Single-key Fife, Late 19th Century, By Laubé At Couture Bousset - Musical Instrument

Laubé single-key fifeThe fife is a wind musical instrument, similar to the transverse flute, generally made of wood. It is monoxyl (a single piece of wood), with a single key, 8 playing holes, 3 tuning holes, with an ovalized mouthpiece, and has nickel silver metal rings at each end. This Laubé one-key fife is made of rosewood with a cylindrical bore and a transverse flute-type beveled air intake. The presence of a key (often E-flat) allows certain alterations, facilitating access to notes that are difficult to produce without a key, such as D# or E-flat. Tonality and playing: This Laubé one-key fife is tuned to a slightly low E and covers approximately two octaves in the high register. Use and repertoire: Fifes were generally played mainly in traditional French music, particularly military or popular fife and drum music at festivals, carnivals, parades or in the military tradition, producing a powerful and high-pitched sound to accompany the drums. This fife was built by Laubé, a historical instrument maker listed as active in late 19th century Europe, whose instruments are prized for their solidity and quality of manufacture. Some examples have two keys or other arrangements, but the single-key configuration remains typical for popular or traditional music. Finally, they are mainly played in traditional French music, notably military or popular fife and drum music. This Laubé single-key fife is quite rare, its historical and musical interest lies in its ability to enrich traditional playing with certain alterations while maintaining a simple and robust construction, adapted to the requirements of outdoor performances and intensive rehearsals. This instrument has been revised in our workshops and is fully operational.