new board. The current board votedin at the annual meeting is as follows at the end of the ar-ticle.

Work around the Company hall continues. The small crewof members still needs help. progress is slow. more volun-teers are needed.

Fundraising likewise continues. The Company of Fifers &

Drummers held a tag sale in April that was a great success.A small team of executive board members headed the proj-ect. It just goes to show that even when the hall is underrenovation, ideas toutilize what we havecan still open ourdoors to the public.

The eSpn projectnetted us a large do-nation earmarked tohelp with restoration

of the hall. This will protect us from any future damage. The concert series was as always a huge success. Thank

you to all the corps that performed, the committee for co-ordinating the events, and those who sweated over grillsto provide refreshments.

Then came the muster season, starting with cold weatherin may and progressing to rain in June and intense heat inJuly. July was topped off with The Company’s annual juniorcamp. once again the camp was a huge success. my thanksgo out to Cap Corduan and her staff for making our futureshine. you can't believe how professional these juniors areunless you see them perform at DRAm. August broughtevacuation due to hurricanes at Westbrook. What a sum-mer to remember!

Hopefully everyone is bailed out from storms’ poweroutages, trees down, and roads that washed away. Withfall and winter upon us, there are many dates when wewould like to see you. Check our website for a calendar ofevents as they are posted almost daily. Take time to stopby and lend a hand or just say hello.

administrative officers & executive Committee:

President: John HanewichFirst VP: mark logsdonSecond VP: Bill BouregyTreasurer: maureen masonSecretary: Sara Brown

trustees:Bill GallagherDave HooghkirkDan moylanJack Doylelee Zuidema

other executive Committee Members:

mark Reilly Kevin Brownmarty Sampson Ken AveryDan Riley Cap CorduanBill maling Brendan masonStephen JohnsonDonna VanDermeulen

meSSAGe FRom THe pReSIDenT

cont. from p. 8

13Ancienttimes

By RoBIn enGelmAn

” . . . any number of explanations are

still current and proffered as facts, merely

on the presumption that embellished reit-

eration of statements correctly or incor-

rectly quoted produces facts.”

oscar Sonneck, library of CongressReport on Yankee Doodle

Preface

The music known today as Le Caril-

lon National, Ah! Ça Ira (1) and The

Downfall of Paris (2) are in turn, associ-ated with an 18th century dance craze,the French Revolution (1789-99), andthe napoleonic era (1799-1815). All ob-tained widespread popularity in eu-rope, Great Britain, Ireland and northAmerica. yet very little is knownabout when or by whom they were

written. only the last name of Le Car-

illon National’s composer is known,verified by an 18th century piano pub-lication. Anything else about the manis rumor. The lyricist of Ah! Ça Ira wasa prolific writer and his last name ap-pears on many French Revolution eradocuments, but details of his personallife are meager and serve more to tan-talize than inform. no written evi-dence gives the name of the composerof The Downfall of Paris and its first useor appearance is unknown. neverthe-less, certain stories about these worksare regularly repeated as fact by au-thors and lecturers. This article exam-ines the veracity of those stories andreproduces the earliest extant manu-scripts of the music.

le Carillon national

and M. Becourt

The quadrille titled Le Carillon Na-

tional (3) was probably written in parisduring the last quarter of the 18th cen-tury. m.(monsieur) Becourt, who, de-pending on one’s sources, was eithera violinist or drummer in the Theatredu Vaudeville or in the Theatre Beau-jolais, is cited as its composer.

The contradictions about Becourt’sprofession and place of employment isunderstandable as he seems to havebeen a “one hit” composer whose lifehad later been pieced together in orderto provide some form of dignified pat-rimony for the revolution’s first andmost famous “Dictum populaire.” (4)

a. 17?-Le Carillon National. without Becourt’s full name,publisher’s imprint or date, nevertheless this may well bethe earliest and perhaps only printing of the composition.(university of California library, los angeles.) thoughthe extent printing is dated by libraries 1790, it must havebeen known prior to that date for the tune to become pop-ular and adopted by french activists as a song of protest.Movements:1. a gentleman and a lady, of opposite, cross over andrigaudoon.2. Chassé to the right and to the left Cross back to theirplaces and rigaudoon3. forward with the lady standing beside and to the right,and spin on the spot.4. turn by right with the lady of opposite.5. all four forward and back.6. the angloise half chain, and back to your places. Coun-terpart for the six others. end.

cont. on p. 14

La Carillon National, Ah! Ça Ira and the Downfall of Paris

Part One of a Two Part Series

14Ancienttimes

Ah! Ça Ira, Dictum populaire Air du Carillon National wassung during the storming of the Bastille, (14 July,1789) andagain that year on 5 october, when market women fromparis made their famous march to Versailles (5). Thewomen were protesting the price of bread. Ironically, theshortage of food and its high prices were due in part tothe French Government’s financial support of America’sWar for Independence (6).

