Scottish Fiddle Music

The fiddle is one of the three national instruments of Scotland, the others being the bagpipes and the clarsach.

Thomas the Rymer said in the 13th century:
“Harp and fedyl both be found
the getern and the sawtry
Lute and rybid ther gon gan
There was al monor of mynstralsy”

The fiddle may have come to Scotland first with the crusaders. There is a story regarding Mary Queen of Scots when she is supposed to have been visiting Holyrood Palace in 1560. It is said that 600 of the vilest fiddles and rebecs were played outside her window and that although assured by John Knox that it was a tribute to her by her people she moved rooms so she could not hear them!

By the 16th century the Scottish fiddle was more like the instrument we know today - based on the Italian models. At this time there was no difference in the music played by the court and that played by the peasants but after 1603 this changed when the court moved to London. Then Scottish music became more the music of the common people. The court became interested in “classical” music mainly imported from abroad.

Fiddle tunes have been written about anything and everything but there is a strong tendency in fiddle composers to commemorate in music either people who have a significant place in the community or events, local or national which impinge on the life of the people. A wealth of tunes have been written not only about people but about historical events, the supernatural, prohibition, disasters etc. The Jacobite period has given us some very good fiddle material and songs.

It is said that Robert Burns played the fiddle - he certainly collected fiddle tunes and used them for some of his songs. The Gows from Perthshire in the 18th century were a famous family of fiddlers and composers who were popular all over Scotland and as far as London at the great parties and balls.  Scott Skinner and William Marshall are other famous Scottish music composers and they have given us a wealth of good Scottish tunes which are still very popular today. There are many styles of fiddle music from different parts of Scotland.

There is the distinctive Shetland style related to the hardanger fiddle style from Norway. The West Coast style related to the playing of the bagpipes and still some remains of a distinct Orkney and borders fiddle style.

We produce fiddle music books and fiddle cds that represent many of the composers and fiddle styles mentioned above and we also have included many new young composers and players representing the thriving world of the fiddle in Scotland today.