Cape Breton fiddle music : the making and maintenance of a tradition

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dc.contributor.advisor MacKinnon, Kenneth, 1933-
dc.coverage.spatial Nova Scotia
dc.creator Graham, Glenn
dc.date.accessioned 2011-05-09T12:31:35Z
dc.date.available 2011-05-09T12:31:35Z
dc.date.issued 2004
dc.identifier.other ML863.7 N6 G73 2004
dc.identifier.uri http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/22168
dc.description iv, 266 leaves : music ; 28 cm.
dc.description Includes abstract.
dc.description Includes bibliographical references (leaves 250-260).
dc.description.abstract Cape Breton fiddle music is an art form rooted in Scottish Gaelic tradition. Because of an economic restructuring in Scotland between the late 1700s and mid 1800s, more than 30 000 Scottish Gaels emigrated to the island of Cape Breton, off Canada's east coast. Since then, many elements of the island's Gaelic culture have thrived and survived, including fiddle music. Although limited studies are available, an overview combining a social history of the music with an assessment of its current status is long overdue. The thesis traces four basic periods to show how Cape Breton fiddling has evolved in response to many changes from the time of its origins in Scotland until the year 2004. The history section surveys the influence on fiddling of traditional supports like the Gaelic language, Gaelic bagpiping and song, step-dancing, accompaniment, rural isolation, and so on. But the thesis is mainly concerned about the contemporary status of the music. With the help of surveyed respondents from today's representative fiddlers, the major chapters deal with how well the music copes with recent changes like the drastic loss of Gaelic, the adoption of the tradition by non-Gaels, global musical influences, and commercial success. The thesis confronts directly the controversial topic of the technical means of maintaining the traditional Gaelic sound in a de-Gaelicized context.
dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-09T12:31:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 en
dc.language.iso en
dc.publisher Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University
dc.subject.lcc ML863.7.N6
dc.subject.lcsh Fiddlers -- Nova Scotia -- Cape Breton Island
dc.subject.lcsh Fiddling
dc.subject.lcsh Cape Breton Island (N.S.) -- Social life and customs
dc.title Cape Breton fiddle music : the making and maintenance of a tradition
dc.type Text
thesis.degree.name Master of Arts in Atlantic Canada Studies
thesis.degree.level Masters
thesis.degree.discipline Atlantic Canada Studies Program
thesis.degree.grantor Saint Mary's University (Halifax, N.S.)
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