The CD features many of the guest musicians from Scotland's great fiddle extravaganza Fiddle 2000, the biggest celebration of Scots fiddle anywhere in the world. This amazing annual festival which takes place at the end of November in The Assembly Rooms, George Street Edinburgh is run by volunteers and hosts over forty separate events ranging from recitals, workshops and master classes, to concerts, ceilidhs, youth events and open stage. Listen and marvel at the fabulous musicianship and sheer brilliance of celtic fiddlers Jennifer Wrigley, John McCusker, Liz Doherty, Aidan O'Rourke, Clare McLaughlin, Claire Mann, Simon Bradley, Eilidh Shaw, Kenny Fraser, Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Gillian Boucher, Russell Hunter, Marianne Campbell, Maeve and Orna Gilchrist, Derek and Sarah Hoy and Sarah MacFadyen. One of the fine things about this CD is that it features not only professional musicians but also some of Scotland’s up and coming musicians. There’s great performances here from Sarah Hoy (16) who plays a couple of her own compositions and Orna and Maeve Gilchrist (15) a duo of fiddle and clarsach. When you listen to these tracks you tracks you will be pleasantly surprised at the high standard of the young musicians that we have in Scotland. Great playing, great festival.
Producer Simon Thoumire is based in Edinburgh, and certainly knows the scene there. A lively scene it is too, judging by this offering.
A lively scene it is too, judging by this offering. Of the 16 tracks on Heat the Hoose 2, ten are by the womanfolk, and there are at least 12 tunes, which are original compositions. We have two sets of sisters, Maeve and Orna Gilchrist from Edinburgh and Jennifer and Hazel Wrigley from Orkney. There are a wide variety of styles, from the strength of Liz Doherty to the sweet tone of Kenny Fraser and Jennifer Wrigley. Accompaniments include guitar and piano, but also lowland pipes, and synth on a couple of tracks. Overall, the level of musical understanding and the nicely chosen speeds and rhythms are top class. Good to see Máire Ni Mhaonaigh’s Tune for Frankie getting an airing. Another tune I admired was The Gates of Mullagh, a fine reel from Clare McLaughlin. If you got even half this playing in an evening, you’d be entitled to feel more than pleased. John Brophy
An album that lives up to its name and then some, being a collection of the best in contemporary Celtic fiddling. A whole hour-plus of sheer artistry. Turn on, tune in, and relish the rapture.
The compilation Heat the Hoose 2 is an album that lives up to its name and then some, being a collection of the best in contemporary Celtic fiddling, many of the participants having been guests on Fiddle 2000, the worlds biggest celebration of Scottish fiddle. A few nuggets picked froom the golden seam include both Wrigley sisters, Russell Hunter, Maeve and Orna Gilchrist, Anna-Wendy Stevenson, Eilidh Shaw, John McCusker…….the list goes on and on, to bring a whole hour-plus of sheer artistry. Turn on, tune in, and relish the rapture. Alasdair MacLean
it’s worth having the CD just for Jennifer’s wonderfully haunting The Princess’ Polka...
This collection of fiddle music from Scotland, with ten tracks by different musicians, gives a taste of the wide range of styles existing, with a mixture of of traditional and absolutely wonderful composed tunes. It’s hard to decide who not to mention. Sarah McFadyen impresses with her laid-back but sparkling interpretation of Starter for Twelve with effective guitar accompaniment from Kris Drever. Eilidh Shaw, with her very distinctive West Highland style, treats us to a beautiful tune from Swap’s Ola Backstrom and the compositions by Sarah Hoy also stand out, especially Missinyersel.
Marianne Campbell plays with Douglas Caskie, with whom she wrote The Beard and Bees’ Knees. With drums, even Clannad-style sound effects, it’s still enjoyable – a seemingly simple riff on the fiddle, with keyboard punctuation, humour too, it’s like breathing. John McCusker is suitably impressive with one of his own compositions, accompanied by Ian Carr and Iain MacDonald, and Russell Hunter is no slouch with brilliant guitar from Sandy Wright.
Accompanied by bodhran and bouzoukie, Simon Bradley performs an absolutely scintillating three tune set and I can’t not mention The Wrigley Sisters – it’s worth having the CD just for Jennifer’s wonderfully haunting The Princess’ Polka..
Sally Clayden, Taplas….April/May 2001
I am convinced that Scotland is one of THE happening areas for young fiddlers in recent years. And it seems to be only getting better.
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