The Flagada is a French rudiment which can be traced back to the 1754 ordonnance in Instruction des Tambours and possibly the Philidor Collection (1705).
It is also a Swiss rudiment, Le coup de 3, which can be seen in many 19th century Swiss marches.
Similar to a Flam Tap, they are played:
Flagadas in French Music:
Throughout Philidor, there are a number of instances in which we see a 16th note flam, followed by another 16th note, followed by another note of various values. While we cannot say with certainty that this represents a Flagada, the structure allows us to make a best guess and interpret it as such.
Notice the Flagada in measure 4.
The Flagada first definitely appears in Le Drapeau in Instruction des Tambours.
Notice the Flagada in measure 3.
However, the rudiment isn’t named until Gourdin (c. 1910), who describes a Flagada as always LLR. While his exercises demonstrate that the Flagada could start on the beat or off the beat, his practical use of them is always off the beat (22-23).
We see them performed in this way throughout 1880s marches in which they always appear beginning on the off beat (“&”) and with the LLR sticking.
To study the use of Flagadas in 19th century French marches, see: Broutin, 39-49. See: 6th March and 7th March. Also see: 2ème Marche Réglementaires de la Légion de la Garde Républicaine; 3ème Marche Réglementaire de L’Armée Française; 3ème Marche Réglementaires de la Légion de la Garde Républicaine; 6ème Marche Réglementaire de L’Armée Française; and 7ème Marche Réglementaire de L’Armée Française. All of these marches can be found in Tourte, Méthode de Tambours, 25-30.
Le Coup de 3 in Swiss Music:
The Swiss style also contains a Flagada, called ‘le coup de 3’ or the stroke of 3, which is heavily employed in Swiss marches throughout the 19th century.
Because Swiss military drumming and French military drumming share the same origin, the existence of a rudiment in both styles suggests older roots and may imply the Flagada originated in the early relationship between the Swiss and French militaries.
See: Marches Nos. 5, 6, & 8. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die eidgenössischen Truppen (1819) 20-23; Marches Nos. 5 & 6. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die eidgenössischen Truppen. Zurich: 1828; Marches 5, 6, 8 & 9. Tambour-Ordonnanz für die eidgenössischen Truppen (Zurich: 1845) 19-24.
Do We See Flagadas in American Music?
Hazeltine (1810) includes a rudiment referred to as “A Flam and a Two”. His description implies the same performance as a Flagada. He also includes a “Seven and a Two”, in which the seven replaces the flam. We see this only in his “Quick Time” beating, where the interpretation as two right-hand Flagadas makes the most sense. [The phrase in Hazeltine’s Quick Time reminds me of Rumrille’s Accent No. 3 and I wonder if Hazeltine is using a corruption of that phrase.]
Robinson (1818) also includes a “Flam and a Two” and a “Seven and a Two”, described the same was as in Hazeltine. Robinson’s use, however, is more akin to Swiss Army Triplets or Flam Accents, as seen in “Hay Maker”, “No. 13”, and “Baltimore March”.
In Hart’s (1862) “Conklins 2/4 Flam Tap Beat” and “Conklins 2/4 Stick Beat”, we see what might be considered Flagadas. There isn’t a rest between the two Flagadas and the movement doesn’t alternate, as we would expect to see in Flagadas. For that reason, some might consider this movement more of a duple-based Swiss Army Triplet. While an interesting observation, I think it would be a mistake to try to define this movement as a specific rudiment, rather than predominately see this as a creative play on Flam Taps.
More Info:
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