By the time of the first festival of Federation in July 1790,commemorating the fall of the Bastille, Ah! Ça Ira, had be-come the premier song of the French Revolution. Themanuscript below was in all likelihood published for theoccasion with new lyrics by mr. Deduit. These lyrics ex-press optimism because King louis had made some con-cessions to the people of France.

on 17 July 1791, the infamous massacre known in Franceas the fusillade du Champ-de-mars took place. Citizenshad gathered to sign a petition demanding the King be re-moved. After dispersing, the crowd returned led byGeorges Jacques Danton (1759 – 1794) and was fired uponby the national Guard commanded by the marquis delafayette (1757-1834). estimates of the number killedranged from 12 to 50.

As events became darker, the words to Ah! Ça Ira be-came ever more threatening and abhorrent to europeanmonarchs; and with good reason. Two years later on 21January1793, King louis XVI was beheaded.

M. ladre

Le Carillon National was reputedly first set to words by aformer soldier and professional street singer m.ladre (7).Though little is known about ladre, he did exist and iscredited with writing the lyrics to the first Ah! Ça Ira. Hesubmitted a formal request to the Committee of public In-struction asking financial renumeration for his service tothe nation as a lyricist. His claim was rejected (8). ladrecomposed more than 50 other revolutionary songs (9).

In the period just prior to and during the French Revo-lution, political messages were sometimes printed onpieces of paper and sold for a pittance on street corners.The texts were often set to popular tunes that facilitated

B. 1789 ca.-Ah! Ça Ira, dictum populaire air du Carillon national.(Bibliotheque nationale de france.)

C. 1790-le retour du ChaMP de Mars, lyrics by Mr. deduit.(Bibliotheque nationale et universitaire, strasbourg.)

d. 1792-Ah! Ça Ira outraged the monarchs may have been, but thesong was catchy. an indication of its wide spread popularity in eu-rope and england is the illustration below; a version of Ah! Ça Iraprinted in england with an accompaniment, but otherwise melodi-cally accurate to the original french printing and with updatedfrench lyrics. this version from 1792 may have been publishedjust a few months before king louis was dispatched. (harvarduniversity library)

cont. from p. 13

-• -1

At-. t11.i.1 ~ c11. :,11 r. .1. ~ra. - ~~: ..;:..-i<it11.::ira,·11 ir~ ' 1'it~·ud.~O.;..i.i.g,ii11;;.! Ptli;~ •ci,ar.J:i ; ..uwi:J..W,,&'r..(. Ahc• i r 11 .. ...r. lr•u.ir~ r c•;,,.ca.i ,;i.c1.ir11.

Jlrj~u.ilfrw: 'u:.u lt:b1111tl• ""'vi~ c~aol 1.ti,wr~~T.l:"11 111t iNltir<1

Lt ~ .. utik f rG~d jt.!i• i:quill ' l~:\~t'f!""'.""l""'l f...,, Fi-~ c-Ao:11:I:.~ L:n!t l<;C't lU'c'J i( e,u. c ... lp ·: iJoq,td,,d~~ h,ol"<l;.-1:p:ulff11 Ah;c;•il'4!.._;,. ,;.1 ir.1. , .· AJl .'!1. in.ll'.a/r•r,al rp, Lt' Clf~ng~~lt k him'l""i,1 • J.'1..F•JPclk,li,: yi-qd rcltdr"I 1' 11r j ,d:.-..c l.1 Nlllc 11- J,11u-. Lci,a(riuM•cla.rttpe-.d:11.

P,1,- k en.&-c.t i!' Fq<rli<il f:".:i craill.lc t.i ~ iri O~o:, m.e ' T lit 1, u11blc ,iq,~i-1'~ t ,eF,a n!•,:,;eilz,.j.:nir!ntllc,a. Al,.,; a 1r • ..a iu 0c& iN Al~fAirllf• Ira. ~• i:u

.'1. !a'.s,• in1. s• u .a,;•i r;; .' fie Ji';., 1nn-~.1.u& 1,.,.f;'!,((iA!lai ,U, c;• ; ,.. ~•i t-a ~& iu, .:4. ~ ..

~:~~E~E~E::~!~.:·:t'.~~--,.. 1:\ -i~ Alq,a iu ~• ira ~• i r a · , 1'" Qn:n,! l itrU"1cl"lt ll' 1i:, o-1•4r•

~i".,: ::0~:r;:: ~::~:~~•r{fr·• ,·•. ~ Tuuj, ... ,. ,., 1!1.1~d • n .i

.U,;~a Ira ~ ira ~&i~~~ ., 1

I

· I

A H ! C.A IRA Dt-C TOlf POP 1 • .A. J ~B

L~ C ARlt lLL Ol' NATIOPl.AL

C IIA S:TF- A- l•Ak l S A .LA. t' !i o£KAT l 0~

I , • 1 .. J.Ultit ~]901

t-,:,,i,.IO<>ll,,.._..._..,IJ ••h~.:• -11."•--•~i/!d_...__••-L .,,...,. ot•J' ... "'°'•II .. h•••lt,, Ol n Rov. U-~r " - - r .. -• u., ,..._ ... ,.

