Fiddler's Galaxy

Album review

Winston Salem, NC, is located at the very beginning of what might be considered the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. And although it might come as news to some listeners that there is something else going on there other than tobacco farming and cigarette manufacturing, this recording provides evidence of a rich musical climate with a great deal of respect for traditional mountain music. Neither Johnson nor Hawkins are from this area but upon relocating for various job assignments they became involved in performances of classical music inspired by Appalachian folk themes, a tradition in itself harking back to Aaron Copland. Pieces by Lukas Foss, Robert Ward, and Kenneth Frazelle are presented and all share certain similarities. The way a violin is played surely couldn't be more different than between the classical and Appalachian music; in fact, the instrument even gets called something different in each tradition. But be it a violin or a fiddle, it is still an instrument well suited for expressing these types of melodies, and of course, in the classical context with a pianist accompanying, the tendency is to create a purer tone and stricter sense of tuning than one would hear if was a country fiddler rubbing rosin on the bow. Some listeners may prefer their Appalachian music undiluted by classical pretensions of theme and development, but they would be missing the point. What Johnson and Hawkins do here is not really Appalachian music at all but rather interpretations of themes that sound slightly folky, put through variations and interplay that stem from the rich classical tradition. What makes this CD really special however is not these three pieces but the composition created for Johnson by Winston Salem composer and percussionist Aaron Bachelder, who has put together a fascinating percussion ensemble whose members are handicapped individuals drawn from the membership of the local Enrichment Center. The varying degree of technique or physical ability needed to play percussion devices makes this an idea perfect in both concept and execution, and the composer's use of the violinist in this situation is nothing less than inspired. In the final analysis this is something of a schizophrenic CD, but perhaps the Winston Salem locale ties it all together. Anyone finding this road a bit difficult to travel should try driving through Winston on I-40, under construction for at least 25 years beginning in 1975.

© Eugene Chadbourne /TiVo