Canadian fiddle
Canadian fiddle is the aggregate body of tunes, styles and musicians engaging the traditional folk music of Canada on the fiddle. It is an integral extension of the Anglo-Celtic and Québécois French[1] folk music tradition but has distinct features found only in the Western hemisphere.[2]
Regional styles
Cape Breton
Cape Breton fiddling is a regional
Dance styles associated with the music are Cape Breton
Cape Breton playing is highly accented, characterized by driven up-bowing. The tunes of other music origins (Irish,
Cape Breton fiddle music is strongly influenced by the intonations of the
Down East
Down East, originating in the
Fiddle music in the region originated with the arrival of the first British settlers in the 18th century. As a distinct style, Down East fiddling developed and became nationally prominent thanks to the advent of the radio. George Chappelle and the Merry Islanders hosted an early radio program on CFCY-FM on Prince Edward Island, and following Chappelle's departure in 1939, New Brunswick native Don Messer launched a show that soon became popular nationwide. Messer focused less on traditional fiddling than on producing a hit show, and his success greatly influenced local music and Canadian fiddle in general. The style developed by Messer and others came to be known as "Down East", after a colloquial name for the Maritimes. It is characterized by waltzes, jigs, polkas and reels, and its focus on simple playing and dance-ready rhythms.[4]
Quebec fiddle
Quebec fiddle is a part of the old time fiddle canon and is influential in New England and Northwest fiddle styles.
According to Reiner and Anick,[2] the affinity between Anglo-Celtic and French fiddle music dates to the 1600s. Solo style predominated in the rugged frontier land where a small fiddle could be easily managed. Thus, cross tunings, drone notes and complex rhythms evolved to fill the gaps left in unaccompanied playing and this resulted in a highly developed style. Clogging (usually in the form of podorhythmie) was often the only available accompaniment, and much as with the aboriginal Métis fiddle style, percussive and rhythmic playing is notably developed in this style. As with the French-speaking Cajun fiddle style, German button accordion created a fad which temporarily influenced the form, as did the eventual introduction of piano in the urban center Montreal.[5]
Métis fiddle
Métis fiddle is the style with which the Métis of Canada and
Propagation
Much of Canadian fiddling is transmitted to new generations through oral tradition (aural tradition) at regional and national fiddler's meetups in Canada and the US.[8] The traditional authentic means of learning to play is based upon an oral tradition as with all folk music forms but it is not uncommon for musicians to learn by listening to CD's or by reading from material such as The Fiddler's Fakebook. Aside from instruction, the traditions are maintained by Old Time Fiddler's Associations throughout North America.[9]
Secondary sources
David Reiner and Peter Anick collaborated on collecting 66 tunes for Mel Bays' Old Time Fiddling Across America which outlines several influences on what they call Northeastern Fiddling Styles: Cape Breton, French-Canadian (Québécois) and Maritime.[10] Frank Ferrel, author of Boston Fiddle, uses the term Down East fiddle or Boston fiddle to refer to an eclectic blend of Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton (Canadian) styles.
See also
- Scottish fiddling
- American fiddle
- Irish fiddle
- Cajun fiddle
- List of Canadian fiddlers
- The Rankin Family
References
- ^ Mel Bay Danse Ce Soir: Fiddle And Accordion Music Of Quebec Book/CD Set [Paperback] Laurie Hart (Author), Greg Sandell
- ^ a b David Reiner and Peter Anick|Mel Bays' Old Time Fiddling Across America|1989
- ^ This section is replicated from the main article on the topic, please attribute from the View history link at that page.
- ^ ISBN 978-1609742133.
- ^ Boston Fiddle|Frank Ferrell|Mel Bay. Ferrel traces the intricate relationship between northeastern "Down East" fiddle and Canadian and how the piano played a role.
- ^ Canadian Journal for Traditional Music (1991) Old Indian and Metis Fiddling in Manitoba: Origins, Structure, and Questions of Syncretism|Anne Lederman|This article was originally published in The Canadian Journal of Native Studies 7.2 (1988): 205-30.
- ^ |date=Undated latest reference is 1989|http://cfmb.icaap.org/content/24.1/BV24-1art3.pdf
- ^ http://www.fiddlersgrove.com/
- ^ http://www.csotfa.org/
- ^ REiner
External links
- Canadian Grand Masters Fiddling Association
- Tons of fiddle tunes
- Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame
- Sheet music, lyrics & midis for 200+ traditional old-time songs
- The Henry Reed Collection at the Library of Congress Collection of traditional fiddle tunes performed by Henry Reed of Glen Lyn, Virginia. Recorded by folklorist Alan Jabbour in 1966-67.