N9flll; 1,.,.,, .... -· ....... , ........ N Uf""'L llflTJIVN••TI X•-"1'1"••· •• · ~:,,••• ,l\.o,o.ht- - 11,1.,.j1. •"" L•I -1 "" W.ro • ~-• • • •J

.

m--~··iiMdrflifi ,.:

15Ancienttimes

memorization and dissemination. Below is such a printingwith ladre’s lyrics, though unattributed, with the titleChanson Novelle, Le Carrillon National, the tune by Becourtto which the words were meant to be sung.

Benjamin franklin and Marquis de lafayette.

How ladre’s song obtained its name is a popular yet un-substantiated story. During his tenure as American Am-bassador to France (December 1776-85) parisians are saidto have asked Benjamin Franklin about the prospects forAmerican colonial independence. Franklin’s responsewas,“Ah! ça ira” meaning, “It will happen”, or, “It’s goingto be alright.” The marquis de lafayette is said to haveoverheard Franklin’s comment, and suggested to ladrethat he name his song Ah! Ça Ira.

Considering laFayette’s noble heritage and great wealth,his empathy for the monarchy, his position as leader of theKing’s paris Guard at the time of the attack on the Bastilleand the massacre on the Champ de mars, it is very unlikelyhe ever met ladre let alone suggested as a title for his anti-establishment song, a colloquialism by Benjamin Franklin.

Ben Franklin, age 72 when his ambassadorship began,was a great celebrity in paris. He was admired, writtenabout, hovered over and feted wherever he went, (10) butno contemporary documents written either by Franklin,lafayette, ladre or anyone else, credits Franklin with in-

advertently naming ladre’s song.“. . . these are retrospective explanations attempting to as-

cribe some kind of elite authorship to a phrase that emerged as a

popular (and essentially authorless) phenomenon.”

professor laura mason, university of Georgia. letter toRobin engelman.

lewis C. elson

The Franklin, laFayette, ladre story is related withoutattribution by lewisC. elson in The Na-

tional Music of Amer-

ica, ca.1900, p.97-100. elson alsoreproduces a cotil-lion titled Ça Ira

which he dates1792. This cotillionis interesting be-cause, unlike othercontemporary pub-lications of Ah! Ça

Ira, the title does notinclude the wordAh! and the tune,begins on the firstbeat of the bar (11).

elson did not re-produce the originalcopy of his Cotil-lion, preferringrather to have all hismusic examplesfreshly engraved.Therefore, his Cotil-lion is pristine,without signs of useor age and thepages are undatedand lack either acomposer’s name orpublisher’s imprint.elson provides noattribution otherthan stating it isfrom his personalcollection.

Another commonstory attached toAh! Ça Ira concerns

e. 1790-Chanson novelle, le Carillon nationale. (Bibliotheque na-tionale de france.)

f. 1900-elson’s Ça Ira

cont. on p. 16

Aa ! ~a-,J~, ~-ita '> Cjl ju• Jc pc-uplc c~ ce ion_r lans cctrc

ah l ~a-lra, 4ia-1ra, ~:a·uaJ mal,11" 1 .. IIIIIUM. 10111 rcalli?a.

Nos enn•m1• conlus on rrllcur-li , 'a. - atlom dimt<r allclwa. All l i;--ira , &:c.

cl lei!- jadis a Clcrg6 pula, pilPt!ff DD p,opliote, JI • pre<ilt cola 1

dtantaat ma cbanfoucttr, ~ ,i,Jjir Oil ..... ~ : ~•-i• • -

l t'ilcv< ist l'ou

"'· hifme 00111 lnftrak-t, titme 1'1:reiadia,. loi doa~,

l'not,'fta. ah I • , a..

·.i.1 ... ;,.-.-cir.1s>, ,, djouiJTon...,ou,, It ban tfflll 1'ltQ<fnll

I.e peuple Pun~ols i•di• l 'l•ie , t•adnoe~tl dir '7lt'4 clUpll J

al, ca-iu, ( f /ou) Jc ClerJ£ rc~rottc le bia qu.'il a, par ju.ft.ice ,a »ation l'aura, par le prod.11r la F,ycuc , IOH.t t.toullile 1'appaife.ra, all ca-ha. &c.

Ab l ca.•ira, ca-in, ca.in, par ~• 11.m~•ux Jc l'••~u!lc A~mbUt I all a- j,a, &c. · le ?••pie arml coujours (c gudcra,

1.,e vui. d'avre le faux l'on connoit"8j le Ciroytn , pour le bien fqticndtt, ah ! n~ira , b. Quand l'arillocratc prorrlrra, le lton Citoytn, "'" nn Ni r fan, a,oir ••~me trotiblic, to•1•urs la pl0> fort fer• , U ! ca-iu. ac.

