Canadian Fiddle Tunes for Banjo

[Shawn McSweeny]

To celebrate Canada’s 159^th birthday, here are few fiddle tunes from the Canadian repertoire, arranged for banjo. Canadian fiddle music has mainly French and British Isle roots but developed its own distinct features. There are several regional styles, including:

 Cape Breton : Nova Scotia fiddling has lively rhythms adhering closely to Scottish musical traditions.

 Down East : New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island fiddling is of 18^thc. British Isle origin, and has been greatly influenced in the last hundred years by a few professionals, perhaps most notably Don Messer, heard widely on radio and television.

 Quebec : Origins date to 17^thc. France.  The music in sparsely inhabited New France was largely unaccompanied; to fill the void, a style developed rich in drone notes and complex rhythms.

 Ottawa Valley : From its British Isle origins, Ontario fiddling developed its own repertoire, style of bowing and embellishment.

 Métis : A blend of First Nations, French, Anglo, Celtic and other styles.

 Notation and digital playbacks are provided for:

 Angus Campbell :  Composed by Scotsman J. Scott Skinner (1842-1927), and published in “The Scottish Violinist”, 1900; transposed from A to G.  If you happen to have a 10 ½” rim Stewart Special Thoroughbred tuned up two semi tones to D as its maker intended, you will be playing the piece in A.

 Buckskin Reel : composed  by Métis fiddler Andy DeJarlis (1914-1975). Key of D in standard G tuning. The B and A notes in measures  12 & 16 of the fiddle score were below the banjo’s range and so were raised an octave.

 Father John Angus Rankin : a Celtic celebration of  Fr. Rankin for his pivotal role in the revival and preservation of traditional Cape Breton culture; composed by Jerry Holland (1955-2009); transposed up a semitone to Cm. The trills may be a challenge; consider substituting a simpler embellishment or even none at all.

 Don Messer’s Breakdown :  A “Down East” composition by Messer (1909-1973), in C.

 Ice on the Road : Composed by multi-champion Ontario fiddler Graham Townsend (1942-1998), in Em.

 Mouth of the Tobique : A fast-paced reel originating from French-Canadian fiddle traditions, composed by Francis Sowish in the early 1900s and later popularized by Don Messer; key of G.

Angus%20Campbell%20%26%205%20More%20NOTN.pdf

Angus%20Campbell%20%26%205%20More%20-%20TAB.pdf

[Trapdoor2]

Interesting, Shawn! As I play (clawhammer) in a monthly jam here, fiddle tunes are the bulk of my repertory. We often get visitors from Canada and I've thought to learn a few common tunes.

Generally, I will play 1:1 on the Tenor banjo and a melody sketch (typical for OT) otherwise. It will be fun playing these 3-finger.

Thanks!

[Jody Stecher]

Excellent! And Happy Birthday, Canada. 

[Shawn McSweeny]

Hi Marc. Glad you enjoyed these. To give you more to choose from, I have another six prepared, which I'll post later.

Thanks Jody. And Happy Birthday USA , in advance!

[Shawn McSweeny]

Here are six more tunes :

Big John McNeil : A piece by Scottish composer  Peter Milne (1824-1908), transposed from A to C. To play with a fiddler in A, you can tune down 3 semi tones to the old A tuning and growl away.

Caribou Reel :  Another composition by Andy DeJarlis, inspired by his First Nations heritage;  key of Em.

Uncle Henry’s Reel :  A lively Don Messer composition, transposed for the banjo from A to G.

Old French :  Of Quebec origin and first recorded in 1929 as Reel de St. Tite. Also known as Rambler’s Hornpipe and Little Old Man, it has become a popular tune in New England; transposed from D and A to C and G for the banjo.

The Trip to Toronto :  A jig in D composed by Cape Breton fiddler Donald Angus Beaton (1912-1982).

The Little Burnt Potato :  A cheerful  jig also in D, composed by Cape Breton fiddler  Colin J. Boyd (1891-1975), and popularized by Don Messer.

Big_John_McNeil_%26_5_More_NOTN.pdf

Big_John_McNeil_%26_5_More_TAB.pdf