Inspired by his exposure to Appalachian music and dance whilst performing at the 2003 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ian travelled extensively to The Blue Ridge Mountains in 2005 & 2006 to immerse himself in the music and culture of the old-time community. WESTRINGING resounds with that influence, on many newly composed melodies as well as tunes from Shetland, the Highland bagpipe repertoire and his own fiddle pibroch. Ian Hardie shows both his mastery of playing and composing. All the tunes are in non-standard tunings and are recorded live with no double tracks or overdubs With Scottish, Appalachian and other influences.
Media Reviews
Westringing
IAN Hardie is best known as a member of Jock Tamson's Bairns, The Occasionals and The Ghillies, but this solo album features the excellent Nairn-based fiddler in a much less familiar setting. The tongue-twisting title is explained more clearly in the album's subtitle, Scotland meets Appalachia. He has chosen to explore the musical ideas inspired by performing at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC, in 2003, and subsequent research trips to Appalachia to study the music of the region and its historic Scots-Irish connections. It is his first entirely solo album, and he employs a range of altered tunings to splendid effect on both fiddle and viola. Other than a smattering of arrangements of traditional material, the compositions are all his own, and include a Pibroch for fiddle, The Highlands of Nairnshire, as well as a range of tunes inspired by old-time Appalachian, Scottish and Shetland fiddle styles...Kenny Mathieson
The sub title and the sub-sub titles on this album say it all...
The sub title and the sub-sub titles on this album say it all. First it is ‘Scotland meets Appalachia and this is further explained as “fiddle and viola solos in altered tunings from The Cairngorms to The Blue Ridge”. We are all familiar with the tales of the migration of the folk tradition across the ‘Western Ocean’. Hardie, a fantastic Scottish fiddle player followed the trail and learned and re-learned his craft in the old time communities of the Blue Ridge Mountains in recent years and from that rebirth he has produced a wonderful album of fourteen instrumental tracks. It opens with the self explanatory ‘Carn Gorm to Blue Ridge’, which is not only a great piece of music but it reminds us of the origin of the Cairngorms title.
These are not re-hashed traditional tunes. Hardie has composed new works based on his travels and his education in styles of playing. The work will be new and that is always hard to sell, we are addicted to the familiar, but this album is worth the
The Reel Magazine
"Away from the dance floor we have a solo fiddle with a few tracks on the viola. Very often a so-called ‘solo’ recording is backed by a plethora of other instruments, but this one by ace fiddler Ian Hardie is strictly solo, and no double tracking. Ian has made several visits to the Blue Ridge Mountains to hear and learn from fiddlers in Appalachia. This inspired him to compose a number of tunes in that genre and issue this fascinating CD. Most of the tunes are in altered tunings (eg AEAE and GCGD) instead of the normal EADG. ‘Westringing – Scotland Meets Appalachia’ (IJHCD001) is a must for all lovers of fiddle music." ............THE REEL MAGAZINE, LONDON, FEB-APR EDITION 2008
Customer Reviews
Great fiddling! Ewan
This totally solo fiddle CD is something else! Ian Hardie has followed the music all the way from Scotland to the mountains of Appalachia gaining inspiration for some very nifty new compositions as well as embracing some classic tunes, playing them in ‘crosskey tuning’ a practice much in evidence amongst the musicians from that area. The resulting increase in fullness and harmony for the unaccompanied player are quite brilliant! Must say how much I liked the fiddle pibroch too. It reminded me of the beautiful song of exile 'I Will Go Home To Kintail'.
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