The Cape Breton
Fiddlers Collection It is my pleasure to
review this new collection as it has been my pleasure to
play the music ably presented within its covers. The
collection is subtitled "A Compilation of 267 Melodies/
Music arranged from the repertoires of past and present
members and friends of the Cape Breton Fiddlers
Association". And that's what it is. Distribution might have
been confined to membership but it was decided to not horde
treasure. Why should a fiddler not from this island be
interested in the repertoire of a provincial club of
amateurs? Because Cape Breton is to fiddle tunes as Italy is
to coffee. The worst cup of coffee I had in Italy was better
than the best I tasted anywhere else. The least of the tunes
in this collection is worth playing and hearing. The best
are classics. Many were composed by members and friends of
the Association; the balance are traditional tunes in
settings that differ from what is found in the old Scottish
collections and which reflect past and present musical style
on Cape Breton Island. The concept of "past and
present" is key to this book. There's a sort of sci-fi Many
Layers Of Time aspect to the collection. Instead of a
snapshot of typical or favorite tunes of the Association at
a moment in time, there's a kind of palimpsest of various
moments in its history. It's a great idea and well
realized. About twenty-five percent
of the composers are women. Tunes composed by fiddlers
without Scottish ancestry an by those from beyond the island
are also represented. The newly composed tunes and the
eighteenth century tunes are of a piece. Much of the old
informs the new here, and newer sensibilities do not destroy
the beauty of the older tunes as has happened elsewhere.
The repertoire is
presented according to tune type (reel or jig or lament for
instance) with tunes organized according to key. Whether by
design or happy accident the sequence of tunes within each
key makes musical sense. Within each tune category there is
a good variety of compositional style, musical mood, and
sonic color. Some of the tunes are followed by commentary by
the editor or by its composer. Four pages of introduction
provide context. There is an alphabetical index and a
composer's index. The print is big and readable. The book
stays open and doesn't close like a clamshell and leap off
your music stand knocking over your cup of Red Rose tea.
Highly recommended. --- Jody Stecher
BOOK ONLY
$19.50
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Volume 7 of the
Cape
Breton Musical Heritage
Series
Review by Jody Stecher - orignally published in
Fiddler
Magazine.
3/30/08