«f;A IRA."

#-~ ----) 1¥~-=!ililv~3~gf~

{'~l?-~_=t~~~--t=t=~

{~~~ .. --=~=l~~:=R @E:c@~•-.-...,~-- -~__B

- • • 1-- -i-:­_,__

The 1Votio11a! JJJ11.r1r nj /lmcnr a. 99

{~--~~~~=Fft-f.::~~-§

-, ?.~ . • .--::;;::==~~==~===1[;;::=~ - "-it r-, --·

16Ancienttimes

an event following napoleon’s finaldefeat. During the triumphal marchdown the Champs Êlysées, 7 July1815, allied bands of the Austrian,prussian and Russian armies weresaid to have played Ah! Ça Ira. Thecrowned heads of europe attendingwould have known this tune and thehistory of its populist uprisings andmadame Guillotine. Aghast, Welling-ton commanded the musicians tocease (12). Given the popularity of Ah!

Ça Ira and the military tradition ofplaying tunes of defeated enemies,this story sounds plausible. However,the idea of all allied bands playing thesame tune is suspicious (13).

lewis s. winstock

The most oft quoted source for thismusical faux pas is in lewis Winstock,Songs and Music of the Redcoats: A His-

tory of the War Music of the British

Army, 1970, p. 105-07. Winstockquotes an eyewitness account by aCaptain Blakeney who said the Aus-trian, prussian and Russian army mu-sicians played the Downfall of Paris.Subsequently he learned that thosemusicians had actually played whatthey knew to be Ça Ira. on page 106Winstock reproduces the first strain ofthe tune that he titles “The downfall ofparis.” It is not Ça Ira. Indeed it is,with minor deviations, the Downfall of

Paris as commonly published at thetime.

But the matter doesn’t end there.Winstock says Captain Blakeney was”peeved” to hear this tune because itwas, quotes Winstock, “a tune ofours”. Thus, Winstock and Blakeneybelieved the Downfall and Ça Ira werethe same tune and the tune was ofBritish origin.

Here indeed is a case of mistakenidentity and attribution. years prior toCaptain Blakeney’s observations,these tunes were well known by theirown names and there should havebeen no excuse for confusion. To en-

force the point, listed below are someprominent events in the history ofthese works that predate the allied vic-tory parade in paris.

Ah! Ça Ira, Covent Garden and

william shield

1790, 20 and 21 December: A popu-lar story, often told and printed, saysWilliam Shield wrote an opera forCovent Garden titled The Picture of

Paris and included Ah! Ça Ira. The dateand location are entirely accurate, butthe rest is problematical. The truth ismessier, but more fun.

In 18th century england, pan-tomimes were a popular form of en-tertainment especially during theholiday season of Christmas. Theywere light entertainments, often em-ploying on-stage mechanical devices.

Thomas Harris (1742-1820), the man-ager of Theatre Royal Covent Gardenwished to capitalize on holiday trafficby presenting a pantomime on a pop-ular contemporary theme, the FrenchRevolution. He hired the controversialplaywright and poet Robert merry(1755-98) and staff writer Charles Bon-ner to write a libretto and engaged theattractive and popular actress AnneBruton to play a leading role.

The Covent Garden in-house com-poser was William Shield (1748-1829),considered something of a workhorsefor writing incidental music for playsand pantomimes within tight dead-lines. Shield probably wrote thearrangement of Ça Ira that was playedin the orchestra after the prologue.However, inserted throughout thepantomime were vocal selections fromthe opera Amphion, by Dresden borncomposer Johan Gottlieb naumann(1741-1801). In this case Shield couldbe considered an assembler of musicfor a pantomime rather than the com-poser of an opera.

Five artists were hired to paint thescenery which accurately depictedparis locations associated with the rev-

olution. machinery was constructedfor special effects. The resultant pas-tiche was premiered on 20 December1790 and titled The Picture of Paris,

Taken in the Year of 1790. A critic calledit a “Hodge podge, two act pan-tomime concocted by Charles Bonnerand Robert merry.” Appalled by whatthey called the “Follies,” Ann Brutonand another actor refused to appear inthe second, and last performance.

Harris was castigated for his profli-gate production and the Tory govern-ment under William pitt, nervousabout the potential spread of the rev-olution to england, let him know thatfuture productions should not dabblein politics.14.

1793 – on 23 may, the British 14thRegiment of Foot is given the right touse Ça Ira as its quickstep march afterthe battle of Farmars and without theAh! It remains to this day the york-shire Regimental quickstep (see foot-note 15 below).

1794 - Ah! Ça Ira is published in Scot-land in Volume IV of the Aird collec-tion (see footnote 14).

ca. 1795 - The Downfall is publishedin england by Gow and Shepherdunder the title The much admired quick

step called the Downfall of Paris.1801 - The Downfall crosses the At-

lantic and is published in philadelphiaby G. Wilig and Sons. G. e. Blake ofphiladelphia publishes it in 1812 asdoes G. Graupner of Boston.

With these histories, how was it pos-sible for Blakeney, a contemporarymilitary man, to confuse the twotunes? Was he so deceived by theeighth and 2/16th note motive, hefailed to notice the disparity betweenthem? Had he forgotten or everknown the French heritage of Ça Ira?Was Winstock simply unaware oftheir existence as two different works?or was he fabricating an entertainingAnglo centric story for history? What-ever the reason, in the minds of some

cont. from p. 15

Ancienttimespeople the two names became associ-ated with one tune, The Downfall of

Paris.Robin Engleman is a professional per-

cussionist. “I frequently write articles on

whatever topic catches my fancy. I also

coach and correspond with musicians

around the world and accept commissions

for percussion works.

On 12 November 2011 I hosted the first

annual Drummer’s Heritage Concert

Event with Lance Pedigo and the Colonial

Williamsburg Fifes and Drums at the Per-

cussive Arts Society International Con-

vention (PASIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana.

These events are an outgrowth of the 2002

Drummer’s Heritage Concert given at the

Columbus, Ohio PASIC for which I was

Artistic Director.

These events are possible because of the

generosity of the 220 field drummers, fifers

and pipers who donated their 2002 concert

performances and the subsequent proceeds

from the sales of their Historic Drummer’s

Heritage Concert DVD.

My long relationship with the Nexus

percussion ensemble as a founding mem-

ber led to my induction into the Percussive

Arts Society Hall of Fame and to receiving

the Toronto Arts Award and the Banff

School of Fine Arts Donald Cameron

Medal.

My career as a percussionist began with

the Meyer’s Meat Market Band of West-

minster, Maryland and after college in the

North Carolina Symphony, the New

Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra, the

Louisville Orchestra, the Milwaukee Sym-

phony and the Rochester Philharmonic. In

1968 I became principal percussionist of

the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under

Seiji Ozawa and later, Karel Ancerl.”

Footnotes:

1. pronounced ah sah ear-rah.

2. The earliest manuscripts are titled Fall of Paris and

The Fall of Paris.

3.The Quadrille was an intricate exhibition of mili-

tary horsemanship dating from the 1600s. It inspired

a dance which became all the rage in europe. Com-

posers such as Joseph lanner (1801-43) and members

of the Strauss family wrote Quadrilles. The dance

was introduced into France during the 1760s where

it became a lively dance for couples known as

Quadrille de Contredanses. The Quadrille reached

england in 1803 where by 1813 it was fashionable

among the upper class.

The Bibliotheque national de Francaise, the Biblio-

theque nationale et universitare, Strasbourg and the

university of California, los Angeles have copies of

this Frere publication and date them 1790. See also;

Brecy, Robert: The French Revolution in Song, p. 59,

Francis Van De Velt/Christian pirot, France, 1988

and mason, laura: Singing the French Revolution. Pop-

ular Culture and Politics,1787-1799, Cornell university

press, 1996.

4. The Rare Books Collection of the university of

Toronto library maintains a copy of Constant Pierre’s

Les hymnes et chansons de la Revolution: apercu general

et catalogue, paris, 1904, but Becourt’s name does not

appear.

5. The Bastille was stormed to obtain its cache of

weapons. At the time only 11 prisoners were incar-

cerated. There would have been twelve had not the

marquis de Sade (1740-1814) been moved earlier to

another location. The marquis spent 30 years in

prison, but was a delegate to the Revolutionary

Council during the Revolution.

6. Id. mason, laura. p. 162-63. See also Schama,

Simon; Citizens, Alfred Knopf, new york, 1989.

7. I am indebted to linguist Andre mather for his

translation of the original ladre lyrics to Ah! Ça Ira

Dictum Populaire Air du Carillon National, (1790) as

published in Brecy, the lyrics to Chanson Patriotique

(tune: Ah! Ça Ira) July 1791, Brecy, and other insights

into the French revolutionary period.

I am also indebted to his Brother eric mather for

the translation and interpretation of Becourt’s in-

structions for the dance movements to the Quadrille,

Le Carillon National. (See manuscript A above.)

Ah! Ça Ira 1790, translated from Brecy:

The people in this day / continually repeat Ah! Ça

Ira in spite of the ministers / everything will work

out / our confused enemies are finished / and we

are going to sing Alleluia. / Ah ça ira, ça ira, ça ira.

Chanson Patriotique, July 14, 1791,

translated from Brecy:

String up the aristocrats / we will hang the aristo-

crats / Despotism will end / liberty will triumph /

We don’t have any nobles or priests / equality will

rain everywhere / the prussian brigades will fall /

the aristocratic slaves will follow / this clique will

flow away.

