Customer Reviews

The Fiddle Music of the Scottish Highlands - Volumes 1 and 2: Ceol Na Fidhle Series

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This is a very well done book of Scottish fiddle tunes. There are many classics in this book, plus some gems that you may have trouble finding anywhere else, like "Belfast Hornpipe."

The only disconcerting thing the American musician may have with it at first is that the chord symbols (actually the letter names of the chords) are printed below the line of music rather than above it, as is more common in the States.

Over here, we have been spoiled a bit by low priced collections, such as the reprints issued by Dover, so the price may look a little steep. It isn't, though. Remember, this book has come all the way from the Isle of Skye, and it costs these people more to print a book like this.

The printing is excellent, everything is easily readable, and the arrangements will work well on the mandolin, too.

This is one of a three-volume series (somewhat confusingly called Vols. 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6). They are all wonderful, as is anything else Christine Martin and Taigh Na Teud, a small publisher on the Isle of Skye, put their hands to. The collection is heavy on pipe marches, but with a good selection of strathspeys, reels, jigs, and miscellaneous. Most tunes are traditional, many very old, and all are here in first-rate, authentic transcriptions rendered in a pleasing and very playable format. These are by far my favorite Scottish traditional tune books, and I have 'em all!