Scots-Irish Music
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Fiddles
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For a detailed look at the Fiddling tradition of the Ulster-Scots, I would recommend you take a look at this paper written by the ‘Queens University's – School of Anthropological Studies’: s3

There are a couple of points made in this paper however, which I would take issue with.

Firtly, Willie Drennan, of the U S F O claims that "there is no difference between the fiddle and the violin: it’s all in the way you play it".

Well, the fact is, to be pedantic, they are actually two very different instruments & if the great Italian pioneers of Violin construction & design could hear their instruments being confused with a lowly Fiddle, they would surely be spinning in their graves ''

To say that a Violin is the same as a Fiddle is a bit like saying the rocket you shoot into the sky over your back garden on ‘Guy Fawkes’ night, is just the same as the rocket that takes off with men on board for the moon! ''

Just to illustrate the point, a Fiddle looks like this: s3

"The medieval fiddle was probably the most popular stringed instrument in Europe from when it started to be bowed in the 11th century to the middle of the 15th century, when growth in popularity of the lute overtook it.”

A Violin looks like this: s3

“It is said that the first real violin was built by Andrea Amati in the first half of the 16th century”

Of course, we are in a techno age now & just to show you how much instrument's appearances can change over the years, take a look at this page which has photographs of modern, 'Electric Violins’: s3

It's a small point then but true, that the instrument that the Country Fiddlers of County Antrim play is the very same instrument that is used by Violinists in the Ulster Orchestra - & it is a Violin.

Traditional musicians have just been in the habit of calling their Violins Fiddles, the real difference is the music played on them surely. So we are talking about Violins on this page, but also Fiddle Music, all clear?

 
     
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So this new instrument, the Violin, arrived in Ulster around the 17th century & the great movement of people from Scotland to Ulster at that time probably speeded up the Violins spread, especially in the country areas where the planters settled.

Alan Jabbour in his 'Fiddle Tunes of the Old Frontier' lecture says: s3

"The favoured instrument for this instrumental music revolution was the modern Italian-style violin, which had spread northward through Europe in the 17th century. In the 18th century a number of manufactories for making violins sprang up in Germany, France, and England, and they had the effect of democratizing the violin, making it available not just to professional musicians but to people from all walks of life. So I am inclined to attribute the revolution in instrumental music to the advent of the modern violin, as a widely diffused new instrument, combined with the general revolutionary spirit of the later 18th century in the British Isles and colonies."

James Christie mentions the Sligo Fiddling Style & points out that it is very different to the Co. Antrim style, with all it’s Scottish influences & the paper debates the influence of the Scottish style of Fiddling on the Co Antrim style, & it is clear to see how the Fiddlers in that county would have been heavily influenced by Scottish Fiddling, but I would suggest that, as each of the Irish border counties has it's own individual style, especially Donegal, so each of Ulster's border counties fiddlers would have been influenced by their neighbours style across the border.

A fellow debater on a discussion board I visit, who goes by the handle of 'Harry', & whose opinions I respect, interestingly maintained that:

"Sligo was a busy port for Scots traffic in the 19 th century and it is thought that quite a lot of music came in that way. This may account for some or much of the Scots material that plays a big role in Sligo repertory... and it may not. There was a lot of Scots music about on paper besides, and huge amounts of seasonal and other migration between Donegal (just up the coast) and Scotland. It is just as concievable that Scots material came to central and eastern Ulster from the west in cases. This is certainly the case of western ifluence on Leitrim and Fermanagh where ideas of political borders did not seem to effect the distribution of music."

So it clearly isn't all as simple as tunes wafting across the Irish Sea to East Antrim & slowly diffusing through the populace from there.

Local radio would play a part in more recent years, for I have no doubt they would promote their own areas musicians, so that local style would be the one musicians would hear, so an Ulster-Scots Fiddler in say Co Fermanagh would be more likely to have been influenced by Donegal, or Leitrim styles than Scottish styles, but Scottish styles would have been around for them to hear, too.

It should also be noted that, while large groups of Fiddlers are being taught to play by likes of the 'Fiddlesteeks' & 'Antrim Fiddlers' groups, it must be remembered that they are being taught by classical musicians who may, although enjoying the traditional tunes, have a fairly poor understanding of what actually makes a good 'country fiddler'.

However, it must be hoped that once many of these young fiddlers break away from their fiddle orchestra settings, they can blossom as traditional musicians, by mixing with local musicians & absorbing the tunes orally & developing a relaxed & natural country style of playing. So anyone teaching the fiddle, by whatever method, has to be applauded.

 
     
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The writer also states that - “the types of tunes most commonly played being reels, jigs, hornpipes and strathspeys”

However, from my experience, there are loads more Marches played in Co. Antrim than in any other county in the whole of Ireland. I guess Marching is truly in the blood here. Also, they talk about Strathspeys being commonly played but I rarely hear a Strathspey played here, like a Strathspey would be played back in Scotland! The tunes are played, aye, but here the rhythm is evened or levelled out to become a Fling. Not that I have a problem with that & I have heard local fiddlers say, on a number of occasions that “Och, you have to be born in Scotland to understand & be able to play a Strathspey properly” Not that I believe that to be necessarily the case, for if any musician immerses themselves in any countries music & their culture, I believe they will eventually understand the subtle nuances of the music, very well.

 
     
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Michael Costello has put together a fascinating website on ‘The legendary County Antrim fiddle maker Hugh Gordon’.

“His love of music led him to show a great interest in the strong tradition of Ulster Scots fiddle music in the South Antrim area which was frequently performed in the open air, particularly at fairs, markets and other social gatherings in neighbouring towns and  villages such as Antrim, Crumlin, Glenavy, Lisburn, Ballyclare, Moira, Lurgan and of course, Belfast.”

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Michael Costello playing on a Gordon violin.

Please visit ‘Michael Costello’s’ excellent site & learn much more about this extraordinary family, including some fascinating photographs: s3

  
     
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Here is an opportunity for you to compare some of the Fiddle styles mentioned above:

Here is a clip of Sligo Fiddling: s3

Here is a Co. Antrim Fiddler who has been strongly influenced by that Sligo style: s3

& here’s a Co Antrim Fiddler whose style has been strongly influenced by Scottish Music: s3
Once there, click on Music CDs & then go to - Traditional Fiddle Music - click on Dominic McNabb's CD.
Dominic actually has a large repertoire of Scottish music.

Here’s a Scottish Fiddler, Alasdair Fraser playing a Strathspey on track 4 – ‘The Marquis of Huntly’: s3

& finally, here’s a clip of the U S F O but in this clip, their fiddling style is more influenced by an Appalachian style:
Dancin’ tae the Fiddle: s3

Here is a written piece on Co. Antrim fiddling, taken from the Ulster Scots Agency’s website & written by Fionnuala Wilson: s3

It is sad to think that now, in the Causeway region of North Antrim alone, you could count the number of Fiddlers on one hand & yet, if you check my North Antrim Fiddler’s page, you will see you only have to go back 2 generations to see that this area was once, full of Fiddlers.

There are details on that page, including some photographs, of many of North Antrim's Fiddlers, sadly, most of whom are no longer with us.

Check it out here: s3

And for a real treat, why not watch these videos of some excellent Fiddle players in action: s3

  
     
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s3 Scots-Irish Music - Home Page
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