Catharsis (MacMaster)

I remember going to see Natalie MacMaster play as a teenager. Her step dancing and aggressive Scottish bowing were completely electrifying, and I remember the whole theater going crazy for it! In my memory, it was some of the loudest applause and cheering that I’ve ever heard! I asked her afterward how she had so much energy and she said she hadn’t always approached it that way, and that she used to sit while playing. Somewhere, somehow she learned to put on a great show.

Now, a few things about Cape Breton fiddle music. There is a feeling that because it was a pretty isolated area for a long time, that they have preserved something of the Scottish music style from an earlier time. People playing Celtic music often want to study how they play in Cape Breton for this reason. It is also a great sounding style, regardless of its history.

In terms of technique, I’ve noticed a lot of great use of the lower half of the bow, for some really percussive attacks and sometimes bouncing bow down there, too. Like other Celtic fiddle styles, the tunes are often grouped in sets and the change between them can be very exciting and dramatic.

This piece was written by Amy Cann, who started off in the Classical world but then became immersed in fiddle, learning the ropes from Jay Ungar. I’m not sure how it came to the attention of Natalie MacMaster, or if it was already popular before she recorded it. Anyway, it is an enjoyable G minor tune.

Notes on Playing the Tune

• In the B section, you’ll want to be clear on which fingers should be on two strings ahead of time to avoid hopping from one string to the next. In measure 12 you’ll want to place the 2nd finger playing on both, then rock off the A string while keeping it on the D (use your elbow swinging motion to help with that).

• This tune sounds good in the lower half of the bow, trying to get a percussive attack on most notes.