Scots-Irish Music The Fife

To put you in the picture about the Fife, I'd like to quote from a piece on Ulster-Scots Music by ‘Queens University's – School of Anthropological Studies’:

"The fife is an instrument made popular in military bands, its shrill tone making it audible above the drums and the more terrifying sounds of battle. Much of its popularity in Ireland probably derives from the Irish Volunteers, a mass movement of part-time soldiers formed at the end of the 18th century, ostensibly to protect Ireland from a French invasion, but with its own objectives of resisting economic exploitation by England.

The movement was particularly strong in Ulster-Scots areas. The Volunteers demonstrated their strength through parades, and this would have called for large numbers of musicians. The fife was also a suitable instrument because it could be learned fairly quickly, although sustained playing requires some practice.

Following the collapse of the Volunteers in 1796, the fifing tradition would have continued in other part-time military formations, such as the militia and yeomanry, as well as in newly created parading groups such as the Orange Order and the Ribbonmen or Hibernians. Again, these were particularly strong in Ulster.

During the 19th century, the fife was used to accompany the Lambeg drum. Due to the limited speed at which the huge drums could move, the fifers developed a distinctive repertoire of tunes played in hornpipe time, and a style of slow rhythmic walking with a swing,which in celebratory times such as the Twelfth of July can verge on dancing. This may be one reason why parading in Ulster is habitually referred to as ‘walking’ rather than ‘marching’. Similarities may also be noticed between this style of movement and the stances in which old-time fiddlers are portrayed when playing on the street or at fairs. Again, this is understandable when we consider that not only many of the tunes, but many of the players, were the same.

Fife and Drum traditions have also survived in North America and in the south-west of Ireland, but it is undoubtedly the unique presence of the Lambeg in Ulster which gives the Ulster-Scots tradition its distinctive rhythm and style of movement.

The fife is usually keyed in C-sharp or B-flat which makes it unsuitable for playing with most other instruments.
Within the orchestra, therefore, it is usually played as an accompaniment to drums, making a contrast in sound to renditions of the same tunes on the fiddle."

Another paper I read maintained that:

"A distinctive reportoire of tunes in hornpipe time developed around the Lambeg drum and fife tradition, which again was common to both Loyalists and Nationalists, although it has been largely abandoned by nationalists in recent years." And sadly that - "In the twentieth century, the fife and drum tradition faded in all but a few heartland areas, and flute bands came to dominate the parading scene."