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Audio (click on audio files below to listen to arrangements)
Please know that the audio files above are midi files generated from our music software. These files will serve well as samples of how the tunes sound even though they are not played by real humans playing a real, acoustic instruments. However, we will add real human audio as soon as we can. Please accept these midi files for now.
Fiddle Tunes for String Quartet is designed to introduce fiddle tunes to the string quartet setting. The arrangements have been created to turn the string quartet into a sort-of “string band” or “old-time music band.” One arrangement even has a voice part. Susanna Dear was originally arranged for the cellist to sing while still playing the cello part. If your cellist is not a singer, the voice part can be performed by another member of the quartet—or by a 5th individual—perhaps even someone fresh out of the audience! Look for more such arrangements in the future! Here are some tidbits about some of the tunes within the arrangements:
Auld Brig O’ Don is a fiddle melody from the very north of Scotland in the Shetland Islands. It was originally composed by James Henry (1860-1914). It is an example of an “air” or slow, instrumental piece. Airs are commonly played by fiddlers in Shetland, Scotland, and Ireland.
Kansas City Rag is a melody that was originally composed for the piano by James Scott in 1907. Kansas City, MO was a hotbed for ragtime music at the turn of the 20th Century. It’s popularity only grew until the post-World War 1 period when other music styles began to prevail.
Old & Cold is a medley of 2 tunes commonly played in Bluegrass and Appalachian music circles. The tunes are Old Grey Coat and Cold Frosty Morning. These tune bring a bit of southern and southeastern American flavor to the chamber ensemble.
The Hairy Dog Leaf and Irish Jigs both introduce Irish music to to the quartet. The most common tunes played in Ireland are jigs and reels. A jig is a tune in 6/8 time signature. A reel is in cut-time. Each tune type is special in its rhythmic nature.