1
Plemmons
Cassie Plemmons
[t1]Ms. T. Plemmons
English IV
31 October 08
The Fiddle: a Nickname or an Instrument All Its Own?
[t2]“Before sunrise for five mornings, take a fiddle and go into the country ‘til you come to the end of a main road or a crossroads and on the fifth morning you will meet a man also carrying a fiddle. He is the devil. He will teach you to play” [t3](“The Fiddle for the Ignoramous”).[t4]Historically, many people’s perception of the fiddle is that it is the devil’s instrument.This instrument of evil has not only been used to create the centuries old country and bluegrass rhythms loved by southerners, but it has also been the subject of infamous songs like Charlie Daniels’ “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” where “good” Johnny out fiddles the devil himself. [T5]Manypeople believe that the fiddle and the violin are one and the same. But the distinct differences in their rhythms and music played, their different playing techniques and varied framework, and their cultural differencessuggest that the fiddle should be classified as its own instrument.
There is a great debate over whether or not the fiddle is an instrument separate from the violin.[T6] Many people say that the fiddleis simply a nickname for the violin, and others say that there is adistinct difference in the two. People who have been trained to play the instrument as a fiddle and a violin say that they should definitely be classified separately.Experts considerit“easier to play difficult pieces in the classical style….With a style change and rhythm change, the instrument becomes totally different, like speaking another language” (Hodge).
The history of theseinstruments is somewhat unclear, because during the years of early invention, around the fifteenth century, there were many different names in use, such as viola, violino, and rebec, which even came to be a complete family: violin, viola, cello, and double bass (see illustration 1 on page 6) [O7](Ammer 464; Donington). [O8]The instruments have had the same basic body structure since the 17th century, stringed fretless instruments that are played with a bow.
Although the violin originated in Europe, it was around the time that the first pioneers of Americaestablished settlements that the fiddle was born. As settlers spread into the mountains of Appalachia, the tradition of mountain music was born. Whilst fiddlers would have existed among all of the nation’s settlements, it was in the isolated communities of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee that the tradition was best preserved(Hodge).These settlers composed lyrics that reflected their day-to-day lives that were sung or chanted as they fiddled. These songs were the beginning of what is known today as traditional country music,whose popularity around the world wasn’t sparked until the 1940’s by musician Bill Monroe (Rice).Therefore it can be said that “the fiddle is the leader” (Hodge). It pre-dates all otherinstruments used in bluegrass and country music; the only other instrument around during the earliest years of the fiddle in America was the jaw harp, the harmonica’s predecessor. The other stringed instruments of bluegrass that are played with the fiddle include the banjo, the guitar, and the mandolin. “Slaves from Africa brought the design idea for the banjo- an instrument now integral to the bluegrass sound” (Rice). “Later also came the harmonica, autoharp and mandolin. The fiddle, however, remained predominate” (Hodge).
The fiddle’s Appalachian origincontributes to it being thought of as the main instrument in backwoods picking, a type of get together found only in the mountainous areas of the country. Started by old timers, the members of a band would get together and have “jam sessions” on the back porch of a member’s house. The hobby escalated into competitions among locals. “Fiddlers took home a fine new violin if they won a fiddling contest in Hanover County, Virginia, where there are records of fiddle contests taking place as early as 1736” (Erbsen 8). Conversely, fiddle playing was not always an accepted hobby. “Fire and Brimstone preachers often accused fiddle players of walking hand-in-hand with the devil himself” (Erbsen 8). The most zealous of preachers believed that fiddle playing was coupled by idleness, licentiousness, and liquor. That is how the instrument got its second nickname: the devil’s box. Wayne Erbsen, [O9]a talented fiddle player, teacher, and author actually told his students a tale about the devil’s box in one of his fiddle classes:
There was a condemned cabin back in the mountains, and during the demolition of the cabin, an old fiddle was found buried inside one of the walls. It is said that the man who lived there previously was a fiddler back in his day, until he turned a new leaf and began attending church regularly. He probably buried his fiddle inside of his wall then to keep his pastor from finding out that he had such an idle hobby.
[T10]However, the reputation of the fiddle being an instrument of the devil has not relinquished people’s love or respect for the instrument. “In spite of the zeal of preachers, fiddling has been for generations a hallmark of southern culture, love and politics” (Wolfe 18). In addition to representing old-time culture so very well, the instrument also symbolizes the simple, rural and backwoods lifestyle that most southerners long for. “ForAmericans, old time fiddling represents a nostalgic link with the country’s past, a tradition rooted in the simple, honest, hardworking lives of the first rural farmers of America” (Hodge).
The violin, however, is an orchestral instrument used to play classical, even “angelic” music,the age-old formal style which originated in Europe (Erbsen). Since the violin’s sound is unusually diverse,“The violin is most likely the most valued and important of the stringed instruments in the orchestra” (Apel 908).There are many different ranges of tone and styles of bowing, making it a highly adaptable stringed instrument; hence, the culture of the violin is not only associated with, but plays a vital role in, orchestras and symphonies, thus acting as the hallmark of the stereotypically urban and cosmopolitan cultures.
