Hail Columbia!

Here we sing Hail Columbia, an early patriotic song. The tune, The President's March, was first performed at the inauguration of President George Washington in 1789. The words were written to it by Joseph Hopkinson in 1798. It generally took the place of Chester as a song that was played at formal events. We have played it at opening and closing ceremonies at War of 1812 events.

Note, we are not a singing group, but a fife and drum corps. We play it better on fife and drum, but we like to see the songs in their other contexts as well. This arrangement is from the Missouri Harmony (first published in 1820).

Here are the words (only the first verse and chorus were in the Missouri Harmony):

1. Hail Columbia, happy land!

Hail, ye heroes, heav'n-born band,

Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,

Who fought and bled in freedom's cause,

And when the storm of war was gone

Enjoy'd the peace your valor won.

Let independence be your boast,

Ever mindful what it cost;

Ever grateful for the prize,

Let its altar reach the skies.

Chorus: Firm, united let us be,

Rallying round our liberty,

As a band of brothers joined,

Peace and safety we shall find.

2. Immortal patriots, rise once more,

Defend your rights, defend your shore!

Let no rude foe, with impious hand,

Let no rude foe, with impious hand,

Invade the shrine where sacred lies

Of toil and blood, the well-earned prize,

While off'ring peace, sincere and just,

In Heaven's we place a manly trust,

That truth and justice will prevail,

And every scheme of bondage fail.

-Peter B.

 Memor!

Chester (Video)

Here we sing a song named Chester. Chester was used somewhat of a "national anthem" (although they would not have used the word "national") as it was played at least in the Continental army for opening and closing ceremonies and official functions. For many fifers and drummers this is one of the first songs learned on those instruments. It's neat to sometimes see the musical and historical context of the tunes we play on fife and drum. This musical arrangement is typical from that time period and is taken from the Sacred Harp. In the video, we sing the first verse, but here are all the words:

Chester
by William Billings

Let tyrants shake their iron rods,
And Slav'ry clank her galling chains.
We fear them not, we trust in God.
New Columbia's God forever reigns.

Howe and Burgoyne and Clinton, too,
With Prescott and Cornwallis joined,
Together plot our overthrow,
In one infernal league combined.

When God inspired us for the fight,
Their ranks were broke, their lines were forced,
Their ships were shattered in our sight,
Or swiftly driven from our coast.

The foe comes on with haughty stride,
Our troops advance with martial noise;
Their vet'rans flee before our youth,
And gen'rals yield to beardless boys.

What grateful off'ring shall we bring,
What shall we render to the Lord?
Loud hallelujahs let us sing,
And praise his name on ev'ry chord!

Fifes in the Key of C

Yesterday, for my birthday present we got three fifes in the key of C, not to replace our B-flat fifes, but mainly for the more historically accurate events. In the early days of American fifing there wasn't a set pitch that fifes were tuned to (no 440 tuning), so they varied quite a bit. I have heard that in Washington's army the fifers, with mostly homemade fifes, were grouped together in regiments with fifers in the same general pitch, although without standardized tuning it still would have been difficult. It got better as time went along, even in the War for Independence. In the War of 1812 the army-issued fifes were of a standardized key, the key of C (although even in the War of 1812 you still had many local made fifes, especially among the militia). I have heard that (at least some of) the fife cases that we still have from that time period are to short for B-flat fifes. I have also heard that the French often used D fifes. (I say "I have heard" not because I doubt it, I heard it from reliable sources, but I don't have a primary source.) I have also read that the fifers in the British army in the 1800s used both B-flat and C fifes. B-flat fifes are certainly the most common fifes in American today. (B-flat meaning when you play a D on the fife it plays a B-flat.)

Another thing different with these fifes is that they have straight bores instead of the conical bores of our other fifes, and the finger holes are all the same size. This is also more historically accurate, although it makes the notes a little more out of tune with each other. You can hear that in the video below where I play Tecumseh on the C fife. The fifers of 1812, who would have played like this the whole time of playing fife, would have learned to instinctually adjust to the notes, and would have probably sounded a little nicer (and hopefully so will I with some practice). 

We got them from: http://www.peelerfifes.com/fifes/

-Peter Bringe

 Memor!

We got C fifes yesterday! I'll try to post more about them soon.

-Peter
Memor!