Orkney Fiddle Style

There are still remnants in Orkney of an Orkney style of fiddle playing. These were kept alive by the playing of one or two fiddlers such as Ronnie Aim (1919-1982) and Hugh Inkster (1910-1988 ), another well known player. The features of the style, as far as can be ascertained, are a simple flowing bow style where the melody comes through very clearly and with a precise rhythm. The ornamentation is similar to that of the Highland fiddlers but the grace notes are played more slowly, adding to the melody line. Polkas are the most popular type of tune associated with the Orkney Islands today. Surprisingly, the style of fiddle playing does not seem to have been much affected by neighbouring Shetland till more recent times. In the immediate past the music was influenced by early recordings, the radio and any fiddlers who moved from the mainland with their mainland dance traditions. Tunes were also learnt from visiting dancing masters, bringing with them the new country dances, and from such visiting fiddlers as Scott Skinner who had a big influence on fiddle music throughout Scotland.

The main features of the Orkney style as we know it are:

- very simple bowing without slurring for the most part.

- powerful as well as delicate playing which sounds better unamplified.

- little or no vibrato.

- occasionally the use of a flattened 3rd and 7th when playing in A, D or G and a sharpened 4th and 8th note.

- little ornamentation, but sometimes a grace note to the note above and back to the original note. (See mordents p.19.)

- angle of fiddle held down with the palm near the fingerboard or supporting it so little use of positions.

Here as elsewhere in Scotland the main dances in the 19th century were reels. There were foursome, sixsome, eightsome and the eightsome (Axum) reel from North Ronaldsay as well as a reel for six known as “Hands Across” from the mainland district of Dounby. The foursome was identical with the Scotch foursome reel on the mainland. The sixsome and eightsome were peculiar to Orkney. The original tunes used in these dances seem now to have been forgotten, or it may be that they were the same as in other parts of Scotland. The repertoire used for the dances in the 21st century in Orkney is much the same as elsewhere.

Dances such as “Babbity Bouster” and “Hands Across” had their own tunes but no one so far has been able to confirm what they were. As early as the 1880’s the new country dances were being danced by the young people but the older people strongly opposed their introduction especially in the more remote regions. Itinerant dancing teachers from the mainland taught evening classes and the new dances soon spread to remoter areas without dancing teachers. As there were no halls, music was played for the dances in people’s homes and, as there was not much room, usually no more than six dancers at once could dance and the company took turns.
BR> According to Traditional Dancing in Scotland by Flett and Flett in the past the fiddler marked the conclusion of the reel with a prolonged screetching by playing behind the bridge. This signalled the move by the male partner to grab his female partner and give her a kiss known as a “mooter” or payment for the priviledge of having the dance with her! Usually the lady rushed away, as to submit and enjoy was considered lacking in propriety. “Mooter” is derived from “multure”, the toll paid (in the form of a portion) to the miller for grinding the oatmeal. The practice of the “mooter” fell into disuse at the end of the 19th century but the fiddle screech when playing a foursome reel continued till the second world war.

Fiddle playing is popular in Orkney today and many new players are making a name for themselves and Orkney by touring extensively and writing popular new Orkney tunes and songs.

These notes on styles of fiddle playing in Scotland are taken from the book Traditional Scottish Fiddling published by Taigh na Teud. In the 144 page book there are tune examples of all the styles and a Cd of good Scottish fiddlers to illustrate the points.