Re: [scots-l] research and a few questions
David Francis wrote: This information doesn't negate Jack's basic point though - Scottish fiddlers like Mairi Campbell, Chris Stout and Anna Wendy Stevenson were 'classically trained' to a high level at music college, although I would say that the influence of that training shows itself more in a general facility than in the actual sound they make. To further agree with David and Jack, as the "trained" fiddlers and the others get together and play tunes, they would no doubt "cross polinate". A related aspect of this is the long history of the Scottish fiddle tradition being influenced by outside influences, including continental music in the 18th century. Bob Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] research and a few questions
> Their > influence permeated the whole musical culture of Scotland as far as the > most remote parts of the Highlands; there's no sharp line between art- > music players and traditional fiddlers. Classically-trained players > like Catriona Macdonald and Alasdair Fraser are not a 20th century > aberration. As far as I understand it (from talking to Catriona herself) her 'classical training' on the violin consisted of a year or so of unsatisfactory sawing through Eta Cohen's violin method and not seeing the point. After only a couple of weeks with Tom Anderson, she did see the point. Catriona did, however, study music at one of the London colleges, but as an opera singer, not a violinist. This information doesn't negate Jack's basic point though - Scottish fiddlers like Mairi Campbell, Chris Stout and Anna Wendy Stevenson were 'classically trained' to a high level at music college, although I would say that the influence of that training shows itself more in a general facility than in the actual sound they make. Their 'traditional' qualifications are fairly impeccable. Other fiddlers like Paul Anderson and Catriona's Blazin Fiddles colleagues weren't classically trained as such, but had a thorough-going technical training from the likes of Douglas Lawrence and Donald Riddell, which again agrees with Jack's point about there 'being no sharp line' . David Francis Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
Re: [scots-l] research and a few questions
>> 1. I remember reading somewhere , that there were Classicly trained >> violinists living, teaching, etc in and around Edinburgh in the mid to >> late 18th century. Can anyone confirm this with names , dates and >> possible stylistic idiosyncricies? Oh! and of course sources I may >> consult.Maybe its in your book Kate? It's in a heck of a lot of books. Try David Johnson's "Scottish Fiddle Music in the Eighteenth Century" or "Music and Society in Lowland Scotland in the Eighteenth Century" for two. Johnson has edited a number of their works over the years, most recently in the "Musica Scotica" series. Or for some of the (rather seedy) socio-political background to what they were doing there, look at my CD-ROM (which also reproduces many of their tunes). Some names (not just fiddlers, but also people who wrote fiddle music with classical tradition and forms behind them a lot of the time): Stabilini, Jarnovici, Schetky, the Reinagles, the Earl of Kellie, Domenico and Natali Corri, Alexander Munro, Alexander Baillie, James Oswald, William Macgibbon, Charles Maclean, and Rob Mackintosh. Their influence permeated the whole musical culture of Scotland as far as the most remote parts of the Highlands; there's no sharp line between art- music players and traditional fiddlers. Classically-trained players like Catriona Macdonald and Alasdair Fraser are not a 20th century aberration. (Conversely, Scottish trad briefly became the "world music" of Europe, 1780-1830ish, the same people being responsible for transmission in both directions). The most phenomenal example must have been Isaac Cooper, who composed a lot of straight-up traditional idiom dance music but could also teach more instruments than most people would think of learning in three lifetimes. - Jack Campin * 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland tel 0131 660 4760 * fax 0870 055 4975 * http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ food intolerance data & recipes, freeware Mac logic fonts, and Scottish music Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
[scots-l] research and a few questions
Can anyone on here answer this question Barry has directly to his email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] BTW, for anyone who hasn't ever heard him, IMHO Barry is probably one of the two most exciting bagpipe players currently living today (the other being Gordon Duncan :-) He's playing is totally wild. His album has been in my regular rotation for the past 5 years. > > - Original Message - > From: "Toby Rider" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 2:16 PM > Subject: Reresearch and a few questions > > > Hello gang! Nice to see some traffic on the old newsgroup. I need some > help. > I am currently working on my Masters at Saint Mary's here in Halifax > and my > topic (bagpipes of course) is requring me to extend my research into the > realm of the CB fiddler. > Here's a few questions I am looking at. > > 1. I remember reading somewhere , that there were Classicly trained > violinists living, teaching, etc in and around Edinburgh in the mid to > late 18th century. Can anyone confirm this with names , dates and > possible stylistic idiosyncricies? Oh! and of course sources I may > consult.Maybe its in your book Kate? > -- Toby Rider ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) "He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, That puts it not unto the touch To win or lose it all." - James Graham, Marquis of Montrose Posted to Scots-L - The Traditional Scottish Music & Culture List - To subscribe/unsubscribe, point your browser to: http://www.tullochgorm.com/lists.html
