 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2010) |
| Cape Breton fiddling | |
|---|---|
 The World's Largest Fiddle (and bow) on the Sydney waterfront in Cape Breton. | |
| Etymology | Cape Breton |
| Cultural origins | Scottish |
| Local scenes | |
| Cape Breton Island | |
Cape Breton fiddling is a regional violin style which falls within the Celtic music idiom. The more predominant style in Cape Breton Island's fiddle music was brought to North America by Scottish immigrants during the Highland Clearances.[1] These Scottish immigrants were primarily from Gaelic-speaking regions in the Scottish Highlands and the Outer Hebrides. Although fiddling has changed considerably since this time in Scotland, it is widely held[who?] that the tradition of Scottish fiddle music has been better preserved in Cape Breton. While there is a similar tradition from the Irish-style fiddling, that style is largely overlooked as a result of the strong Scottish presence in the area.
In the span of the 1920s to the 70s, Cape Breton's fiddling style faced decline. [2]
Dance styles associated with the music are Cape Breton step dancing, Cape Breton square dancing (Iona style and Inverness style), and highland dancing.
In 2005, as a tribute to the area's traditional music, the construction of a tourism center and the world's largest fiddle and bow was completed on the waterfront in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
- ^ "Forrest W. Larson, "In the Blood: Cape Breton Conversations on Culture," Oral History Review Vol. 40 No. 1, January 2013". Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ Herdman, Jessica (2008). The Cape Breton fiddling narrative : innovation, preservation, dancing (Thesis). University of British Columbia. doi:10.14288/1.0066585.