Cape Breton fiddling
Encyclopedia
Cape Breton fiddling is a regional violin
style which falls within the Celtic music
idiom. Cape Breton Island
's fiddle music was brought to North America by Scottish
immigrants during the Highland Clearances
. These Scottish immigrants were primarily from Gaelic
-speaking regions in the Scottish Highlands
and the Outer Hebrides
. Although fiddling has changed considerably since this time in Scotland, it is widely held that the tradition of Scottish fiddle music
has been better preserved in Cape Breton.
Dance styles associated with the music are Cape Breton step dancing, Cape Breton square dancing (Iona
style and Inverness
style), and highland dancing.
In 2005, as a tribute to the area's traditional music
, the construction of a tourism center and the world's largest fiddle and bow was completed on the Sydney
waterfront.
.
Timing is a notable trait of Cape Breton music because good timing brings dancing alive.
Cape Breton fiddle music is strongly influenced by the intonations of the Scots-Gaelic language, especially Puirt a Beul (mouth music)
and strathspeys. The ornaments are adapted from those used on the Great Highland bagpipe
. The ornamentation (cuts aka. trebles, drones
and doubling) brings out the strong feeling of Cape Breton fiddle.
A century ago the violin and pump organ were the common instruments; the latter has been supplanted by piano
.
, marches
, strathspeys
, clogs (hornpipe
s), and slow airs
. Many of the tunes associated with Cape Breton fiddle music are also commonly performed on other instruments, especially bagpipes
, piano
and guitar
. It is not unheard of for the music to be performed on harmonica
, tin whistle
, mandolin
or banjo
.
Modern Cape Breton players draw on a large body of music, from the Scottish and Irish traditions, and from modern compositions. Several older books of tune collections have been particularly popular sources:
A number of recent publications also document a substantial amount of the modern Cape Breton repertoire:
, Nathaniel Gow
, William Marshall
, and James Scott Skinner
. Well known Cape Breton composers include: Donald Angus Beaton
, Kinnon Beaton
, Angus Chisholm
, Paul Cranford, Jerry Holland
, Dan R. MacDonald
, John MacDougall, Dan Hughie MacEachern and Brenda Stubbert
.
Cape Breton fiddle music has received international recognition through the careers of Ashley MacIsaac
, Natalie MacMaster
and The Rankin Family
. Other performers of the traditional Cape Breton style include Andrea Beaton, Winnie Chafe, Winston (Scotty) Fitzgerald, Kimberley Fraser, Carl MacKenzie, Howie MacDonald, Buddy MacMaster
, Mairi Rankin.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
style which falls within the Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
idiom. Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
's fiddle music was brought to North America by Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrants during the Highland Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. These Scottish immigrants were primarily from Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
-speaking regions in the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. Although fiddling has changed considerably since this time in Scotland, it is widely held that the tradition of Scottish fiddle music
Scottish fiddling
Scottish fiddling, even to many an untrained ear, can be distinguished from other Celtic and folk fiddling styles by its particular precision of execution and energy in the delivery. The style has a very large repertoire consisting of a great variation of rhythms and key signatures, arguably more...
has been better preserved in Cape Breton.
Dance styles associated with the music are Cape Breton step dancing, Cape Breton square dancing (Iona
Iona, Nova Scotia
Iona is a small community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Victoria County on Cape Breton Island. It is named after Iona in Scotland. Perched above the Barra Strait between the Great Bras d'Or and Piper's Cove portions of Bras d'Or Lake, Iona is the western terminus of the...
style and Inverness
Inverness County, Nova Scotia
Inverness County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Its territory is almost contiguous with the Municipality of Inverness County, which only excludes the town of Port Hawkesbury and First Nation reserves.-History:...
style), and highland dancing.
In 2005, as a tribute to the area's traditional music
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
, the construction of a tourism center and the world's largest fiddle and bow was completed on the Sydney
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
waterfront.
Playing style
Cape Breton playing is highly accented, characterized by driven up-bowing. The tunes of other music origins (Irish, Canadian, French-Canadian, etc.) sound quite different when performed by Cape Breton players. The strong downbeat pulse is driven by the fiddler's heel into the floor. The pattern tends to be heel-and-toe on reels, the heel on strathspeysStrathspey (dance)
A strathspey is a type of dance tune in 4/4 time. It is similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and contains many dot-cut 'snaps'. A so-called Scotch snap is a short note before a dotted note, which in traditional playing is generally exaggerated rhythmically for musical expression...
.
Timing is a notable trait of Cape Breton music because good timing brings dancing alive.
