The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in Fife and Drum Corps, military units, and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer.
What is the origin of Fife?
Antedating the orchestral transverse flute, the fife is first attested in Europe during the 12th century.
Is a fife Irish?
Irish you had a whistle, but this is what would commonly be called a fife. Whistles are typically end-blown instruments played vertically while fifes are side-blown and played horizontally. Fifes are a type of flute specifically pitched an octave higher, usually in the key of B flat.
Where did fife and drum originate?
Switzerland
Fife and Drum music has very ancient roots. The fife has been played for centuries in Switzerland and Western Europe. Tradition holds that the fife and some of the music for it had its origins in the music of the Turkish Janissaries who invaded Europe in the Middle Ages and were the target of the crusades.
What does Fife mean in Scotland?
FIFE, n. 1. The name of the eastern county of Scotland, lying between the Firths of Forth and Tay. See Kingdom. Hence (1) Fifan, adj., belonging to Fife: only in poetical use; (2) Fifer, a native of Fife, sometimes used opprobriously to denote a greedy, rather unscrupulous person.
Did the Vikings come to Fife?
The Vikings are known to have ransacked Fife in the Middle Ages (where they massacred 600 monks at May Island) but prior to this find there was little evidence of their settlement in the area. Douglas Spiers, senior archaeologist at Fife Council, said: ”Runic inscriptions are very rare in mainland Scotland.
What do you call people from Fife?
A person from Fife is known as a Fifer.
What does Fife mean in Old English?
Entries linking to fife
as “a tube or duct of the body.” From mid-15c. as “one of the tubes from which the tones of an organ are produced.” Meaning “narrow tubular device for smoking” is recorded by 1590s. As “the sound of the voice,” 1570s. Pipe-bomb, “home-made bomb contained in a metal pipe,” is attested from 1960.
What does the name Fife mean?
Fife Origin and Meaning
The name Fife is both a boy’s name and a girl’s name of Scottish origin meaning “place name“. Musical choice that might work great in the middle. Alternative in all its forms, Fife and sister name Fifer are Scottish names for girls that can make a new twist on Piper.
What is special about Fife?
The Kingdom of Fife is also known throughout the world as the Home of Golf and boasts more than forty courses, from the famed fairways of St Andrews and several traditional seaside links to beautifully landscaped parkland and heathland courses suitable for golfers of all levels.
The fife, most accurately described, is any cylindrically bored transverse flute, usually in one piece (but sometimes two), usually somewhat longer than the piccolo and having only six fingerholes with no keys.
Did the drum originate in Africa?
We don’t know the drum’s exact origins, but historians agree that it was invented by the Mandinka (or Maninke) people of western Africa in around 1300 AD.
What’s the difference between a piccolo and a fife?
A piccolo has keys, while most fifes simply have holes. This applies to cheap fifes, like the Yamaha fife, and other models. Sure, you can find some simple system piccolos.
Who was the last king of Fife?
Donnchadh IV, Earl of Fife [Duncan IV] (1289–1353) was sometime Guardian of Scotland, and ruled Fife until his death. He was the last of the native Scottish rulers of that province.
What clan was in Fife Scotland?
Clan MacDuff
Origins of the clan
The early chiefs of Clan MacDuff were the Earls of Fife. Sir Iain Moncreiffe wrote that the Clan MacDuff was the premier clan among the Scottish Gaels.
Who invented the Fife?
The fife is a diatonically tuned instrument commonly consisting of a tube with 6 finger holes and an embouchure hole that produces sound when blown across.
Fife (instrument)
| Crosby-style fife made by George and Frederick Cloos | |
| Woodwind instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Wind Woodwind Aerophone Edge-blown aerophone |
Are Scots Nordic or Celtic?
Nordic countries include Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and, depending on mood, Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland. Celtic countries aren’t all countries, but include the Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Isle of Man, and, possibly, some parts of present day Portugal.
Which Scottish clans have Viking roots?
To this day you can find Scottish Clans with direct Viking (Norse) descent. Clan Gunn in the North, Clan MacDonald of the Isles and Clan MacLeod (pronounced Mac-loud), in the west mainland and Isles, along with other Clans (such as MacQueen and MacAulay) are of Norse-Scot origin.
Do Scots have Viking DNA?
Scotland and Norway share strong links that stretch right back to Viking times. Northern Scotland, was, at one time, a Norse domain and the Northern Isles experienced the most long-lasting Norse influence. Almost half of the people on Shetland today have Viking ancestry, and around 30% of Orkney residents.
Who is the lady of Fife?
Lady Agnes Georgiana Elizabeth Hay
The Countess of Fife (Lady Agnes Georgiana Elizabeth Hay, Countess of Fife, d. 1869. Wife of James, 5th Earl of Fife)
Is Fife a nice place to live?
The Kingdom of Fife known to be one of the happiest places to live in Scotland for its natural beauty, vibrant contemporary and historic culture, and easy commuter links which combined offer a quality of life which is hard to beat.