J. Burns Moore

Last updated

Joseph Burns Moore was a champion rudimental snare drummer, member of the Connecticut National Guard, instructional author, and founding member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers.

Joseph Burns Moore
Born1872
OriginNova Scotia
Died1951
Connecticut
Genresrudimental drumming
Occupation(s)Connecticut National Guardsman
Instrument(s)snare drum, timpani
Years active1888–1951

Career

J. Burns Moore was born in 1872 in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. [1] His family moved to New Haven, Connecticut in 1888 when he was sixteen years old. [2] He played in his first snare drumming competition while a sergeant in the New Haven Grays. [2] Moore also played in the Morris Drum Corps during the 1890s. [3] He would go on to win the Connecticut Championship in 1891, 1895, 1897, and 1900. [4] He also placed 3rd in 1893, [5] which outraged him. He took out an ad in the paper challenging the 1st and 2nd place finishers to a drum-off. [3] In 1905 Moore joined the New Haven Symphony Orchestra as a percussionist, [2] a post he held for over 45 years. [1] He was also a drummer in the 2nd Company of the Governor's Foot Guards.

In 1933 Moore was invited to be a judge at the American Legion National Convention in Chicago. [2] While at the convention he participated in the formation of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers with William F. Ludwig, Sr., George Lawrence Stone, and 10 other prominent rudimental drummers that eventually organized the 26 Standard American Drum rudiments. [6] Moore served as the first president of the new organization from 1933-1945 [7]

In the 1930s Moore was known as a tough teacher, reportedly throwing out students who had not practiced and using profanity around them during lessons, which cost 25 cents per half hour. [3] According to the CPI Inflation Calculator, this would have been equivalent to about $5 in 2019, extremely inexpensive by today's standards.

Moore had a strong relationship with William F. Ludwig and the W.F.L. Drum Company published his rudimental drum book Art of Drumming in 1937, which includes 27 rudiments despite his involvement with the selection of the Standard 26, [8] and produced a signature model marching snare drum for him. [9] The company also ran an ad in 1941 calling Moore the "World's Greatest Drummer" and touting his 54 years of experience at the time. [1] Moore and Ludwig judged a NARD and Ludwig Drums sponsored competition together in 1940 called "East Meets West" where drummers from different regions of the USA competed. [5]

Moore recorded the drum solos "Connecticut Halftime" and "Old Dan Tucker" in 1940 for the WFL Drums album Wm. F. Ludwig Rudimental Drum Album No. 1. [10] "Connecticut Halftime" would later be re-released on an album called Ruffles and flourishes : music for field trumpets and drums in 1957. [11]

Among Moore’s students was Hanaford Fife and Drum Corps founder Gerd Sommer, [12] noted rudimental teacher Carl Frolich, champion snare drummer Frank Fancher, and champion snare drummer (and namesake of the Dan English Trophy) Daniel English. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snare drum</span> Type of percussion instrument

The snare is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used in orchestras, concert bands, marching bands, parades, drumlines, drum corps, and more. It is one of the central pieces in a drum set, a collection of percussion instruments designed to be played by a seated drummer and used in many genres of music. Because basic rhythms are very easy to learn to play on a snare drum even for children, the instrument is also suitable for the music education for young children and a rhythm band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snare drum technique</span> Percussive instrument technique

Snare technique is the technique used to play a snare drum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drum rudiment</span> Rhythm exercise

In rudimental drumming, a form of percussion music, a drum rudiment is one of a number of relatively small patterns which form the foundation for more extended and complex drumming patterns. The term "drum rudiment" is most closely associated with various forms of field drumming, where the snare drum plays a prominent role. In this context "rudiment" means not only "basic", but also fundamental. This tradition of drumming originates in military drumming and it is a central component of martial music.

Open, closed, open is a technique of playing snare drum rudiments, especially used during auditions or classical practice routines.

Sanford Augustus Moeller (1878–1960) was an American rudimental drummer, national champion, educator, and author. He was born in Albany, New York on February 16, 1878, and he began his music education by studying the piano.

George B. Bruce was an American Army drum major during the Civil War. Bruce is best known for co-writing The Drummer's and Fifer's Guide with Daniel Decatur Emmett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lancraft Fife and Drum Corps</span>

Lancraft Fife and Drum Corps is an Ancient Fife and Drum Corps based in North Haven, Connecticut and is a member of the Connecticut Fifers and Drummers Association. Lancraft was founded in 1888 by conservative Freemasons, but over the years has become the pride of Irish Americans.

