The American Fiddler - Violin

The richness and diversity of American fiddle music is staggering: the high lonesome sounds of Old-time; the throbbing rhythms of Cajun; the frenetic breakdowns of Bluegrass and the easy swing of Texas-style. The Scottish and Irish immigrants to North American took with them their treasured violins and their precious store of jigs, reels and hornpipes. Their music found fertile soil in the new country, taking root from the Southern Appalachian mountains right up to Nova Scotia. Hearing some American fiddlers play Red Haired Boy or Soldier's Joy, you would hardly know if you were in North Carolina or the Ring of Kerry. The arrangements in this collection can be performed as solos, duets, trios or by larger ensembles. The violin accompaniment parts are wholly characteristic of American fiddling. Although none of these fiddle tunes would originally have been accompanied by keyboard, for those of us who don't play guitar, banjo or accordion, keyboard can be an excellent second-best. The full range of traditional fiddle repertoire is now at your fingertips! Using these generous collections, you can create your own ceilidh, barn dance, jazz club, Sarajevo street-café or Gypsy gathering. Some of this music is familiar, some more exotic, but all of it is absolutely authentic, faithfully arranged and, above all, hugely enjoyable.