8. Id. mason, laura.

9. pierre, Constant: Les hymnes et chansons de la Rev-

olution: apercu general et catalogue, paris, 1904

10. Franklin was famous in europe as an author, pub-

lisher and scientis. In 1783 the French gave Franklin

a demonstration on the Champs de mars of the first

hydrogen balloon which had just been invented by

Jacques Charles and the Robert brothers in August

1783. A Hydrogen balloon was first effectively used

in combat during the battle of Fleurus (1794) where

it played a decisive role in the French victory over an

allied army of the first coalition (1792-97).

11. This reminds me somewhat of Aaron Copland’s

Appalachian Spring, where Copland used the great

Shaker gift song Simple Gifts, but changed the orig-

inal eight and one half bar phrase to eight bars. See:

patterson, David W.; The Shaker Spiritual, page 372-3,

Dover publications Inc., mineola, ny, 2000.

12. If British troops participated, the culprits were

probably musicians of the British Army 14th of Foot.

The Quick march of the 14th, later incorporated into

the yorkshire Regiment, had been Ah! Ça Ira for

about 20 years prior to the battle of Waterloo and is

the Quick march of the yorkshire Regiment today.

13. A similar story comes from the American War for

Independence. In 1781 lord Cornwallis surrendered

at yorktown, and 8,000 soldiers, a third of all British

land forces in north America laid down their arms.

Surrendering, were battalions and brigades from ten

British regiments, each possessing its own band and

battle honored tune. As they marched out of york-

town, the British and Hessian troops were said to

have played The World Turned Upside Down. (ca. 1646)

perhaps The World Turned Upside Down was played

at yorktown, but it seems very unlikely that all the

musicians, including the Germans, would, or could

have played this one tune. Further, it is not men-

tioned in contemporary accounts of the surrender.

The phrase The World Turned Upside Down has be-

come synonymous with major socio-political up-

heavals. It has survived 350 years and is suggested

during mel Gibson’s film The Patriot when Cornwal-

lis recognizing defeat at the hands of a colonial “rab-

ble” says forlornly, “nothing will ever be the same.”

years later an eyewitness to the surrender claimed

Yankee Doodle (ca. 1758)) was played by colonial mu-

sicians. The surrendering British troops, proud vet-

erans too, humiliated to acknowledge their defeat by

a peasant colonial army, steadfastly looked at the

French who were aligned on the opposite side of the

road from the colonials. An irate

17

cont. on p. 19

Ancienttimes

By GuS mAlSTRom

The monumental City AncientFife & Drum Corps of Balti-more, maryland is justly proud

to host an annual fife and drum mini-jam Sunday afternoon jollification inthe park.

We, in the monumentals, are hon-ored to be afforded the opportunity toinvite our fife and drum corps friendsand their families, predominatelyfrom the middle Atlantic States area,to join with us in this celebration. Wehost this joyful event in order to helppromote friendship and camaraderieamong those who like ourselves enjoyperpetuating the wonderful music ofthe fife and drum: a continuation ofthe tradition dating to the AmericanRevolutionary War period.

We have just completed our 18thAnnual mini-Jam on october 9, 2011drawing some 63 joyous participants.The spontaneous and unsolicitedpost-Jam ravings about this particularmini-Jam from the participants was

just about unanimous and very heartwarming. The general consensus wasthat this jam was a great one, possiblythe most enjoyable one to date. Toquote mary Torbey, well-known andadmired veteran fifer and Businessmanager for the American originalsFife & Drum Corps: “What a greatmini-Jam! The food was delicious.The company and the camaraderiewere fantastic. The weather in thisbeautiful wooded area was perfectand the fifing and drumming – parexcellence.” mary has participated inevery one of these mini-Jams.

The initial mini-Jam was inaugu-rated on a snowy Sunday afternoonback in the winter of 1993 in St. leo’sschool hall in Baltimore, maryland.participation in this extravaganza hasbeen wonderful and exciting. Wehave hosted guests coming to the Jamdirectly from as far away as Texas,Colorado, Florida, and Connecticut –not to mention other locations in be-tween. During our 18 mini-Jams, we

have proudly recorded the names ofthe corps with which our guests havebeen associated. The total number ofcorps represented by our guests hasgrown to a sizeable count: 79 corps.

18Monumental Mini-Jam, 2011Photography courtesy of Sharon Carter

monumental City mini-Jams:1993-2011

Ancienttimes

monumental City mini-Jams:1993-2011

19

We are indeed proud to publish thenames of those 79 corps.

