In Much Ado, Benedick draws a distinction between the Drum and Fife and the Tabor and Pipe. The former (see Othello III. iii. 353) were of a decided military cast; whereas the latter were more associated with May Day entertainments, bull-baitings, and out-of-door amusements generally. The Tabor was a little drum, the Pipe (as explained before, in [Section III.], about Autolycus) a tiny whistle with only three holes. The two were played simultaneously by one person.
Much Ado II, iii, 13. Benedick, of Claudio in love.
Ben. I have known, when there was no music with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe: ... but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wise, or I'll none; ... of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God.
Besides these more civilised 'pipes,' the country-man's pipe of cornstalk is mentioned by Titania, in Mids. II. ii. 8. This was really a 'reed,' not a whistle of any kind.
The tabor leads one on to the Tabourine, which was the full-sized military drum, corresponding to the modern side-drum. See Troil. IV, v, 275. 'Beat loud the tabourines,' and Antony IV, viii, 37, 'our rattling tabourines.'
The drum supplied the great proportion of military music in those days, besides having its importance as a means of signalling orders to the troops. This is dealt with more fully in the chapter on Stage Directions.
Parolles' sham anxiety about a lost drum is mentioned fourteen or fifteen times in All's Well III. v. and vi.; and IV. i. Parolles earns his nickname of 'Tom Drum,' in Act V. iii. 320.
The following is an interesting passage of a more serious kind—
K. John V, ii, 164.
Lewis [Dauphin.]
Strike up the drums! and let the tongue of war
Plead for our interest, and our being here.
Bastard. Indeed, your drums, being beaten, will cry out;
And so shall you, being beaten. Do but start
An echo with the clamour of thy drum,
And even at hand a drum is ready brac'd,
That shall reverberate all as loud as thine;
Sound but another, and another shall,
As loud as thine, rattle the welkin's ear,
And mock the deep-mouth'd thunder.