I am beginning to think that in these parts the surest sign of spring has not to do with robins or tulips but with fiddlers. After not being aware of many, if any, concerts for lo these many months, I have been receiving concert notices apace lately. On the weekend, we chose to go to two concerts. It's not something that one would normally do, but one has become more or less a spring-rite for Cuppa and me, and the other featured three very notable fiddlers that I didn't want to miss.
On Friday evening, we attended the Fiddle "n" Fame concert, the one with the three noteworthy fiddlers, in Pakenham. The fiddlers represented different styles. Andre Brunet brought us Quebecois fiddling, Louis Schryer more of an Old Time or Ottawa Valley style, and Troy MacGillvray represented Cape Breton (Eastern Canada).
They each did their solo thing, but the neatest thing is when fiddlers get together and feed off each other. I took the following video when they were doing this at the end of the concert. It's a long set (about six minutes) followed by a coupe of minutes with step dancing being added to the mix. I don't know if you will be up for the whole clip, but for however long that you do watch bear in mind that these three have never played together before.
In part, I attend such concerts to bear witness to the tradition that now only exists on the fringes of awareness. As a pathetic beginner fiddler, I also can begin to appreciate the incredible skill of such people. For me, such skill is worth supporting, and such traditions are worth keeping alive.
(Oh, I got the kids' Camcorder out of storage. It's new to me, but I dusted it off because it's zoomable, which makes it a much better tool than our little camera. However, it is taking some getting used to, as is trying to figure out how to work with the result. It works with a tape, a digital tape but a tape nevertheless, which makes it different and more difficult to work with. What with that and trying to figure out the appropriate software, it took me a mighty long and frustrating time to be able to post this clip.)
Watch on YouTube
As a down homer I truly loved this fiddle music, thank you for sharing this with us my friend. Hey I will hear lots of this when I move home for good.....:-) Hugs
ReplyDeleteWell I will say that they played beautifully off of each other! I enjoy fiddle music very much!
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about a big old camcorder that uses a VHS Tape? We still have ours although it no longer works. My husband will not let me get rid of it. Can you as a male, explain this? Love Di ♥
P.S. All of your hard work payed of AC. The video was very good!
Bernie: I didn't know you were a Down Easter. We'll be heading down there for a few days this summer. Great area.
ReplyDeleteDiana: Glad you enjoyed it. This is a digital tape as opposed to an older analog tape, but it's not as convenient as a flash card. I can't explain your husband as it's the woman in our family who tends to hoard. :)
I Feel your pain (learning something new)Hahaaa...
ReplyDeleteI'll have to come back to watch...but I Know it's a toe tapper!
Happy day!
hughugs
I watched the whole thing and thoroughly enjoyed it! You did a great job!! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDelete