Page:The story of the flute (IA storyofflute1914fitz).djvu/97

CHAPTER VI.

THE MILITARY FIFE.

Early history, examples, and references—Arbeau's description—Introduced into the French Army—Into the English Army—Duties of military fifers—Their position—Temporary disuse—Reinstatement—The true fife—In opera.

The drum and fife was one of the earliest forms of military music. Even amongst the ancient Greeks the vertical flute seems to have been used largelyEarly
History as a martial instrument, and the Lacedæmonians had a saying that "a good performer on the flute would make a man brave every danger and face even iron itself." This martial character has survived to modern times.

Strictly speaking, a fife is a small cylinder flute, generally unjointed, with six finger-holes and without any keys. It would appear to have been first introduced into military music early in the sixteenth century by the Swiss, who, as the principal mercenary soldiers of the Middle Ages, soon spread the instrument all over Europe. It was first known as the Zwerchpfeiff, Schweitzerpfeiff, or Swiss pipe (for pictures, see Chap. III., p. 30, ante), and is said to have been first used by the Swiss troops in the battle of Marignano (1515). It was also called

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