Fiddle styles

[seanfidheall]

Past posts discuss fiddling of this period in great depth, but the style of fiddling has not been dealt with as much. We don’t have recordings of the veterans… but we do have recordings of fiddlers who learned from them. Some examples are Uncle Jimmy Thompson (b. 1848), Emmett Lundy (b. 1864).

I would like your opinion as to whether learning from the old fiddlers during their early formative years remained with these fiddlers throughout their life.

Larry Corn

[amity]

Re: Fiddle styles

Of course they are quite close. And deemed to be so by scholars, as well. I am saying this generically, although I have never heard of the two you mention (will look for them, though).

If I were a musician today, I could be trying to perform up to the minute current music, or I could still be playing the Big Bopper music of my youth very self-confidently. If I were doing the latter, I could do a very creditable job of it. It is the music I was raised on before I knew there was any other kind.

The caveat as to style is that it varies so very much from one region to another. There is really no such thing as "mid-19th c. fiddling style."

[amity]

Re: Fiddle styles

Try this website, courtesy of Larry:

http://www.oldtimemusic.com/FHOFLundy.html

Note sound clip at upper left.

[seanfidheall]

Re: Fiddle styles

Another example that comes to mind is Tommy Jarrell.

http://www.oldtimemusic.com/FHOFJarrell.html

He learned a couple of tunes from Zack Paine, an old civil war veteran. They can be found on his solo album “Sail away Ladies”. They are Devil in the Strawstack and Flatwoods.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000J29N/theoldtimemusich

Larry Corn

[Swag]

Re: Fiddle styles

Being an experienced musician and playing violin classically for roughly 15 years I can lend some insight on this question. You asked, "I would like your opinion as to whether learning from the old fiddlers during their early formative years remained with these fiddlers throughout their life." Here is my opinion, if they learned these techniques while young, then yes they would have remained with the musicians throughout their life; as long as they picked up the fiddle every now and then. I myself learned at a rather young age and because of this I believe that I could never forget my teachings. Even after not picking up the instrument for a number of years, I could still play like I did when I played everyday. I suppose also it could depend on the individual. Just my two cents as a violinist.

[Danny]

Re: Fiddle styles

Try this website...Note sound clip at upper left.

This brings up what I've tried to find out on this CW Music forum.*

That is that we have seen full-blown videos with sound placed as clips here, and photos are no problem to attach, yet there doesn't seem to be a way to attach a simple mp3 or other generic sound file to support a post - an obvious and common need for a music forum.

Anybody that knows how to attach such a sound clip please share.

Of course the placing of an entire commercial sound clip can't be permitted, but a partial sound clip or a non-professional / homemade sound clip should be no problem from a legal standpoint.

- Dan Wykes

* the current moderator didn't know, and if we get that certain new moderator anything I post will be toast going forward, so I ask it now

[amity]

Re: Fiddle styles

Thanks Mr. Wykes. That is a great idea and I hope it can be done.

[Danny]

Re: Fiddle styles

Thanks Mr. Wykes. That is a great idea and I hope it can be done.

Here's a try: A piece attributed to Joe Sweeney, almost certainly known by Joel's brother Sam Sweeney, General Stewart's staff banjo-player, as it would have sounded in a CW camp.

This particular rendition by Tom Lather, a well- respected authentic Early-banjo player:

http://www.milfordmusic.com/Banjo%20Clubhouse/Banjo%20Audio/Buckley%201860/Joe%20Sweeney's%20Jig.wma

If this works it at least is one simple way to reference a piece of music to a discussion on this site. With this method though you have to upload your wma or mp3 example to an outside url first, not quite as simple or long-lasting as just being able to attach the wma or mp3 directly here on this music site (which as of this writing isn't possible).

- Dan Wykes

[Danny]

Re: Fiddle styles

A test link to that same piece of music, but from a generic url this time (I apologize to others on this thread but only sure way to test links is to use actual thread, and if successful we can all share the method. If this works, any one here who wants can set up such a url for free. That way if we want we each reference a recording on our own urls to avoid imposing on somebody else's url*). Hope this is ok with the Mods.

test link http://albert-baur.googlegroups.com/...ey%27s+Jig.wma

- Dan Wykes

*credit for the previous goes to 'The Banjo Clubhouse", Tim Twiss; should have mentioned that

[Danny]

Re: Fiddle styles

That link doesn't work well, so bear with me, here's a test of a better link to that generic site. If this works I'll set up a site specifically for this forum

http://albert-baur.googlegroups.com/web/Joe%20Sweeney's%20Jig.wma?gda=jxld1UgAAAD-XEmEFBRjY88g57owhVgTzU9-lvvbsEfwZ5Jl_ZCi4WG1qiJ7UbTIup-M2XPURDQFpD6fGJUwJrhbt_yQLJXUll7Gt3wpRE7VwkNPBpnmww&hl=en

(Still would be better if we could just attach a simple mp3 or wma here)

- Dan Wykes