It’s been on our radar to prepare a post and video since one of the nation’s top fife and drum units made their march into New Jersey during a warm spell in July 2023. First in Morristown at the Ford Mansion, and then a stop the next day in Somerville, the capital of Somerset County, the group showcased their stunning 1779 Continental Army uniforms alongside music of the time. Mr. Local History tagged along for the trip to document their precision cadence, authentic period uniforms, and great music.
In the early 1980s, a group of musicians from the Boston area came together, sharing a passion for the stirring sounds of the American Revolution. They were inspired by the fifes and drums that once led soldiers into battle and called communities to gather. In 1982, they officially formed the Middlesex County Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps with a clear purpose: to preserve and perpetuate the musical tradition through research, performance, and education.
From the beginning, the Middlesex Volunteers were more than just a marching group. They became historians in uniform, dedicated to uncovering the original scores and rhythms played by colonial armies and town musicians from the seventeenth through early nineteenth centuries. Their goal was authenticity, to perform the same music that echoed across village greens and battlefield camps during the founding of our nation.
Over the decades, the Middlesex Volunteers have grown into one of the premier fife and drum ensembles in the United States. Their musicians come from diverse backgrounds, including engineers, pharmacists, and students, united by a shared commitment to excellence and tradition. Each week they rehearse, blending scholarship with showmanship to create performances that are both historically accurate and musically captivating.
Their journey has taken them to some of the most celebrated stages and events in the country. They have performed alongside the Boston Pops Orchestra, collaborated with the Boston Camerata, and even shared the stage with the President’s Own United States Marine Band. From historic town musters and Independence Day parades to international festivals, their sound has become synonymous with the proud spirit of early America.
Members of the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums (MCV) had the distinct honor of performing at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in August 2007. This marked the first fife and drum corps to ever perform at the fifty-seven-year-old event, and the first avocational group from the United States. Previous U.S. representations – thirteen in the history of the event – have been either military or university ensembles. Since then, MCV has appeared at the 2009, 2015, and 2024 Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, the 2010 Edinburgh Military Tattoo’s Salute to Australia, the 2011 Sweden International Tattoo, and the 2012 Basel Tattoo. MCV returned to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2018 and was received extremely well.
Dressed in the 1779 uniform of the Continental Army, the group’s music spans over seven centuries. The group performs an average of 25 times a year and has produced eight full-length recordings. Often seen as the image of Boston, MCV highlights Boston’s annual Harborfest celebration and has performed with the Boston Pops at their July 4th Esplanade concert (most recently in 2022), the Holiday at Pops concert series at Symphony Hall, as well as at Tanglewood and other high-profile concerts. Fifers from MCV were guest artists on the Boston Pops tribute to John Williams CD.
When the Middlesex Volunteers came to Morristown and Somerville, New Jersey, they brought with them that same fire and authenticity that have made them legends in the world of living history. Crowds lined the streets, tapping their feet to the piercing fifes and deep drums that carried the echoes of the Revolution into the present day.
The Mr. Local History Project was there to capture the moment, a rare and moving celebration of music, memory, and American pride. It was a reminder that history does not just live in books or museums. Sometimes, it marches right down the street.
Did You Know…
The person at the front of the marching band is called the Drum Major, the field leader who directs the corps, signals commands, and represents the unit in ceremonial performance.
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