Old-time fiddle
| Old-time music | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | British folk, Appalachian music |
| Cultural origins | English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, French, German, Spanish |
| Typical instruments | Old time fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, double bass |
| Derivative forms | Bluegrass, country, Cajun fiddle |
| Other topics | |
| American folk music revival | |
Old time fiddle is a genre of American folk music. "Old time fiddle tunes" derived from European folk dance tunes such as Jig, Reel, Breakdown, Schottische, Waltz, Two Step and Polka. The fiddle may be accompanied by banjo or other instruments but are nevertheless called "fiddle tunes". The genre traces from the colonization of North America by immigrants from England, France, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland. It is separate and distinct from traditions which it has influenced or which may in part have evolved from it, such as bluegrass, country blues, variants of western swing and country rock.
Starting in the 1920 some fiddlers, particularly younger ones like Aurtur Smith, were swept up in the new music, their style and repertoires reflected influences from blues, ragtime, and Tin Pan Alley. Anyone who wanted to make a career in music had to keep up with the times. But many, like John Salyer and Hiram Stamper cared little for the new music, and stayed with the old-time tunes.
Newer traditions have grown out of old time fiddle music but it retains a separate and distinct identity from those styles. These include bluegrass and Western swing and to some degree country rock. However, the positive statement of what, exactly, constitutes the true and authentic delineation of old time fiddle music is not necessarily unambiguous. Different sources draw a sharper distinction than others, and there is a good deal of overlap which purists will acknowledge to a varying degree. The areas of overlap are primarily with bluegrass, Western swing (Texas swing), country and even rock.
Art Stamper played in both Appalachia Old Time and bluegrass styles. In autobiographical material posted on his artist website, the writer asserts Stamper's contiguity with "old time and mountain" music, that he learned "the Appalachian fiddle style" from his father, but that Art "Art also played bluegrass fiddle..." continuing that "Whether playing Appalachian fiddle or bluegrass fiddle, Art was a musical marvel."
In an essay with the short title Why Old TIme is Different from Bluegrass, Allan Feldman argues against the proposal of an "inclusive cover name that would bring oldtime music, bluegrass, clawgrass and dawg music under the same umbrella in order to attract new audiences. The unfortunate trend in this country is to homogenize things. I think oldtime music stands against homogenization."Having thus staked ground out for himself as a purist, he continues that "he for one celebrates the fact that oldtime music is not bluegrass or dawg music or new grass or even claw grass". He identifies the following categorical distinctions which set Old Time apart:
...
Wikipedia