Cape Breton fiddle music is strongly influenced by the intonations of the Scots-Gaelic language, especially Puirt a Beul (mouth music)
Puirt à beul
Puirt a beul is a traditional form of song native to Scotland, Ireland, and Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.-Name:The Scottish Gaelic for such a tune is port à beul: "a tune from a mouth—specifically a cheerful tune—which in the plural becomes puirt à beul...
and strathspeys. The ornaments are adapted from those used on the Great Highland bagpipe
Great Highland Bagpipe
The Great Highland Bagpipe is a type of bagpipe native to Scotland. It has achieved widespread recognition through its usage in the British military and in pipe bands throughout the world. It is closely related to the Great Irish Warpipes....
. The ornamentation (cuts aka. trebles, drones
Drone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
and doubling) brings out the strong feeling of Cape Breton fiddle.
A century ago the violin and pump organ were the common instruments; the latter has been supplanted by piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
.
Repertoire
The types of tunes commonly associated with Cape Breton fiddling are jigs, reelsReel (dance)
The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. In Scottish country dancing, the reel is one of the four traditional dances, the others being the jig, the strathspey and the waltz, and is also the name of a dance figure ....
, marches
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
, strathspeys
Strathspey (dance)
A strathspey is a type of dance tune in 4/4 time. It is similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and contains many dot-cut 'snaps'. A so-called Scotch snap is a short note before a dotted note, which in traditional playing is generally exaggerated rhythmically for musical expression...
, clogs (hornpipe
Hornpipe
The term hornpipe refers to any of several dance forms played and danced in Britain and elsewhere from the late 17th century until the present day. It is said that hornpipe as a dance began around the 16th century on English sailing vessels...
s), and slow airs
Air (music)
Air , a variant of the musical song form, is the name of various song-like vocal or instrumental compositions.-English lute ayres:...
. Many of the tunes associated with Cape Breton fiddle music are also commonly performed on other instruments, especially bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. It is not unheard of for the music to be performed on harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
or banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
.
Modern Cape Breton players draw on a large body of music, from the Scottish and Irish traditions, and from modern compositions. Several older books of tune collections have been particularly popular sources:
- Fraser, Simon (1874), Simon Fraser Collection
- MacDonald, Keith Norman (1887), The Skye Collection
- MacQuarrie, Gordan F. (1940), The Cape Breton Collection
- O'Neill, FrancisFrancis O'NeillFrancis O'Neill was an Irish-born American police officer and collector of Irish traditional music.O'Neill was born in Tralibane, near Bantry, County Cork. At an early age he heard the music of local musicians, among them Peter Hagarty, Cormac Murphy and Timothy Dowling. At the age of 16, he...
(1903), O'Neill's Music Of Ireland - Robertson, James Stewart (1884), The Athole Collection
- Skinner, James Scott, The Scottish Violinist
- Skinner, James Scott, The Harp and Claymore
A number of recent publications also document a substantial amount of the modern Cape Breton repertoire:
- Beaton, Kinnon (2000), The Beaton Collection (compositions of Kinnon, Donald Angus, and Andrea Beaton)
- Cameron, John Donald (2000), The Heather Hill Collection (compositions of Dan R. MacDonald)
- Cameron, John Donald (1994), The Trip To Windsor Collection (compositions of Dan R. MacDonald, volume 2)
- Cranford, Paul (2007), The Cape Breton Fiddlers Collection
- Cranford, Paul (1997), Winston Fitzgerald: A Collection of Fiddle Tunes
- Dunlay, Kate, and David Greenberg (1996), The Dungreen Collection - Traditional Celtic Violin Music of Cape Breton
- Holland, Jerry (1988, several revised editions), Jerry Holland's Collection of Fiddle Tunes
- Holland, Jerry (2000), Jerry Holland: The Second Collection
- MacEachern, Dan Hugh (1975), MacEachern's Collection
- Ruckert, George (2009), John Campbell: A Cape Breton Legacy
- Stubbert, Brenda (1994), Brenda Stubbert's Collection of Fiddle Tunes
- Stubbert, Brenda (2007), Brenda Stubbert: The Second Collection
Composers and performers
Scottish composers popular in Cape Breton include: Niel GowNiel Gow
Niel Gow was the most famous Scottish fiddler and dancie of the eighteenth century.-Biography:...
, Nathaniel Gow
Nathaniel Gow
Nathaniel Gow was the fourth son of Niel Gow, and a celebrated performer, composer and arranger of tunes, songs and other pieces on his own right. He wrote about 200 compositions including the popular "Caller Herrin'".-Early life:...
