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Hearing a ¤ddle tune for the ¤rst time, a novice listener hears rhythmic bow strokes that make it easy to ¤nd the beat. But a blustery ®urry of notes may force the novitiate to strain to recognize the tune’s melody. After initially marveling at hearing a virtuoso ¤ddler play, those who are unfamiliar with oldtime ¤ddling tend to lose interest.Without knowing how to listen for each tune’s uniqueness, tyro listeners are apt to remark that all ¤ddle tunes sound the same and move to another stage at a folklife festival. Live ¤ddle tunes are usually played for dances, and the concentration that a musician needs to maintain the patterns for hoedowns is often at odds with the listener’s ability to listen to intricate ¤ddling. With practice and familiarity an a¤cionado of old-time ¤ddling learns to recognize the unique qualities of individual tunes. Eventually the listener develops an ear for appreciating intricate variations on established melodies . With time, some listeners decide to learn to play the instrument. While Richard believes that anyone can learn to play, he regards the instrument as dif¤cult to master. He also believes that it is too easy to become intimidated by the idea of learning to play, for listeners sometimes overly mystify how a ¤ddler works out a tune. Richard uses concrete techniques that demystify the process , and an analysis of Richard’s playing introduces one to ways to listen to a¤ddle tune. 105 6 Richard’s Fiddle  And so I pat her neck, and plink Her strings with loving hands, And listening close, I sometimes think She kind of understands. —James Whitcomb Riley* Learning how to listen to a tune is a ¤rst step in learning to play the ¤ddle. It is comparatively easy to learn to listen to a tune, but it can be intimidating to master the complex bowing techniques, accurate ¤ngering patterns, and intricate embellishments that ornament the ¤xed form of a hoedown tune.Although it takes direct interaction with a ¤ddler to learn to play the instrument, it is possible to understand the characteristic patterns used in playing the ¤ddle by reading a description of how a ¤ddler plays.1 Clueing in on ways of listening to¤ddle tunes provides an understanding of the aesthetic standards that Richard embraces when he tucks his ¤ddle under his chin. In sum, understanding how Richard plays the ¤ddle requires the need to listen deeply to his tunes.2 A ¤ddle is a wonderful instrument. Its body’s form is gorgeous. The color and texture of a ¤nely crafted instrument add to the aesthetic appeal. Violin makers craft the instrument to make it ¤t comfortably into one’s hand and body even though the playing position initially feels unnatural and awkward.3 A ¤ddler will turn the instrument over and look at the back, gazing at it to see how the wood is matched and scanning the surface for ¤ne patterns in the wood grain. Rich varnish and burls in the wood add to an instrument’s character. The graceful f-holes that open up its body and the noble scroll that decorates the ¤ddle head are suf¤ciently rococo for the concert hall’s stage, but the physical ornamentation seems perfectly un¤tting when a ¤ddler jumps into “Sally Gooden.” The violinist knows that Itzhak Perlman’s Stradivarius could resound with Paganini’s “Caprice No. 5 in A Minor.” The ¤ddler knows that this same instrument could also play a spirited rendition of “Flop-Eared Mule.”The major differences are that the ¤ddler may use heavier strings and would possibly carve down the bridge, ®attening its arch a bit to make double-stops easier to note. Limited ¤nancial resources keep most ¤ddlers from owning ¤ddles that could also be museum pieces, and the famous violins are played by only the ¤nest violinists and worked on only by the best luthiers. Because of the richness of the violin’s legacy, the ¤ddler may display a mixture of both pride and selfeffacement when playing on stage. Even when lying in a plush case, the instrument itself evokes shades of aristocracy tempered with whimsy. To answer the underlying question, the ¤ddle is the same instrument as the violin. Richard owns three ¤ddles. He has recently purchased a high quality violin that he is pleased to allow me to play. Another of his ¤ddles is a copy of a Stradivarius that he rarely uses.4 He received this instrument from...

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