The Miller's Fiddler

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Piano — A fiddle is any bowed instrument, but it usually refers to a violin or some of the old violin relatives. Anyone who plays the violin can be called a fiddler; however, “fiddling” is the word generally used when people play folk music dance tunes. Most fiddle music is music that originated in Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and Germany and was played informally at gatherings of people who enjoyed dancing. Settlers in North America brought their fiddles with them and some of those settlers learned how to make instruments for their friends. Most fiddlers learned to play music “by ear,” which means that they listened to others playing and copied what they heard without referring to printed music.The reel is a form of dance used in Irish step dancing and in Scottish country dancing. Reels became very popular in the United States as did the hornpipe, which was a popular dance in England. Reels are usually fast and have accented beats. The hornpipe is often danced by people wearing heavy shoes so it tends to be slower and have steady, even beats. The Miller’s Fiddler is a collection of three Fiddle Tunes. The first, “Durham Rangers,” is a hornpipe which is followed by “Tom and Jerry” and “Miss McCloud’s Reel,” both of which are typical reels. If you had lived back in the days when people gathered to dance and party on a Saturday night, youmight very well have heard one of these tunes. Miller's Fiddler is a delightful setting of three popular fiddle tunes, Durham Rangers, Tom and Jerry, and Miss McCloud's Reel. Every section of the orchestra gets a chance to fiddle with the tune in this well-crafted arrangement.

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