Be it known that through our first 18mini-Jams, including our last mini-Jam on october 9, 2011, fifers anddrummers have participated repre-senting 79 corps:1. 15th new Jersey Field music Fife &Drum2. 1st maryland3. 1st michigan Colonial Fife & Drum4. 1st Virginia Regiment5. 21st Georgia Volunteers6. 28th mass7. 28th pennsylvania Brass Band8. 2nd maryland9. 3rd new Jersey Field music10. 5th Corps Field music11. 5th maryland Fifes & Drums12. 5th new york13. Alexandria Fyfes & Drums14. American originals15. Americlique16. Ancient mariners17. Ancient mariners of Japan18. Army of northern Virginia19. Baltimore polytechnic Fife, Drum& Bugle Corps20. Blessed Sacrament Golden KnightsDrum & Bugle21. Boys Brigade Drum & Bugle Corps22. BSA Troop 53 Fife & Drum Corps23. C. A. palmer Fife & Drum24. Camp Chase Fife & Drums25. Charles T. Kirk Fife, Drum & BugleCorps26. Colonial musketeers Fife & Drum

Corps27. Colonial Williamsburg Fifes &Drums28. Connecticut Valley Field music29. Continentals endicott new york30. CSA Field music31. Dandy 5th Fife & Drum32. Fifes & Drums of yorktown33. eastern Colonial Ancients34. Federal Volunteer Brigade Fife &Drum35. Fifes & Drums of prince WilliamIII36. Fifes & Drums of the Delawaremilitia37. Fort mcHenry Guard38. Germantown Fife & Drum39. Glovers Fifes & Drums40. God Shepherd Junior Ancients41. Great lakes Ancient Field musick42. Hamilton Drum & Bugle Corps43. Holy Choir of Angels Fife & DrumCorps44. Independence Fife & Drum45. John Hanson patriots46. lancraft Ancient Fife & DrumCorps47. liberty Hall Fife & Drum Corps48. loudoun Border Guards49. mcClellan Rangers Fife & DrumCorps50. middle River Drum Corps51. middlesex County Volunteers52. mile High Fife & Drum Corps53. minutemen of long Island54. monotomy minutemen55. mt. Kisko Ancient Fife & Drum

Corps56. muffin Guard Fife & Drum57. new york Ancients58. newark Colonials59. north Branford Ancient Fife &Drum Corps60. old Guard Fife & Drum Corps61. old line Fife & Drum Corps62. patapasco Guard Fife & Drum63. patomack Ancient Fife & DrumCorps64. philadelphia Fife & Drum65. philadelphia Grays66. potomac Buccaneers Fife & DrumCorps67. Rebel Regiment Fife & Drum68. Regimental Drum & Fife69. Regimental luthern Corps –Queens, new york70. Spirit of ‘7671. St. Andrew Junior Fife, Drum &Bugle72. St. Ann Junior Fife, Drum & Bugle73. St. leo Junior Ancients74. Tench Tilghman Fife & DrumCorps75. Tippecanoe Ancient Fife & DrumCorps76. uS Army Field Band77. Warehouse point Fife & DrumCorps78. yankee Rebels Drum & BugleCorps79. yankee Tunesmiths Ancient Fife &Drum Corps

marquis de lafayette is said to have ordered Wash-

ington’s musicians to play Yankee Doodle, originally

an english tune, ‘at’ the British in order to make

them acknowledge their conquerors. According to

David mcCullough in his book The Greater Journey:

Americans in Paris, this event is confirmed by the

marquis himself.

14. A primary source of information for Covent Gar-

den’s production of the pantomime The Picture of

Paris &c. was the 37 page vocal score published by

longman and Broderip, london. The score lists

naumann, merry and Shields as authors and con-

tains information regarding the music,the placement

of Ah! Ça Ira and a cast of characters.

Anne Bruton, see Doty, Gresdna; The Career of Mrs.

Anne Brunton Merry in the American Theatre, p. 34 –

35, Charles Bonner &c., see Highfill, philip H; A Bi-

ographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians,

Dancers, Managers and Other Stage Personnel in Lon-

don, 1660 to 1800; Volume 16, p. 71, The Board of

Trustees, Southern Illinois university, 1993.

Johan Gottlieb naumann studied in Dresden, Ger-

many with a student of Bach and today is mostly

known as the composer of the Dresden Amen. Felix

mendelsohn in the Reformation Symphony and

Richard Wagner in his opera Parsifal, used nau-

mann’s Amen.

cont. from p. 17

cont. from page opposite

By STeVe SmITH

my son Connor, age 10, per-formed with lancraft at the2011 Westbrook muster,

joining his grandfather, his uncle andme in the long “buff and blue” tradi-tions of lancraft drummers. Quite athrill for us to have three generationsof Smiths playing together in a greatactivity we all enjoy.

“Connor is a welcome addition tolancraft,” said Danny o’mara, lan-craft president and snare drummer,“although primarily an adult corps formen and women, lancraft welcomesany talented youngster, particularly iftheir parents are involved as marchingmembers or are willing to help out thecorps as lancraft volunteers.”

Connor first became interested indrumming when his school, yalesvilleelementary, put on a family orientedtalent show. He talked us into doing afamily drum feature together andworked hard to learn a special versionof Connecticut Halftime. I taught himthe basic rudiments and sticking whilemy brother Tom worked on Connor’sbass technique and visuals.

