Some answers to questions I’ve been asked. If you have a yearly subscription, you do not need to register. We welcome everyone who wants to hear and/or learn some Cajun fiddling. It would be great if you register online, but you can also pay at the front desk tonight.

In Abc Notation. Free software to read, print and play the Abcs is available here. And a short tutorial on Abc notation for fiddlers can be downloaded from the Old Town School’s Tune Archive using this link.

X:1
T:Lacassine Special
M:C|
L:1/8
O:Iry Lejeune
S:David Greely
K:A
zc2 | {Bc}B2A2 d2e2 | “slide”f3 f2ede | {e}f2=gf ecBA | A3 A3c2 |
{Bc}B2A2 c2d2 | e3 e2Ace | f2=gf ecBA | A3 A2 ::
Bcc | BAFE CEFA | Bcc2 Bc2c | BAFE CEFA | Bcc2 Bc2c |
BAFE CEFA | Bcc2 Bc2d | B3B2 cBA | A3 A2 :|

(The notation for “Lacassine Special has been revised to be more like the way David taught it at the Fiddle Club workshop. C’est la vie.)

X:2
T:Barres de la Prison
M:3/4
L:1/8
O:Canray Fontenot
S:David Greely
K:D
“NB swing those 8th notes”
FAd | f2{fg}fe fg | “slide” (3f=fed ^FAd | f2{fg}fe fg | “slide” (3f=fed ^FAd |
f2{fg}fe fg | “slide” (3f=fe d2{ed} BA | “slide”(3=cBA =F2 “slide”(3FED | D6 | D3 ::
z2D | =F-EDF {EF}ED | =F-ED2 B,D | =F-EDF {EF}ED | =F-ED2 B,D |
=F-EDF {EF}ED | =F-ED2 B,D | E2=F2 “slide”(3FED | D6 | D3 :|

(Notation for “Prison Bars was also revised to indicate 2nd finger slides marked by slurs and the triplet slides at the end of each strain.)

To use these notes, it is essential to listen to the tunes as David recorded them for us. To do that, go here.

For the last few weeks, the Old Town School has been graced with a visitor from Vienna, Austria. Rudi Pietsch is an ethnomusicologist who is spending a quarter teaching at the University of Chicago and researching music in the communities of Central European immigrants in Chicago and the Midwest. In his spare time, he’s come by the School to learn a few American tunes. He also dropped in on Fiddle 4 Twin Fiddle class.

(click to enlarge)

a yodel played on the fiddle in three voices

To hear all three voices, you’ll have to bring your fiddle and join in. Here’s Rudi singing one voice and playing another on fiddle.
yodel with fiddle

And here’s the same melody played as a ländler, a dance in 3.
yodel as a ländler

Here’s a polka, Der Einfache . . .
Der Einfache voice 1

add voice 2 (oops, the trio is missing)

Der Einfache played by Fiddle 4 class with Rudi Pietsch on piano

(click to enlarge)

And a Zwiebacher, Die Bacherlmuhl, a dance mixing 2s and 3s.

(click to enlarge)

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
Dad’s Reel

(The music sheet should print nicely.)

Pete Sutherland, with Jeremiah McLane & Mark Roberts, will be performing at the Fiddle Club of the World‘s meeting at 7:30 on Friday, October 16 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery (5233 N. Damen. Click here to register, or call 773.728.6000.

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
(The music sheet should print nicely.)

Arto Järvelä will be performing at the Fiddle Club of the World‘s meeting on Friday, September 25 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery (5233 N. Damen. Click here to register, or call 773.728.6000.

or
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

Written music is a sketch. Sound documents are the ultimate authority.

To hear Karen Solgard play these tunes.

Karen Solgard will be performing at the Fiddle Club of the World‘s meeting on Sunday, November 30 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery. Click here to register, or call 773.728.6000.

or
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

Used with permission from Learning Old-Time Fiddle Appalachian Style with Alan Jabbour.

Written music is a sketch. Sound documents are the ultimate authority.

To hear Alan Jabbour play these tunes.

Alan Jabbour will be performing at the Fiddle Club of the World‘s meeting on Wednesday, October 29 at Paddy O’Splaines. Click here to register, or call 773.728.6000.

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

Used with permission from The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island by Ken Perlman (Mel Bay Publications).

Written music is a sketch. Sound documents are the ultimate authority.

To hear Ken Perlman play these tunes.

Alan Jabbour & Ken Perlman will be performing in a fiddle & banjo summit at the Fiddle Club of the World‘s meeting on Wednesday, October 29 at Paddy O’Splaines. Click here to register, or call 773.728.6000.

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

Written music is a sketch. Sound documents are the ultimate authority.

To hear some Paddy Jones tunes.

Paddy Jones performed at the Fiddle Club of the World’s meeting on Friday, March 14 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery.

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.

Written music is a sketch. Sound documents are the ultimate authority.

To hear some Chirps Smith tunes.

Also, more Chirps Smith tunes.

Chirps Smith performed at the Fiddle Club of the World’s meeting on Sunday, April 10 14 at the Leadway Bar & Gallery.

or
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.