"Eighteenth-century fifers and drummers had a world of music to draw from. Printing presses produced hundreds of music books that they could use. They selected tunes from the musical theater, popular songs, and dance music that soldiers knew and enjoyed. When the musicians found music they especially liked, some wrote the tunes down in manuscripts. We are lucky that some of these manuscripts survive today. For almost forty years, the musicians and music directors of the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums have collected and arranged these popular melodies.
In re-creating the music of eighteenth-century America, some tunes have become old standards for modern-day fifers and drummers. Some have become favorites of our guests and visitors. We hope you will find some familiar tunes - some of your favorites - in this collection. We also hope you will find some pieces that are new and exciting. As we continue to study the music and sounds of the past, we learn more about the. music and the people who played it."

The album "Echoes of Revolution: The Fifes and Drums of Colonial Williamsburg," was originally released on cd in 1996.

This is made available for personal and educational use only. To license this music for exhibition or commercial use, please contact the Rockefeller Library at rocklibrary@cwf.org