DRUM CORPS & SWISS RUDIMENTS During
the 2005 American Patriots Rudimental Drum Club convention held in
Middletown, PA, Ken Mazur and Mark Petty from the Michigan Chapter
asked my opinion as to "when" Swiss rudiments were first
played by Drum Corps in North America. "1958 / 59" was
my initial response. This was based on my experience in the Toronto
area
during the 1950's. I told Ken and Mark that I would research the
CADRE library and get back to them. The
research started with Dr. F. R. Berger's book "Instructor for
Basle Drumming" published in 1937. In the "Preface",
Berger makes reference to an exchange of "drum matter" with
Wm. Ludwig Sr. and his (Berger) induction ( mid 1930') as an honourary
member of
the National Association of Rudimental Drummers. The NARD was formed
in the USA in 1933 and quickly became a reference point for a large
number of North American and international drummers. Many of the early
instructors
in Drum Corps, in both the USA and Canada were members of the NARD. From our Canadian experience, the connection to Catherwood is relevant. In the 1950's, Toronto, as in other locations, was blessed with a large number of Military, Drum Corps and Scottish Pipe Bands. The Scottish Pipe Bands had a close relationship with their counterparts in Scotland. Information about rudimental drumming was actively being exchanged throughout Toronto. Personally, I had been exchanging drum information with Fred Fisher who was the lead tip/instructor with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. I remember showing him the Berger book and playing for him the Swiss Army Triplet. To the best of my knowledge, up to 1958, the Scottish Pipe Bands in Toronto were not playing Swiss rudiments nor were they employing the monolinear notation system. It should be noted however, that their scores were notated "stems down". So, prior
to 1937 information about Swiss rudiments was being exchanged with
some
American drummers and, Scottish pipe band drummers based
in Scotland. One can assume that some American fife and drum
players/authors etc., especially from the Connecticut area ( J. Burns
Moore, from
Connecticut, was President of NARD when Berger was inducted)
were aware of the Swiss
system, or at least part of it, prior to World War II. The book, "America's
N.A.R.D. Drum Solos", includes the solo, "Rudimenter
Good Luck" written
in 1934 by Berger. In addition to the solo, there are explanations
about part of the monolinear notation system. Vincent
L. Mott's 1957 book "The Evolution of Drumming" refers
to the Berger book in the "Bibliography" and includes
the solo "Etude" by
Raymond Suskind from New York which incorporates The Pataflafla
-Stroke. Mott was a Percussion Educator at the University of
Miami at that time
and was also President of the NARD. Frank
Arsenault and I would get together and drum during the late
1950's and early 1960's during Frank's business trips
to Toronto
as a Ludwig
Drum Co. representative. Frank gave me a copy of the "Original
Stick Control Exercises" published by the Ludwig Drum
Co. Exercise number 13, uses one of the two Pataflafla-Stroke
combinations - although they
are played hand to hand. This could have been a result of the
exchanges between Wm. Ludwig Sr. and Berger, or an excerpt
from "Stick Control" by
George Lawrence Stone. Frank, I can assure you, was aware of
Swiss rudiments at that time. A very interesting conversation
took place with Frank after
I had played for him the 1959 Canada's Marching Ambassadors
competition solo "Magoo" - which incorporated one
of the two versions of the Pataflafla-Stroke and Swiss-Army
Triplets played as 1/24 notes. Frank
was concerned about what some judges’ reaction would
be because of the non-standard drag configurations and the
employment of rudiments
other than the standard 26 set out by the NARD. 1.
The Swiss Army-Triplets (both 1/8 and 1/24 note combinations). Why, to the best of our knowledge ONLY the above; no Charge Strokes… none of the beautiful Swiss 3-Stroke Roll combinations… The Millwheel Stroke… The Final –Strokes… and so forth? In my opinion, the reason was that the above 7 were quickly understood and could be comfortably incorporated into the North American Drum Corps composition and playing styles. The snare drum was dominant. Difficulty was "in" as part of the learning curve and was credited towards the final score and, the above complimented an incredible number of "the standard 26" combinations already being played. Perhaps having to analyze "monolinear" was a deterent. Regardless,
even the minimum number of Swiss rudiments used was both a welcome
and colourful addition. Fred Johnson |