Fiddler's Bid Hamnataing

by Ryan Thomson

This album starts off with a bang, featuring high speed reels dominated by multiple fiddles.

The second cut features a set of traditional Shetland tunes, led off by a calming piano

intro, followed by other instruments gradually coming in, building in intensity, leading to a

section with swing style accompaniment, and finally, the fiddles reach dance speed.

The 3rd cut is a slower set which illustrates the beautiful melodies inherent in Shetland

tunes. The fourth set reminds me of a Scottish country dance orchestra, although charged

up with Shetland style swing accompaniment in a way that one could almost jitterbug to.

The 5th set features an original tune by Catriona written for her parents 25th wedding

anniversary, with flowing Scottish harp accompanied by fiddles playing chordal backup in

harmony. After a bit the harp emerges as a solo instrument producing a playful melody with

touches of minor scales and little dissonances which resolve into joyous celebration.

The 6th set opens with acoustic guitar fingerpicking, and then segues into some fast and

furious Irish reels. The CD liner notes name this set as "The African Set," which I believe is a

little inside humor, since a recent trend in contemporary instrumental Irish music is to

incorporate African rhythms. Unaccompanied harp opens the 7th set with tunes learned at

the O'Carolan festival in Keadu, Ireland. The set ends with fiddles playing melody on a

beautiful tune called Inisheer.

One of my favorite tunes is a mazurka written by a former fiddler in the band who died

from a terminal illness at 21 years of age. Its a piece which makes good use of a violin string

section playing in harmony. It switches back and forth from minor to major key in a catchy

way.

There's lots of other good tunes on this CD also, including pieces learned from Scottish

Fiddler Alisdair Fraser and others. Musicians include the four fiddlers: Christopher Stout;

Andrew Gifford; Maurice Henderson; Kevin Henderson; Catriona McKay on harp and piano,

Steve Yarrington on guitar, and David Coles on bass guitar.

Written by Ryan Thomson, 1999