Besides the large cultural difference between the two genres of music, another quality that separates the fiddle and the violin is that they are played so differently, which is due in large to the bridge.A bridge is a thin piece of wood that stands erect on the instrument to hold the strings above the top surface (also called its belly), and to ensure the strings stay separated (see illustration 2 on page 6). “The bridge of a violinis usually more pronounced or arched to ensure that a violinist can play astring without touching another string with the bow” (Erbsen 9). A fiddler prefersaflatter arched bridge and less complicated fingering to be able to play two or more strings at a time. The ability to play two or more strings at a time with “an energetic and driving bowing rhythm” is something that is most admired about old time fiddlers (Hodge). Fiddlers also often play without accompaniment, making it necessary to play with more than one string to add to the melody and make up for the lack of instruments. Yet violinistsusually play in large groups or orchestras because when playing in the classical style, there is less complicated fingering involved thus producing a greater effect when played in large groups. Because of this, it is not necessary to play more than one string at a time (Erbsen 9).
In addition to the arch of the bridge, accompaniment, and bowing techniques, there are other minor differences that could classify the fiddle a separate instrument from the violin. For a violinist, there is only one way to hold a violin, and that is the classic and formal style, which isdirectly under and against one’s chin. [T11]Also, for reasons of appearance, a violinist’s left wrist should never touch the instrument while supporting it. On the other hand, a fiddler holds the instrument however it feels comfortable, usually with thewrist touching the fiddle to help support it.Still, ‘some fiddler’s position the fiddle under their chin like the classical violinist do, while others hold it against their chest at various angles. With fiddling, there seems to be no rhyme or reason other than what suits a particular fiddler” (Erbsen 18).
Are the facts such as the large cultural difference, the difference in how they are played, or the singular music that each produces enough to classify the devilish fiddle separately from the violin?[T12]Thesupercilious, classic violin and the traditional, time-honored fiddle have only one thing in common:their appearance, at a glance. “The word ‘fiddle’ has always been associated with the working class, whereas the ‘violin’ has usually implied formal, classic European training” (Wolfe 17). Clearly the violin’s European origin and orchestral accompaniment sets it apart from the mountain music the fiddle leads. Lively solos with energetic bowing of multiple strings on a flattened bridge have fostered a love of the instrument well before it attained its bad reputation. “The two are most definitely not the same, for one, the violin has strings, and the fiddle has straaaaangs” (Erbsen 9). [t13]
Illustration 1: Donington[O14]
Illustration 2: “Bluegrass Music”
Works Cited [O15]
Ammer, Christine, and Inc. Staff Facts on File. The Facts on File Dictionary of Music. New York[t16]: Facts On File, Incorporated, 2004. Print.
Apel, Willi. Harvard Dictionary of Music. Second ed. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap
Press of Harvard UP, 1972. Print.
"Bluegrass Music." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2008.
NCWiseOwl. < 16 Sep. 2008.
Donington, Robert. "Musical Instruments." The New Book of Knowledge. 2010.
Grolier Online. NCWiseOwl. <
bin/article?assetid=a2020170-h>. Web. 16 Sept. 2008.
Erbsen, Wayne. Old-Time Fiddle for the Complete Ignoramus. Asheville, NC: Fracas Music Company, 2005. Print.
Erbsen, Wayne. Personal interview. 16 Sept. 2008.
"Fiddle for the Ignoramus." OrlandoSentinel.com. 07 Sept. 2008. ttp:// Web.17 Sept. 2008.
Hodge, Eustis. "Old Time Fiddle." Fiddling Around the World. <
co.uk/old%20time/oldtimeframe.html>. Web. 17 Sept. 2008.
Rice, Wayne. "Bluegrass Music: The Roots." IBMA. 2003. International Bluegrass MusiMuseum. < Web. 11 Sept. 2008.
Rosenberg, Neil V. Bluegrass: A History. New York: University of Illinois P, 2005. Print.
Wolfe, Charles K. The Devils Box: Masters of Southern Fiddle. Vanderbuilt UP, 1997. Print.
[t1]Follow the standard MLA heading format…in this order. Include headers with your last name and page number aligned right on all pages beginning on page 2 (see top of page 2). The entire document is 12 point font, Times New Roman, double spaced.
[t2]Center title, but do not use all capitals, bold, italics or underline.
[t3]Grabber should be a note and should draw the reader’s interest.
[t4]In-text parenthetical citations appear at the end of paraphrases and direct quotes. NOTE: the end punctuation is OUTSIDE of the end parenthesis. Source titles are punctuated accordingly.
[T5]Use own voice to transition between grabber and thesis.
[T6]The first one or two sentences of a supporting paragraph should establish both the topic of the paragraph and the transition between the current and previous one. (Transitions can be direct or indirect.)
[O7]Refer to image.
[O8]If combining information from 2 sources to blend a paraphrase, parenthetical citation should appear like this—in the order of source usage.
[O9]Introduce author before the quote or paraphrase and there is no need to cite at the end of the quote or paraphrase unless a page number is need. Example: (240).
[T10]Create a block quote if a direct quote is four or more typed lines by beginning it on the next line and indenting the entire quote INSTEAD of using quotation marks around it. Introduce it with a colon. Put the CITATION OUTSIDE THE PERIOD. If the quote had NOT BEEN PRECEEDED BY THE AUTHOR’S NAME it would have read: …idle hobby. (Erbsen)
[T11]Notice that the 1st sentence in the paragraph acts a transition, while the second sentence establishes the topic as “hold.” It is fine to use two sentences in constructing the topic/transition.
[T12]Begin the conclusion with a restatement of the these (but in different words). Make sure to address all subtopics again in no more than two sentences.
[t13]End with an insightful statement, call to action, or leave some other lasting impression, possibly even bring the paper full-circle back to the introduction.
[O14]Cite images as you would any in-text citation, omitting the parentheses. The full source citation for the image should appear on the Works Cited page.
[O15]Alphabetize all sources. Double space all sources, even within each source citation itself.
[t16]Uses hanging indentions when citations extend beyond one typed line.