Re: [scots-l] What makes a style "Scottish?"

[Jack Campin]

>> If the interval between A and a flatted C# were a deliberate musical
>> choice in the key of A major then the interval between G and B in the
>> key of G major should also be a flatted B. It never is.
> The reference was to fiddlers known tendency to play middle finger
> notes approximately mid way between the index and ring fingers as
> was described in Perlman's book on PEI fiddlers giving a flat C# in
> the key of A major; and that if this were a deliberate choice of
> interval then when playing the same or a similar tune in G major they
> should play a flatted B so as to get the same interval but they don't.
> Therefore the former interval choice wasn't a musical one but rather
> what  Honeyman calls slovenly fingering.

Tunes in A are often pipe tunes and hence might be expected to be given
piping intonation.  Tunes in G are never pipe tunes.  So this is exactly
what you *would* expect if the choice were a musical one.

=================== <http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> ===================


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