28th Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion, 1989-09-06, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1989. PAGE A-7.
Fiddling fun for competitors and audience
Just fiddlin' round
The fiddling competition at the Blyth Thresher’s Reunion is for all ages as violin
players stroke the old tunes from these difficult instruments. The competition is
held on Saturday afternoon.
BY USA BOONSTOPPEL
Walking through the fairgrounds at the
Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion, one can
hear the steam-powered whistles that
pierce the air and the whining of the blade
at the sawmill demonstration. But when
you listen a little closer, there’s another
sound that gets your toes a-tapping and
your hands a-clapping. It’s the fiddler’s
jamboree.
“It’s just a good old time,’’ said Jim
McCall of RR 1, Blyth, who’s been playing
at the Huron Pioneer’s Thresher Reunion
for years. “People will travel for miles to
go to the fiddler’s jamboree because they
like fiddle music.”
Fiddling is a variation of violin music. It
is played on a violin but it isn’t classical
music, it’s old-tyme jigs, reels and waltzes
explained Mr. McCall’s wife, Effie, a lover
of fiddling. “Fiddling is playing the violin
any old way that you want to play it.
Anything that sounds good is fiddling,”
said Mr. McCall.
Fiddling is also a happy and friendly part
of the Thresher’s Reunion that draws
people from all over Ontario. “Last year we
had over 50 fiddlers,” revealed Gladys
VanEgmond, the entertainment co-ordina-
tor for the Reunion. “It’s a big event and
it’s growing,” she added.
The jamboree is the biggest attraction
for the fiddlers who get to play their
instruments, listen to old-tyme tunes and
mingle with their fiddling friends. “The
jamboree is the most fun because every
body gets to play old tunes and there’s no
pressure,” said Bob McClinchey, another
old-tyme fiddler from Blyth. “At the
jamboree, everybody is happy, friendly
and at their best,” said Mr. McCall.
The jamboree will be held on the Friday
night starting at 7:30 in the arena
auditorium. The fiddlers can also jam
together on Saturday between 6:00 and
9:00. For the competitive violin players,
the Old Tyme Fiddler’s Competition starts
at 2:00 on Saturday.
There are new classes in the competition
due to some extra prize money to be given
to the fiddlers. There are six classes in this
year’s competition which are: age 65 and
over; ages 50 to 64; ages 20 to 49; ages 19
and younger; a beginner’s class for 1 to 5
years fiddling and an open class for the
overall champion.
Mr. McCall said the fiddlers are gener
ally older but there have been fiddler’s as
young as seven and eight playing at the
Reunion. But, since the instrument is
difficult to play it takes a while to gain
expertise with it. “The violin isn’t some
thing you can just pick up and play after a
few weeks or even a few years,” said Mr.
McCall, “an awful lot of practice is needed
to play the violin because it can sound
pretty awful.”
He said that some fiddlers at Blyth have
a “touch” which makes their playing “out
of this world.” Many of the fiddlers at the
reunion can’t read notes, but play by ear.
Mr. McClinchey is one of those men. “I
play by ear,” he revealed, “I listen to
tapes and learn the songs.”
The camaraderie between the fiddlers is
a special part of the show. It seems that the
music binds them together in a special
way. At the show, friends get together to
say they’ll practise and sometimes you’ll
even find a bunch in the washroom
jamming together said Mr. McCall.
All through the night the sound of the
fiddle can be heard as fiddlers get together
at their trailers and play those old-tyme
tunes that were so popular in the 1930’s at
dances. A few years ago the music was
virtually unheard of as even orchestra’s
were dropping violins from their instru
ment lists.
Now, fiddling is making a resurgence.
“It’s coming back more and more all the
time,” said Mr. McCall who says that the
jamborees being held in villages across
Ontario indicates its popularity.
News item:
The fair last week was well attended by
both men and horses, butfew sales reported.
Huron Expositor, Feb. 11,1909.
News item:
Bread has been advanced to six cents per
loaf on account of the rise in the price of
wheat. Huron Expositor, Sept. 17,1879.
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