Not much is known
about the accompaniment of traditional Scottish music
during the 'Golden Era' of Scottish Fiddle Music
(1740-1800). We do know that many early collections
reveal simple bass lines arranged for harpsichord or
cello. When fiddle music
first came to Cape Breton, it remained unaccompanied
until the late 19th century, when the pump organ was
introduced. By the time of the arrival of upright
pianos at the turn of the century, a Cape Breton style
of accompaniment had already been developed, with a
lift and syncopation that still echos in today's piano
sound. Today, we enjoy a wide variety of personal and
regional styles. For more history on piano
accompaniment, refer to Tracey
Dares'
instructional video A' Chording To The Tunes, which
includes an introduction on Cape Breton piano style,
historic sound clips and performances by Tracey, with
fiddler Carl MacKenzie and piper Paul MacNeil. Also
included in this issue of The Silver Apple News are
four new CDs released this year, presenting classic
piano styles from four of our great piano players:
Mary Jessie MacDonald, Gordon MacLean, Maybelle
Chisholm and Doug MacPhee. Dave MacIsaac's
album, From
The Archives,
features pianist Mary Jessie MacDonald. Mary
Jessie grew up in New Waterford where she began
accompanying her mother Mary (Alasdair Raonuill)
MacDonald on the pump organ. She chorded to all the
players that visited her home, including both Winston
Fitzgerald and Angus Chisholm. After she moved to
Boston as a young woman, Mary Jessie became a regular
accompanist for Bill Lamey and many of the great
players of our own 'Golden Era' of fiddle music.
Trademarks of her unique style include rich chromatic
bass lines played with subtle syncopation, while
alternating between playing melody and chords on the
right hand. Together with her control of dynamics,
Mary Jessie accompanies a fiddler in a style that I
could only describe as eloquent. She can also be heard
on Natalie MacMaster's album, My
Roots Are Showing,
and look next year for the release of a new Bill Lamey
album on the Rounder Label, featuring recordings of
Bill and Mary Jessie from 1956. Brenda Stubbert's
new album, Some
Tasty Tunes,
features Maybelle Chisholm on piano. Maybelle
grew up playing accompaniment for her uncles Angus and
Archie Neil Chisholm, and her brother Cameron. There
are many classic home tapes of Maybelle playing, both
as an accompanist and a soloist. Her first commercial
recordings were made in the '50s with Angus, on some
of his later 78s. In 1974, she recorded an album with
Johnny Wilmot and in the late '80s, one with Howie
MacDonald. Maybelle's style is highly syncopated,
marked by dynamic walking bass lines, broken chords
and melodic fragments, with exciting glissandos and
stepdancing rhythms on the right hand. Her timing is
highly suited to dance music and in recent years she
has played frequently with Brenda, Howie and with
Ashley MacIsaac. The melody line to one of Maybelle's
popular strathspeys is included below. On her new Rounder
CD, fiddler Theresa
Morrison is
accompanied by Gordon MacLean. Gordon grew up
at the Gillis Point lighthouse, where the pump organ
was also his first instrument. A rich musical region,
the Washabuck &endash; Iona area provided Gordon with
plenty of fiddlers to accompany, including John Y.
Gillis, Michael Anthony MacLean (Theresa's brother),
and his uncles the 'Bridge' MacKenzies (Charlie,
Simon, Hector and Carl MacKenzie). Gordon is a
wonderful accompanist for old style Gaelic fiddle
music. He provides a gentle lift, supported by
traditional root&endash;five movement in the left
hand. There is also a very subtle syncopation in his
sound and he breaks up his left hand chording with
stress notes of the melody. He can also be heard on
other recordings in this catalogue, including
harmonica player Tommy Basker's Tin
Sandwich,
Alex Francis MacKay's A
Lifelong Home
and Paul Cranford's The
Lighthouse.
Gordon's popular composition, The Mortgage Burn is
included on the facing page. John
Campbell's new CD
Timeless
features pianist Doug MacPhee. Dougie grew up
in New Waterford where he first learned from his
mother Margaret. Their home has always been a magnet
for great music sessions. In his formative years, Doug
got to play with older traditional players such as
Duncan MacQuarrie, John Archie MacIsaac and Mary
MacDonald. Fluent in both Scottish and Irish Cape
Breton styles, he has enjoyed a long recording career
including albums with fiddlers Johnny Wilmot, Dan Joe
MacInnis, Carl MacKenzie (five albums), John Campbell
(four albums), Sandy MacIntyre and Dwayne Coté.
He is also on several anthologies and in addition, has
four solo albums to his credit. His piano style is
rooted in that of his mother, featuring traditional
left hand movement, with rich block chords and melodic
fragments. He took it further by incorporating complex
harmonies, walking bass lines and stunning breaks of
melody playing. Doug continues to be one of the most
sought after accompanists and soloists in Cape Breton
music. Next year he plans a new solo album and will be
featured on a CD by fiddler David
Greenberg.
Specializing
in digital recording, editing and restoration,
by
Paul
M. MacDonald
Paul
MacDonald is a
guitar and piano accompanist.
he has produced many of the albums we carry.
last upddate 11/14/99