A Biographical Dictionary of Fiddlers di A. Mason Clarke
Biographical Dictionary of Fiddlers. 1.09
hand, as a suitable instrument of his genius, was uncommonly powerful; and where the note produced by the up bow was often feeble and indistinct in other hands, it was struck, in his playing, with a strength and certainty, which never failed to surprise and delight the skilful hearer. As an example, may be mentioned his manner of stiking the tenor C, in ' Athole House.' To this extraordinary power of the bow, in the hand of great original genius, must be ascribed the singular felicity of expression which he gave to all his music, and the native highland gotit of certain tunes, such as Tullock-Gorum, in which his taste and style of bowing could never be exactly reached by any other performer. We may add the effect of the sudden shout, with which he frequently accompanied his playing in the quick tunes, and which seemed instantly to electrify the dancers, inspiring them with new life and energy, and rousing the spirits of the most inanimate. Thus it has been well observed, ' The Violin, in his hands sounded like the harp of Ossian, or the lyre of Orpheus, and gave reality to the poetic fictions which describe the astonishing effects of their performance.' The different publications which have appeared under the name of Neil Gow, and which contain not only his sets of the older tunes, butJ
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Dictionary Fiddlers Athole House Tullock-Gorum The Violin Ossian Orpheus The Neil Gow
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