, William Marshall
William Marshall (Scottish composer)
William Marshall is regarded as one of the greatest composers of Scottish fiddle music.Marshall was born in Fochabers, Scotland. He entered the service of the Duke of Gordon, eventually becoming the Factor to the Gordon Estate. James Hunter's The Fiddle Music of Scotland credits Marshall with...
, and James Scott Skinner
James Scott Skinner
James Scott Skinner was a Scottish dancing master, violinist, fiddler, and composer.Skinner was born in Banchory, near Aberdeen. His father was a dancing master on Deeside. James was only eighteen months old when his father died. When James was seven, his elder brother, Sandy, gave him lessons in...
. Well known Cape Breton composers include: Donald Angus Beaton
Donald Angus Beaton
Donald Angus Beaton was a blacksmith and a fiddler. He was the son of Angus R. Beaton and Annie Belle Campbell.He composed for the violin and his work may be heard on the Rounder LP 7011 The Beatons Of Mabou - Marches, Jigs, Strathspeys & Reels of the Highland Scot ...
, Kinnon Beaton
Kinnon Beaton
Kinnon Beaton is a musician from Mabou, Nova Scotia. He is the son of Donald Angus Beaton and Elizabeth MacEachen.He plays the fiddle in the Scottish genre famous throughout Cape Breton Island....
, Angus Chisholm
Angus Chisholm
Angus Chisholm was a Cape Breton fiddler. He was the son of Archie Chisholm and Isabel MacLennan.He was one of the first fiddlers from the island to record a commercially available album...
, Paul Cranford, Jerry Holland
Jerry Holland (fiddler)
Jerry Holland was a fiddler who lived on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.He was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States to Canadian parents - his father was from New Brunswick and his mother was from Quebec. During his childhood, Jerry was exposed to the music of the large Cape...
, Dan R. MacDonald
Dan R. MacDonald
Dan Rory MacDonald was born February 2, 1911 in southwest Port Hood, at the home of Angus MacDonald . Raised in Judique, Inverness County on Cape Breton Island, he was a composer of fiddle tunes....
, John MacDougall, Dan Hughie MacEachern and Brenda Stubbert
Brenda Stubbert
Brenda Stubbert is a Cape Breton fiddler and composer from Point Aconi, Nova Scotia. She comes from a musical family, as her father, Robert, and uncle, Lauchie, were both well-known fiddlers...
.
Cape Breton fiddle music has received international recognition through the careers of Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley Dwayne MacIsaac is a Canadian professional fiddler from Cape Breton Island.His album Hi™ How Are You Today?, featuring the hit single "Sleepy Maggie", with vocals in Scottish Gaelic by Mary Jane Lamond was released in 1995...
, Natalie MacMaster
Natalie MacMaster
Natalie MacMaster, CM is an award-winning fiddler from the rural community of Troy in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada who plays Cape Breton fiddle music....
and The Rankin Family
The Rankin Family
The Rankin Family is a Canadian musical family group from Mabou, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The group has won many Canadian music awards, including 15 East Coast Music Awards, six Juno Awards, four SOCAN Awards, three Canadian Country Music Awards and two Big Country Music Awards.- Career...
. Other performers of the traditional Cape Breton style include Andrea Beaton, Winnie Chafe, Winston (Scotty) Fitzgerald, Kimberley Fraser, Carl MacKenzie, Howie MacDonald, Buddy MacMaster
Buddy MacMaster
Hugh Alan "Buddy" MacMaster, is one of the most renowned artists in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music.-Early life:...
, Mairi Rankin.
Notable fiddlers
- Andrea Beaton
- Donald Angus BeatonDonald Angus BeatonDonald Angus Beaton was a blacksmith and a fiddler. He was the son of Angus R. Beaton and Annie Belle Campbell.He composed for the violin and his work may be heard on the Rounder LP 7011 The Beatons Of Mabou - Marches, Jigs, Strathspeys & Reels of the Highland Scot ...
- Kinnon BeatonKinnon BeatonKinnon Beaton is a musician from Mabou, Nova Scotia. He is the son of Donald Angus Beaton and Elizabeth MacEachen.He plays the fiddle in the Scottish genre famous throughout Cape Breton Island....
- John Campbell
- Winnie Chafe
- Stan Chapman
- Angus ChisholmAngus ChisholmAngus Chisholm was a Cape Breton fiddler. He was the son of Archie Chisholm and Isabel MacLennan.He was one of the first fiddlers from the island to record a commercially available album...
- J. P. CormierJ. P. CormierJ.P. Cormier is a Canadian bluegrass/Folk/Celtic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in London, Ontario in 1969 and began playing guitar around age five. As a child he displayed an unusual ability to play a variety of instruments by ear and won a guitar contest at age nine.Mr...
- Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald
- Kimberley Fraser
- Glenn GrahamGlenn Graham (fiddler)Glenn Graham is a Canadian musician from Judique, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.-Music career:Graham has received music industry recognition for his solo recordings. His second solo release, "Step Outside", garnered nominations for "Male Artist of the Year" and "Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the...
- Jerry HollandJerry Holland (fiddler)Jerry Holland was a fiddler who lived on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.He was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States to Canadian parents - his father was from New Brunswick and his mother was from Quebec. During his childhood, Jerry was exposed to the music of the large Cape...
- Bill Lamey
- Dan R. MacDonaldDan R. MacDonaldDan Rory MacDonald was born February 2, 1911 in southwest Port Hood, at the home of Angus MacDonald . Raised in Judique, Inverness County on Cape Breton Island, he was a composer of fiddle tunes....
- Howie MacDonald
- Rodney MacDonaldRodney MacDonaldRodney Joseph MacDonald is a Canadian politician, educator and musician who served as the 26th Premier of Nova Scotia from 2006 to 2009 and as MLA for the riding of Inverness in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1999 to 2009....
- Troy MacGillivray
- Sandy MacIntyreSandy MacIntyreHugh Alexander “Sandy” MacIntyre is one of the most respected artists in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music.-Personal life:...
- Ashley MacIsaacAshley MacIsaacAshley Dwayne MacIsaac is a Canadian professional fiddler from Cape Breton Island.His album Hi™ How Are You Today?, featuring the hit single "Sleepy Maggie", with vocals in Scottish Gaelic by Mary Jane Lamond was released in 1995...
- Wendy MacIsaac
- Dave MacIsaacDave MacIsaacDave MacIsaac is a Canadian musician from Nova Scotia who plays the fiddle and guitar, specialising in the Celtic music style.-Awards and recognition:...
- Buddy MacMasterBuddy MacMasterHugh Alan "Buddy" MacMaster, is one of the most renowned artists in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music.-Early life:...
- Natalie MacMasterNatalie MacMasterNatalie MacMaster, CM is an award-winning fiddler from the rural community of Troy in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada who plays Cape Breton fiddle music....
- Mairi Rankin
- John Morris Rankin
- Brenda StubbertBrenda StubbertBrenda Stubbert is a Cape Breton fiddler and composer from Point Aconi, Nova Scotia. She comes from a musical family, as her father, Robert, and uncle, Lauchie, were both well-known fiddlers...
See also
- Canadian fiddleCanadian fiddleCanadian fiddle is the aggregate body of tunes, styles and musicians engaging the traditional folk music of Canada on the fiddle. It is an integral extension of the Anglo-Celtic and Québécois Frenchfolk music tradition but has distinct features found only in the Western hemisphere Due to...
- The Barra MacNeilsBarra MacNeilsThe Barra MacNeils are a Canadian musical group from Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. The founding members of the group are siblings Sheumas, Kyle, Stewart, and Lucy MacNeil. In 2005 two additional brothers, Ryan and Boyd, joined the band...
- Slainte MhathSlainte MhathSlainte Mhath were a celtic fusion band from Cape Breton Island. The band features traditional instruments associated with Celtic music, intertwined with elements of dance, funk, and electronic music. Slainte Mhath have toured extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia...
- Violin musical styles—fiddle
- Music of Nova ScotiaMusic of Nova ScotiaMusic is a part of the warp and weft of the fabric of Nova Scotia's cultural life. This deep and lasting love of music is expressed through the performance and enjoyment of all types and genres of music...
- Music of Canada's MaritimesMusic of Canada's MaritimesThe music of Canada's Maritime provinces has included many artists from both the traditional and pop genres. The traditional genre is heavily influenced by the music brought to the region by the European settlers, the most well known of which are the Scots & Irish celtic and Acadian traditions...
- Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and CraftsGaelic College of Celtic Arts and CraftsThe Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts is a Canadian educational institution located in the community of St...
- Dan R. MacDonaldDan R. MacDonaldDan Rory MacDonald was born February 2, 1911 in southwest Port Hood, at the home of Angus MacDonald . Raised in Judique, Inverness County on Cape Breton Island, he was a composer of fiddle tunes....
Further reading
- MacGillivray, Allister (1981), The Cape Breton Fiddler, College of Cape Breton Press. ISBN 0-920336-12-4.
External links
- Celtic Music Interpretive Centre
- Kimberley Fraser's Fiddle Blog Cape Breton Fiddler Kimberley Fraser discusses issues relevant to Cape Breton fiddle music.