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Slowly, carefully, the old man lifts his ¤ddle from the mantelpiece, gently cradling the instrument as he lays it on his couch. Opening up an old violin case, he takes out a well-worn bow and turns its screw, tightening the frog to make the horsehair taut. Pulling a block of rosin that was processed from a nearby turpentine camp ¤ve decades ago, he slides the amber chunk up and down the bow, giving it the ability to bite into the instrument’s strings. Picking up the ¤ddle once again, he tucks it under his chin and lets the violin’s neck lie on his palm.Double-stopping the second and third strings,he pauses a moment, calling into his mind a bowing pattern before engaging the bow to the strings. His hard,long downbow is followed by a sharp upbow and another heavy downbow , and he plays the ¤rst tune that he learned. The ¤ddler is waiting for a visit from a friend who is coming to see him that evening.He is going to introduce him to someone who works for the people who run the folk festival in White Springs. The ¤ddler has attended the festival for years, and he enjoys sitting in his lawn chair under the live oaks each Memorial Day weekend while listening to the old-time and bluegrass music that is featured on the stages of the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. The festival allows him to hear music that he grew up with years ago, and he enjoys spending time at the park on the banks of the historic Suwannee River. The ix Preface  Shuf®e ¤ddler has made friends with some of the musicians and music fans who attend the festival, but he has never met the people who put together the show. The ¤ddler plays through a couple more tunes. An old Volkswagen Jetta pulls into the driveway, and the ¤ddler puts down his instrument to meet his friend at the door. Gathered at the back porch, he meets his friend’s son who is accompanying the folklorist who, handing him a business card, explains that he is also working with Jacksonville’s schools and Florida’s folklife program. After more introductions, small talk, and an explanation that the folklorist appreciates the chance to record some tunes, the ¤ddler hands his six-string Ovation to his friend, who strums out some chords to back up the ¤ddle on guitar. The folklorist opens up a ®oor stand to make a stereo recording by placing two Sennheiser microphones in a tip-to-tip setup. Over the course of the evening, they record over two dozen old-time ¤ddle tunes. When everyone becomes tired, the musicians set their instruments down, and the tape recorder is put on pause. As conversation ®ows, they decide that they have plenty of tunes on tape for the night, and it is time to pack up. Breaking down the microphone stand, coiling up the chords, packing away the tape recorder into a carry-bag, the folklorist listens as the ¤ddler tells a tall tale about a cow that fell down a well. The folklorist listens, laughs, and says that he would like to return the next day. The folklorist then asks if he can take some photographs, assuring everyone that the camera won’t break. Posing for a few candids, the guitar player and the¤ddler are quizzical about the need to take more than one picture, but they patiently pose with their instruments for some more shots. After ¤ve more minutes of picture-taking, the folklorist puts away the camera, tucking it into his carry-bag with the tape recorder,microphones,and cables.They talk some more, and the boy tells his dad that he is ready to go home. Everyone strolls outside, and the ¤ddler tells another story.The visitors chat some more on the lawn. The folklorist promises to come back to learn more about ¤ddling and to record the stories.  preface x ...

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