Massachusetts Collection of Martial Music - 1818
Written by Alvan Robinson and printed originally in 1818, this wonderful and very popular book was again published in 1820 and 1824. It would be of great interest for both fifers and drummers. Robinson designed the drum component as a series of 24 rudimental lessons, using the onomatopoeia or narrative method of describing the beatings. This was popular at the time and still is today despite the fact that more modern methods of musical scoring had been published by Lovering and others. Some musical historians believe that Robinson's work provided inspiration to Bruce and Emmett in the writing of their Fifers and Drummers Guide.
For the fifer, there are a total of 73 pieces ranging from well known tunes like March to Boston (Road to Boston), York Fusillier, Hariott, White Cockade and Haymaker, on to a bunch of really great ones that haven't been played in many years. The contents, adding up to 48 pages, are listed below. They have all been digitally enhanced for clarity, missing pages and portions thereof sought and found.
| LESSONS | |
| Lesson 1 | Long Roll |
| Lesson 2 | Three Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 3 | Five Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 4 | Seven Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 5 | Eight Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 6 | Nine Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 7 | Ten Stroke Roll |
Lesson 8 | Fifteen Stroke Roll |
| Lesson 9 | Right Hand Single Flam |
| Lesson 10 | Left Hand Single Flam |
| Lesson 11 | Right Hand Double Flam |
| Lesson 12 | Left hand Double Flam |
| Lesson 13 | Flam and a Two |
| Lesson 14 | Three and a Two |
| Lesson 15 | Flam and a two and one flam |
| Lesson 16 | Seven and a Two |
| Lesson 17 | Pad-a-diddle |
| Lesson 18 | Flam-a-diddle |
| Lesson 19 | Seven, Three and a Two |
| Lesson 20 | Two Flams and a Fife |
| Lesson 21 | Rough |
| Lesson 22 | Single Drag |
| Lesson 23 | Double Drag |
| Lesson 24 | Poing Stroke |
| EXERCISES |
| Common Time, 1st mode |
| Common Time, 2nd mode |
| Common Time, 3rd mode |
| Common Time, 4st mode quick time |
| Warren's March |
| Waltz or Triple Time |
| Free-Mason's March |
| Morelli's Lesson |
| Single Drag |
| On the Way to the Field |
| Hay Maker Double Drag |
| No. 13 |
| Cubie's March |
| Baltimore March |
| CAMP BEATS |
| General Salute |
| Drummer's Call |
| Rogue's March |
| Pioneer's March |
| Three Cheers |
| Revillee |
| Assembly |
| The General |
| Roast Beef |
| Retreat |
| Peas Upon the Trencher |
| The Troop |
| Plus 24 drill and field signals |
There are also 73 tunes for the fife:.
| Recruiting Officer | Jamie's Return | Midnight Hour | King William's March |
| Adjutant's Favorite | Blue Beard's March | Madrigal | White Cockade |
| York Fusillier | America | Queen of Hearts | Button Hole |
| Bainbridges Return | Waltz | Clod Poles | Bethel Quickstep |
| Duke's Favorite | Distant View | My Nanio | Bold Highlander |
| Jones' Frolic | The Star | Double Drag | Baltimore |
| Lads and Lasses | Tempest of War | Morelli's Lesson | March to Boston |
| What You Please | Marquis of Granby's March | Capt. Money's March | Banks of Flowers |
| Miss Barker's Hornpipe | Russian Dance | No. 1 | O dear what can the matter be! |
| Minot Quickstep | Soldier's Return | No. 2 | Rural Felicity |
| Knolton's Quickstep | Venetian Canzonett | Yankee Doodle | Hollow Drum |
| Conjugality | Trip to Randeleagh | Old Festus | Duke's March |
| Hull's Return | Drops of Brandy | Sally | The Black Cockade |
| When Bidden to the Wake | Quickstep | Harriot | French Maroh |
| Friendship | Quick March | Boyne Waters | Lady Bruce's Reel |
| Col. Favorite | Neglected Fair | Hampton March | Robinson's March |
| Warren's March | Katy's Rambles | Gen. Washington's March | God save America |
| Bliss' Reel | Portland Quickstep | Portland Fair | Durham March |
| Life Let Us Cherish |
The cost of the book is $15.95.
To order, click the fife.