As a new lancraft bass section mem-ber, Connor is continuing lessons withex-lancraft member, Bob Atwell, whois the current lancraft bass instructor,

giving lessons at moriarty Hall onWednesday evenings. Bob was ayoungster too when he joined lan-craft, just 16 years old. Bob won theBass Drumming Junior ConnecticutState Championship in 1969 when hewas with the Coginchaug Ancients, ajunior corps in the Durham-middle-field area. Joining lancraft in 1970,Bob won consecutive Senior BassChampionships from 1970 through1975.

my dad Jay first started drummingin 1948 at St. John’s the evangelist el-ementary school innew Haven with theirJunior Ancient Corps.He then went to the St.Francis Senior corps fora few years. Then, after43 years away fromdrumming, he joinedlancraft in 2000 and en-joys the company ofseveral of his oldfriends from St. John’sand St. Francis whoalso currently play inlancraft. Dad startedme drumming, teach-ing me the classic earlSturtze style as helearned it from the mas-ter himself… and

brought me to lancraft in 2003.my brother Tom joined lancraft as a

bass drummer in 2004. one of his bigfifing and drumming thrills wasmarching with lancraft in Basel,Switzerland in 2006. He still talksabout his swim in the Rhine River,floating serenely past the historic “oldtown” with other adventurous drumcorps friends!

Connor’s favorite lancraft medley is(of course!) Sergeant O’Connor, used asone of this year’s Westbrook stand-pieces. The medley was arranged byWoody Sheades and eldrick Arse-nault in 1974 and used by lancraft asa field day competition piece. Themedley includes Dashing White Ser-

geant, O’Connor’s QS, Union QS andthe drum part from Devil’s Flute as adrum section feature. It was Connor’sfirst “on stand” appearance and, withlancraft being the featured corps atthe 2011 Westbrook, he had a lot toperfect and memorize!

lancraft practices Thursdayevenings in north Haven at moriartyHall. Visitors are always welcome todrop by. Visit our website www.lan-craftfd.com or email drumsir@aol.comfor lancraft literature.

20

threeGeneratIonsdruMMInGtoGether

Ancienttimes

lancraft lining up for the westbrookparade. Connor is in the center nextto his uncle, tom smith on the right.

Connor smith on the right during his first “on stand”performance with lancraft at the 2011 westbrook Muster.

left to right: tom (bass),steve (snare), Connor(bass), and Jay (snare)

21Ancienttimes

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Ancienttimesp.o. Box 277Ivoryton, CT 06442-0277

SweetHeArt fluteS32 South Maple Street, Enfield, CT 06082

fIfeS: Colonial & Civil War models; Cloos repros; Folk & Modern “engineered” - in many keys

fluteS: Irish style - keyed or keyless; Baroque, and Renaissance

wHIStleS: D&C - For Jigs & Reels!

Send for Brochure and/or Antique & Used flute list

Tel:(860) 749-4494 Email: Ralphsweet@aol.com

On the Web: www.sweetheartflute.com

From log to finished concert-quality instruments,Cooperman's drums, fifes, and sticks are the proudproduct of over 50 years of dedication to traditional

high-quality workmanship.

Visitors to our Vermont shop are always welcome. Pickup and delivery of repair work may be arranged.

and Repair and Restoration Services forContemporary and Antique Rope Drums

CoopermanHandcrafted

Fifes,Drums,&Drumsticks

1007 Route 121, P O Box 821, Bellows Falls, VT 05101 Voice 802 463 9750 Fax 802 463 4123 Web www.cooperman.com Email: JEllis@cooperman.com

Cooperman TM

february 18, 2012 – IVorYton, Ct –

Company executive / General Meetings

Time: Saturday executive Committee meet-ing 11:00 Am and General meeting 1:30 pmJam session to follow.location: The museum of Fife & Drum / The

Company HQ, Ivoryton, CTContact: The Company, 860-767-2237; companyhq@companyoffifeanddrum.org

March 31, 2012 – alBanY, nY –

no foolin' Jam!!!

Host: Adamsville Ancients Fife and DrumCorpsTime: Saturday, from 1:00 – 6:00 pm location: Albany, nyContact: Jim Willey at 518-439-8727 orAdamsvilleAncients@yahoo.comWebsite: fifedrum.org/adamsville/nofoolin-jam.htmother: enjoy a great afternoon of music andfellowship with many of your fife and drumfriends! We will be serving complimentarybeverages all afternoon and we will again betreating all our guests to a delicious mid-af-ternoon buffet. A great way to warm up forthe upcoming muster season! Directions andhotel information are available on our web-site.

april 20-22, 2012 - harrIsBurG, Pa -

united states association of rudimental

drummers (usard)

third annual Convention

A weekend of drumming performances, bothindividuals and groups. Sign up and showyour stuff. prominent drumming clinicians.Jollification. Banquet on Saturday evening.Contact: Bill mcGrath, uSARD Co-presidentat emerald0113@rochester.rr.comWebsite: www.usard.org

through March 2012

CAlenDAR