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An introduction by Janette Duncan
Marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs, waltzes and slowairs; all of these
types of fiddle tunes will be represented when the San Francisco
Scottish Fiddlers play for their spring concert series in May.
But, it all started with the Restoration of 1660
in England ! At that time, the monarchy was re-established under
Charles II. This political situation led to an increase in trade and
travel. Although Scotland was still indepedent, the effects of the
restoration in England were far reaching. For example, the violin was
carried far and wide and quickly replaced the older Medieval viol
throughout Europe. Guarnerius and Amati Italian violins made their way
to Scotland. Local Scottish craftsmen copied the Italian work and were
able to make very inexpensive musical instruments that became extremely
popular. Also, the church laws prohibiting "promiscuous dancing" were
losing ground. The violin, with its strong rhythmic and melodic
capabilities became the new craze, and the instrument was perfect for
the new dance styles of the day.
The 1700's have become known as the Golden Age of
Scottish fiddle music. Niel Gow, and his son Nathaniel,
William Marshall, and Robert Mackintosh were all well known players
and composers of fiddle tunes of this period. Scott Skinner was the
primary composer of the 1800's and is considered by many to be the
link from the old world to the present day. This is due to the fact
that Skinner lived until 1927 and he was recorded on wax cylinders .
We can hear his playing on re-issued recordings!
There continues to be strong support for newly
composed Scottish fiddle tunes by such people as Alasdair Fraser,
Addie Harper and Phil Cunningham, and there are many, many others.
Scottish fiddle tunes are extremely varied,
but there are some relatively easy- to-hear common qualities.
The strathspey is probably the most recognizable type of Scottish tune.
Strathspeys use a dotted 8th/16th note figure that can alternate
between a long /short or a short /long rhythm. The up-driven bow is
one variation of the strathspey rhythym. This is also called a Scottish
snap. The down bow is quite pronounced followed by two or three notes
on the upbow. But, this isn't the usual slurred bow stroke. It is much
more pronounced with extra weight put on the third note. Many tunes
make use of Pentatonic (5 tone ) scales, bagpipe scales or the ancient
modalscales. Ornamentation and grace notes are prevalent and each
player develops a stockpile of favorites.
Even though people may use sheet music to learn
part of a tune, it is expected and necessary that a player know tunes
by heart and add his or her own ornaments. Scott Skinner once said,
"The tune on the printed page is simply a skeleton. You must catch the
character by contagion".*
*The Fiddle Music of Scotland,1979, James Hunter.The Scots Fiddle,
1999, J. Murray Neil.
The origin of the ancient Russian musical instruments the balalaika, domra and guzli is shrouded in mystery, but believed to be of Mongolian heritage. The word "balalaika" is derived from the Mongolian/Tartar root "bala" meaning to gossip, to chatter, to joke, to tease.
Vasilii Vasilievitch Andreef (Vasili Vasilyevitch Andreyev) fell in love with the instrument and developed it into the exotic triangular shaped instrument that it is today. He heard his first balalaika being played in 1882. The instrument was quite primitive, with a body of a half shell of a pumpkin, and gut frets on the neck with a five-tone per octave scale. In 1885, Vasilii had a new concert balalaika made by Ivanoff, a St. Petersburg violinmaker. This balalaika had three strings, a triangular shaped maple body, an ebony neck with ivory frets and five tone octaves. In 1886 he was able to get Passerbsky a well-known guitar maker to build some balalaikas, and metal frets were added and the scale was changed to the modern chromatic 12 note per octave scale.
In 1886, Vasilii gave his first balalaika solo performance, published an instruction book, and formed the first balalaika ensemble. He created the drawing for 4 sizes of balalaikas, the prima, alto, bass, and contrabass. In 1888 concerts were given in St. Petersburg and Moscow with the ensemble and full complement of the four sizes of instruments.
Vasilii created a workshop for making balalaikas and became acquainted with a cabinet maker Simeon Ivanovitch Nalimoff (Semyon Ivanovitch Nalimov). Nalimoff built balalaikas and added various sized domras and guzlis in 1896. The Nalimoff instruments became revered in Russia like Stradivarius violins are in the world today. During World War II, Nalimoff instruments were collected and sent to Moscow for storage and protection, and then dispersed back to the State Russian Folk Orchestra musicians after the war.
The domras and guzlis were integrated into the Balalaika orchestras. The success of the balalaika orchestras increased, and in 1909/1910 a grand world tour took place, with concerts in London, Berlin, Paris, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. These concerts spurred interest and local amateur balalaika ensembles formed in several European cities and in the United States. As Vasilii and his orchestra toured in Russia, more interest was generated, and balalaika ensembles were formed in schools and military academies.
World War I dispersed the members of the Balalaika orchestra, but the orchestra remained intact. The name of the orchestra changed during the Revolution, yet the popularity of the balalaika has increased, and balalaika orchestras have continued to flourish across the world. In the United States, the Balalaika and Domra Society, based in New York/New Jersey area is the most active.
Today the Balalaika family of instruments can consist of up to six sizes:piccolo the smallest, prima, secunda, alto, bass, and contra-bass thelargest. Domras are typically of four sizes.