Lancraft Fife & Drum Corps
North Haven, CT
Ed Lancraft & the Ancient Spirit
The 26 Standard Drum Rudiments
Drums
On August, 8, 1954, the
great
S.A. "Gus"
Moeller, a national champion and fine drum builder, personally delivered
five new snare drums that were purchased by the Corps. A meeting followed the
delivery, where Mr. Moeller carefully explained care and maintenance to the
Corps members. The cost of the new drums? $85.00 each! Moeller was a Lancraft
member from 1930 - 1935. They are still being played today. Lancraft drums now
span three generations with the same lineage: from "Gus" Moeller, to "Buck"
Soistman, to Bill Reamer, and now to his son, Andrew Reamer.
.
Unfortunately, at the1970 Deep River Muster, one of these magnificent Moeller
drums "walked" off the field and has not been seen since. If anyone should
happen to come across it, the Corps would like to hear from you...no questions
asked!
Although its writer is long deceased, the Moeller Book remains one of the finest resources for the student of rudimental drumming. The other two most popular publications are by Earle Sturtze and Frank Arsenault, also Lancraft members.
Three Generations of Drums
All Constructed using the
same techniques and equipment.
(Jack Mcguire with Moeller, Ed Salerno with Soistman, Bill Maling
with Reamer)
Fifes
Over the course of Lancraft history, many fifes were used, mostly the product of George Cloos, with the occasional Ferrary or Cooperman. In 1990, the Corps standardized on the Model F Fife made of Grenadilla wood with Chrome ferrules. Countless Connecticut State and Northeastern State Individual Championships were won by Lancraft fifers over the course of many years.
George Cloos arrived in
Brooklyn, NY in 1862. During the Civil War, he made clarinets and some other
woodwinds but, contrary to a common public perception, he did NOT make fifes
during the war. He began making fifes shortly afterward. Since most of the fifes
used during that conflict were created under government contract, the majority,
but not all, were poorly made and hard to play. Cloos incorporated design
concepts of Boehm and Nicholson and made a far superior instrument. Veterans of
all stripes, particularly members of the Grand Army of the Republic,
procured them.
The Cloos Company continued to make fifes under the heirs of George Cloos right
up to 1946, when the company was sold to the Penzel Company, later Penzel and
Mueller, which continued to make fifes under the Cloos name. The company went
out of business in 1952.
It was about this time that Edward Ferrary of Essex, CT began to make fifes
under his name. Based upon the Cloos design, he improved the instrument with a
process he developed, using a specialized tool that heat treated and burnished
the bore, which made the instrument much easier to sound and produced a wondrous
clear tone.
Ed Ferrary died in 1990 and a maker who prefers to remain anonymous, trained by
Ferrary, purchased all of the original tools, gigs, lathes and other equipment,
including the burnishing process. The fife is not, as some say, "a highly
regarded reproduction of the Ferrary fifes." It is a Ferrary fife in every way.
The "F" in the name, "Model F" is in honor of Ed Ferrary, the progenitor of the
fife. The maker decided to let the name rest with Mr. Ferrary
Over the course of Lancraft history, many fifes were used, mostly the product of
George Cloos, with the occasional Ferrary or Cooperman. In 1990, the Corps
standardized on the Model F Fife made of Grenadilla wood with Chrome ferrules.
Countless Connecticut State and Northeastern State Individual Championships were
won by Lancraft fifers over the course of many years.
Information provided by Corps members
Copyright © [Lancraft Fife & Drum Corps]. All rights reserved.
Revised:
February 18, 2012
