Performance
The drums are beaten using two sticks. Visual effects may be created by flourishes of the drum sticks; for example, bass drummers may wave the sticks about in a flourish while the snare drummers roll (or when the beating leaves sufficient time to flourish).
Songs are chosen on a number of criteria and can include both historically significant music and new pieces specifically composed or arranged to be played on fife and drum.
Most fife and drum corps march in parades, perform concerts in festivals and state fairs, and expositions. Some fife and drum corps focus on interpreting a specific time period and spend some time portraying field musicians of the era at living history events. Still others perform together at musters, particularly in the North East, but also nationally.
The typical uniforms of the Ancient Fife and Drum Corps is a representation of some American Revolutionary War American military uniform. Often you'll see tricorn hats, waistcoats, knickers or knee breeches, ruffled cuffs, neck stocks, buckled shoes. More recently, American Civil War uniforms have risen in prominence. These uniforms do not have to be historically accurate in look or composition to be worn by an ancient fife and drum corps, they merely have to reflect the historical feeling of an era, though many corps do wear authentic reproduction uniforms.
Read more about this topic: Ancient Fife And Drum Corps
Famous quotes containing the word performance:
“Just as the performance of the vilest and most wicked deeds requires spirit and talent, so even the greatest demand a certain insensitivity which under other circumstances we would call stupidity.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
“Nobody can misunderstand a boy like his own mother.... Mothers at present can bring children into the world, but this performance is apt to mark the end of their capacities. They can’t even attend to the elementary animal requirements of their offspring. It is quite surprising how many children survive in spite of their mothers.”
—Norman Douglas (1868–1952)
“The value of old age depends upon the person who reaches it. To some men of early performance it is useless. To others, who are late to develop, it just enables them to finish the job.”
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)