Farmhouse Fiddlers: Music & Dance Traditions in the Rural Midwest

Rating:
Summary: Delightful book about old fiddling in Wisconsin
Review: "Farmhouse Fiddlers Music and Dance Traditions in the Rural Midwest" by Phil Martin

In far too many homes, "Grandpa's fiddle" adorns a wall, is tucked away under a bed, or stored in the attic, never again to ring out the old tunes, nor to collect the dust of dancers. Our nation's tradition of house-party fiddling has largely been stilled, though there are many areas where fiddling is still strong, though primarily because of bluegrass and contest fiddling. We are fortunate that there are those willing to spend the effort to seek out those who were a part of the old traditions and share their memories with us.

The past has always been intriguing, yet enigmatic; it belongs to us, yet it doesn't--understanding it takes a special sort of knowledge, which Phil Martin sought out and presents in his book, "Farmhouse Fiddlers." The author explains, through narrative and quotation, the way people entertained themselves, retelling tales of fiddling and dancing gathered from those who lived during the era of the close-knit farm community. Mr. Martin's book gives a compelling, slightly romanticized view of the life of northern farmers, primarily of Wisconsin, and how they lived--his telling reminiscent of the sentimentality of a Garrison Keillor-told tale or Ken Burns' series, "The Civil War". It is interesting that fiddling has become such a sentimental link to our past, reminding us of simpler times and wholesomeness--surprisingly so, considering how the fiddle was once viewed by some as the "devil's box."

Although well researched, this book is not a textbook, nor is it presented with the stuffiness and "folklore-bigotry" I have come to expect from folklorists, although there are plenty of notes cited in the text. Nor is it a tunebook; there is nary a note of music in it. It is a book to read, enjoy, and leave on one's coffee table. It explains much about the society of that era and might lead the reader to muse on the problems of our own society, by comparison. The reader will find tales of fiddlers and other musicians, stories of traveling bands, accounts of how things evolved, waxed and waned, regarding fiddling, music, instrumentation, travel, work, neighborhoods, and towns. The author first sets the ambience of the farm community with narrative, then uses quotations to bring a more in-depth, personalized view of the social structure of the time. He also makes good use of interesting old photographs, which are well reproduced.

If you are interested in "days-gone-by", fiddling, dancing, or Wisconsin, this book will tickle your fancy. I found the book to be quite interesting, though at the beginning, when narrative dominates, I feared the book would lack "punch." As I read further, though, I found myself more and more interested in descriptions of how and why the old traditions began and ended, thoughtfully explained through the use of quotations. In this day and age, when it seems everything can be explained in a contrived 30 minute television show, this book refreshingly gives us insight, and a feeling of home.

Rating:
Summary: Great pictures & stories
Review: "Farmhouse Fiddlers Music and Dance Traditions in the Rural Midwest" by Phil Martin

In far too many homes, "Grandpa's fiddle" adorns a wall, is tucked away under a bed, or stored in the attic, never again to ring out the old tunes, nor to collect the dust of dancers. Our nation's tradition of house-party fiddling has largely been stilled, though there are many areas where fiddling is still strong, though primarily because of bluegrass and contest fiddling. We are fortunate that there are those willing to spend the effort to seek out those who were a part of the old traditions and share their memories with us.

The past has always been intriguing, yet enigmatic; it belongs to us, yet it doesn't--understanding it takes a special sort of knowledge, which Phil Martin sought out and presents in his book, "Farmhouse Fiddlers." The author explains, through narrative and quotation, the way people entertained themselves, retelling tales of fiddling and dancing gathered from those who lived during the era of the close-knit farm community. Mr. Martin's book gives a compelling, slightly romanticized view of the life of northern farmers, primarily of Wisconsin, and how they lived--his telling reminiscent of the sentimentality of a Garrison Keillor-told tale or Ken Burns' series, "The Civil War". It is interesting that fiddling has become such a sentimental link to our past, reminding us of simpler times and wholesomeness--surprisingly so, considering how the fiddle was once viewed by some as the "devil's box."

Although well researched, this book is not a textbook, nor is it presented with the stuffiness and "folklore-bigotry" I have come to expect from folklorists, although there are plenty of notes cited in the text. Nor is it a tunebook; there is nary a note of music in it. It is a book to read, enjoy, and leave on one's coffee table. It explains much about the society of that era and might lead the reader to muse on the problems of our own society, by comparison. The reader will find tales of fiddlers and other musicians, stories of traveling bands, accounts of how things evolved, waxed and waned, regarding fiddling, music, instrumentation, travel, work, neighborhoods, and towns. The author first sets the ambience of the farm community with narrative, then uses quotations to bring a more in-depth, personalized view of the social structure of the time. He also makes good use of interesting old photographs, which are well reproduced.

If you are interested in "days-gone-by", fiddling, dancing, or Wisconsin, this book will tickle your fancy. I found the book to be quite interesting, though at the beginning, when narrative dominates, I feared the book would lack "punch." As I read further, though, I found myself more and more interested in descriptions of how and why the old traditions began and ended, thoughtfully explained through the use of quotations. In this day and age, when it seems everything can be explained in a contrived 30 minute television show, this book refreshingly gives us insight, and a feeling of home.

Rating:
Summary: Great pictures & stories
Review: That pretty much says it all, I guess. One caveat: the book deals pretty much exclusively with Wisconsin fiddlers & traditions, so "the rural midwest" isn't really an accurate description of the area covered.

Rating:
Summary: Rural Roots Music
Review: The fiddlers featured in this book generally play the old-time fiddle tunes that form an important base for contemporary musical forms such as bluegrass, western swing, country and western, and other genres. There are terrific photographs of fiddlers and good stories from the musicians' life experiences. The book provides a great background on square dance and local music-making traditions, and the engaging presentation of the photographs adds to the undertanding of the social context and history of American fiddling.