Mitch Markovich is an American percussionist, composer, educator, and clinician in the areas of rudimental drumming, marching percussion, drum and bugle corps, and marching band. He is best known for his intensive marching snare drum solo compositions and record-setting performances, entitled "Tornado" and "Stamina", and for his percussion quartet composition entitled "Four Horsemen". Markovich's contributions to the style, notation, composition, and performance of percussion have endured over the last five decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Arsenault</span> American percussionist, teacher

Frank Arsenault was an internationally known American percussionist, teacher, and clinician in the areas of marching percussion, rudimental drumming, drum and bugle corps, and marching band. He was a full-time Staff Clinician and Educational Field Representative for the Ludwig Drum Company. He is also well known in his field for his signature playing style, for his many championship titles, and for his recording of The 26 Standard American Drum Rudiments and Selected Solos.

Ryan Alexander Bloom is an American drummer, author, and teacher. He is known for being a former member of the Colorado-based thrash metal band Havok, member of death metal band Bloodstrike, and the author of several books including the Double Bass Drumming Explained series and Encyclopedia Rudimentia.

Charles "Charley" Wilcoxon was an American drum teacher and drum method book writer. He wrote several influential books on rudimental drumming that are still used by drum teachers today. He is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame.

Charles Stewart Ashworth was Drum Major of the United States Marine Band in the early 1800s and the author of an influential rudimental drum manual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William F. Ludwig Sr.</span> American musician

William F. Ludwig was an American percussionist, drum-maker, and founder of Ludwig Drums. He helped to create the National Association of Rudimental Drummers and is a member of the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame.

Gardiner A. Strube was an American drum major in the New York National Guard and the author of a fife and drum manual.

The National Association of Rudimental Drummers is an organization created to encourage the study of rudimental drumming. NARD is responsible for the creation of the Standard 26 American Rudiments.

H. C. Hart was an American drum major in the 71st New York Infantry during the American Civil War and an influential fife and drum manual author.

Alfons Grieder was a Swiss rudimental drummer who spread awareness of the Basel Drumming style in America during the mid to late 20th century through his traveling, teaching, and publications.

Jay Wanamaker is a percussionist and the president and CEO of Roland Americas and formerly held executive positions at Fender and Guitar Center. He also worked for Yamaha, Alfred Publishing, and the University of Southern California, and was chair of the Percussive Arts Society rudimental committee that published the 40 PAS Drum rudiments. He has also published over 50 music books and instructional DVDs.

John Sterling "Jack" Pratt (1931–2020) was an American Army drum instructor at West Point as well as a celebrated rudimental book author. Pratt produced several volumes of rudimental solos and instructional materials and was also the founder of the International Association of Traditional Drummers (IATD), a member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers (NARD), a member of the United States Association of Rudimental Drummers (USARD), and was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Hall of Fame and the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame.

Edward B. Straight was an American drummer, founding member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers, and author of several instructional drum books in the early days of drum kit playing.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "New Haven Museum » test".
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Field Drums (A/K/A Field of Drums): J. Burns Moore, a Short Autobiography". 21 September 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Mazur, Ken. "The Perfectionists: The History of Rudimental Snare Drumming From Military Code to Field Competition." Percussive Notes. April 2005.
  4. ↑ Clark, James. Connecticut's Fife and Drum Tradition. Wesleyan University Press, 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 Beckham, Rick. "The Birth, Growth, and Metamorphosis of Competitive Rudimental Drumming" (PDF). Unknown.
  6. ↑ Beck, John H. Encyclopedia of Percussion. Routledge, 2013.
  7. ↑ "History of N.A.R.D."
  8. ↑ Moore, J. B. Art of Drumming. Chicago: WFL Drum Co, 1937.
  9. ↑ "Musical Instruments for Sale - New & Used Music Gear".
  10. ↑ Wm. F. Ludwig Rudimental Drum Album No. 1. Chicago: WFL Drum Co, 1940. Sound Recording.
  11. ↑ Fennell, Frederick. Ruffles and Flourishes: Music for Field Trumpets and Drums. Chicago: Mercury, 1957. Sound recording.
  12. ↑ "USARD Blog". www.usard.org. Archived from the original on 2016-10-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.