the LeSession pages

Abc music notation tutorial, uk.music.folk FAQ, rauschpfeifes, and more ...
Rauschpfeife reed Playing fife for Freaks on the beach, Whitby, 2003. Just out of shot Keith is about to whack me one with a very big Morris stick. Powderkegs, May 2007

Rauschpfeife images

The Triumphs of Maximilian

This image is from a woodcut in The Triumphs Of Maximilian I, depicting five rauschpfeifers on horseback. A full version of this image can be viewed online at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco website.

This is from Thoinot Arbeau's Orchesographie published in 1589. There is no reference to rauschpfeifen in the narrative of the Orchesographie, so I am claiming this noisy fellow as a rauschpfeifer without any real proof ... but judging by the number of lines the engraver shows coming from the end of the instrument, he's obviously got something fairly loud on the go ...

 Rauschpfeifer (?) from the Orchesography
Schryari from Syntagma Musicum by Praetorius, 1619

This is from Praetorius' Syntagma Musicum of 1619, illustrating three sizes of Schryari.

 

A photo of my rauschpfeife, a soprano made by Eric Moulder.

Click on the photo to get a larger version of the image.

soprano rauschpfeife by Eric Moulder
 
Rauschpfeife and cornamuse reeds

My soprano rauschpfeife (left) and my soprano cornamuse by Wood (right) for comparison.

With the windcaps removed the difference in the size of reed is obvious. Note also the difference in size and spacing of the fingerholes.
Powderkegs border morris, Adderbury, May 2007.  When people ask me if the rauschpfeife is a traditional instrument for the morris I reply 'not yet'. Powderkegs band, Adderbury, May 2007
Richard Peach cartoon In 2002 Osama Bin Laden was holed up in the Tora Bora cave complex in Afghanistan, and, far more importantly in rauschpfeife terms, Richard Peach of the band Nelson Peach had his first encounter with my rauschpfeife - shortly afterwards, this cartoon dropped through my letterbox ... you can click the image for a larger version. This cartoon is © Richard Peach 2002, gratefully reproduced here with his permission.
In late 2009 we moved house, and woke up on our first morning to find these Health and Safety posters attached to our gateposts.

Thanks to Graham, foreman of The Powderkegs, and chair of the High Peak branch of the Rauschpfeife Appreciation Society (motto: 'Too loud, man ... ' ) for the poster, and for permission to reproduce it here.		 Graham's Elf and Safety advisory - click for a larger version