Main content

Fiddles and Fiddle Tunes

What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin? How did an English jig turn into a Virginian reel? Tom Service explores fiddles and fiddle tunes from around the world.

What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin?

How did an English jig turn into a Virginian reel?

And what do Bach’s violin sonatas have in common with folk tunes from Finland?

In The Listening Service today Tom Service explores fiddles, fiddlers, and fiddle tunes from around the globe, looking at how they connect communities, reflecting the stories of migrants and musicians across time, and staying true to tradition whilst continually changing. And how have classical composers incorporated fiddle tunes into their work? From Max Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy, based on tunes found in a library in Munich, to Aaron Copland’s Rodeo Hoe-Down, an orchestral transformation of the Kentucky fiddler Bill Stepp’s tune Bonaparte’s Retreat.

Our witnesses today are Pete Cooper, who learnt classical violin as a teenager before discovering busking and ending up fiddling in West Virginia, and Lori Watson whose music and research draw on the landscapes and folklore of the Scottish Borders where she grew up.

Producer: Ruth Thomson

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Fri 4 Nov 2022 16:30
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Themes and Variations

Next

How to listen to... Arvo PΓ€rt

See all episodes from The Listening Service

Music Played

  • Traditional

    The Galway Hornpipe

    Performer: Florrie Brown.
    • Cooking Vinyl.
    • GBCKG0500564.

  • Greg Hooven

    Won't Come Until Morning

    • Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
    • SFR300.

  • Traditional

    Suomen Polka

    Performer: Kataja (ensemble).
    • Kansanmusiikki-instituutti.
    • 623.

  • Anna Ludlow

    Sessions with Seph

    • No further information.
    • No further information.

  • John Morris Rankin

    I Laid a Herring

    Performer: Blazin’ Fiddles.
    • Blazin' Records.
    • BRCD2007.

  • Aly Bain & Transatlantic Ensemble

    Ae Fond Kiss

    • Iona.
    • IRCD063.

  • Nicola Benedetti & ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Scottish Symphony Orchestra

    Ae Fond Kiss

    Music Arranger: PAUL CAMPBELL. Conductor: Rory Macdonald.
    • DECCA.
    • 478 6690.

  • Traditional

    Toormore/The Cullen Slide

    Performer: Pete Cooper. Performer: Luke Daniels.
    • Fiddling from Scratch.
    • B01MUC0Y99.

  • Traditional

    Farewell to Craigie Dhu

    Performer: Dougie MacLean.
    • Dunkeld Records.
    • DUN002.

  • T N Krishnan

    Raga Khamboji/Sri Subramanyaaya Namaste

    Performer: T N Krishnan.
    • Krivative World Music.
    • KWM-100628-1.

  • Traditional

    Cameron's Got His Wife Again

    Performer: Pete Cooper.

  • Traditional

    Gullarne Polka

    Performer: Pete Cooper.

  • Traditional

    New Rigged Ship

    Performer: Pete Cooper.

  • Traditional

    Green Willis

    Performer: Pete Cooper.

  • Jon Vestafes

    Spring Dance

    Performer: Knut Buen.
    • Simax.
    • PSC1040.

  • Jon Vestafes

    Jon Vestafes Spring Dance

    Music Arranger: Edvard Grieg. Performer: Einar Steen-NΓΈkleberg.
    • Simax.
    • PSC1040.

  • Max Bruch

    Scottish fantasy Op.46 for violin and orchestra

    Performer: Nicola Benedetti. Performer: ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Rory Macdonald.
    • DECCA.
    • 478 6690.

  • Aaron Copland

    Rodeo - 4 dance episodes

    Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin.
    • Naxos.
    • 8 559758.

  • Traditional

    Bonaparte's Retreat

    Performer: William H. Stepp.
    • (no further information).
    • (no further information).

  • Rule of Three

    Ursus

    Performer: Rule of Three. Performer: Fiona Young. Performer: Innes Watson. Performer: Barry Reid.
    • ISLE Music Scotland.
    • ISLE 02CD.

  • Rule of Three

    Dreamer

    Performer: Rule of Three.
    • ISLE Music Scotland.
    • ISLE 02CD.

  • Lori Watson

    Graphic Score

    Performer: Adam Sutherland.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Partita no. 3 in E major BWV.1006 for violin solo

    Performer: Kreeta-Maria Kentala.
    • Alba Records.
    • ABCD 388.

  • Traditional

    Hintrikki Peltoniemi's Funeral March segue to the Allemande from JS Bach's Partita no.2 BWV.1004

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Kreeta-Maria Kentala.
    • Alba Records.
    • ABCD 388.

  • Wiljami Niittykoski

    Wiljami Niittykoski - Polska in a Minor Key segue to the Sarabande from JS Bach's Partita no.2 BWV.1004

    Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach. Performer: Kreeta-Maria Kentala.
    • Alba Records.
    • ABCD 388.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Bourree from JS Bach's Partita no.3 BWV.1006 segue to Friiti Ojala's Polka

    Composer: Traditional. Performer: Kreeta-Maria Kentala.
    • Alba Records.
    • ABCD 388.

  • Traditional

    Chip

    Performer: Pete Cooper. Performer: John Dipper. Performer: Richard Bolton.
    • Big Chain.
    • BC101.

  • Pekka Kuusisto

    A Finnish traditional song from Karelia

Broadcasts

  • Sun 25 Jul 2021 17:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Fri 30 Jul 2021 16:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Fri 4 Nov 2022 16:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

Why do we call it 'classical' music?

Tom Service poses a very simple question (with a not-so-simple answer).

Six of the world's most extreme voices

From babies to Mongolian throat singers: whose voice is the most extreme of all?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How Schoenberg opened a new cosmos for composers and listeners to explore.

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Bass is everywhere, but why do we enjoy it? Join Tom Service on a journey of discovery.

Watch the animations

Join Tom Service on a musical journey through beginnings, repetition and bass lines.

When does noise become music?

We like to think we can separate β€œnoise” from β€œmusic”, but is it that simple?

Podcast