Violins are used in Celtic music, but are more commonly referred to as "fiddles". The legend behind this seems to be that when a Celtic musician picked up the instrument, he was "fiddling" around with it. In essence, if you take the same bloody thing and play Mozart on it, it's a violin. The Celtic fiddler may looks like he's "fiddling" around, but it is evident that the player possesses a high degree of expertise and skill, these being absolutely integral in playing the intricate knotwork of Celtic music.
The fiddle, in its Celtic context, is very flexible: it may be played solo or in ensemble, fast or slow. Not all instruments in Celtic music have such virtuosity. |
