The Scottish ~ A Perfect Polka

After nearly two years of searching, I finally found the music for one of my absolute favorite dances – the Scottish! Hurray!

There are so many things to love about this particular piece of music! First and foremost, the simply delightful sound of the violins! They complement each other perfectly – while one takes the lead, the other provides a lilting background, and at times the two join in playing the same melody, together dancing on the strings. Though the fiddles are the primary instruments in this recording, the deeper strumming tone of the guitar and a bit of drumming adds a richness of sound, preserving the piece from the danger of becoming too high pitched or shallow.

Another delightful aspect of this medley is the enthusiasm with which it is played; the passion for music really comes through! Every note is in place and the beat is steady all throughout, and yet it is not boringly repetitive; rather, each round of the music is energizing, invigorating, and thrilling! As a friend of mine once wrote, “it just gets down ‘round by your toes and makes you want to dance!”

This track is a medley of three pieces, each in 2/4 timing and in a minor key. Each progression from piece to piece leads to a tune still more wonderful than the last! First there is the well-rounded sound of The Killarney Boys of Pleasure, the instruments introducing the six-minute track with an irresistible invitation to join in the dance! Then there is The King Fairies, in which the strings are set to singing while the percussion provides a subdued backdrop to the fiddling. Finally, there is the deep booming of the drums, the perfectly placed crescendo, and the high notes of the fiddles, all leading into the grand finale, the thrilling tune Tamlin! This last portion of the medley is my favorite by far. It perfectly captures the energy and enthusiasm of the dance, inspiring wholehearted skipping, spinning, whirling, twirling, and polkaing!

I really can’t describe this piece adequately – you must just listen to it for yourself! My two favorite ways of listening to it are 1, use headphones (note: not earphones - they should be full headphones covering your entire ear) with the volume turned way up, and 2 - the preferred method - find a partner, locate a large open space, and begin dancing this delightful polka!

Now for the purchase information:

The group responsible for this delightful medley goes by the name of Stringdancer – 

a most fitting name! The players are Martha Edwards, Pamela Carson Stoll, and David Kirchner, a trio of talented musicians who have been playing together since 1995. Their first and only album, containing this track and thirteen others, is available on Amazon as an MP3 download. The album is no longer being produced in CD format.

 (See this link for Stringdancer’s homepage and history: 
http://www.westendweb.com/stringdancer/index.htm)

COMPLETE TRACK INFORMATION

TITLE: Killarney Boys of Pleasure, the King Fairies, Tamlin

ARTIST: Stringdancer

ALBUM: Stringdancer

YEAR: 2001

LENGTH: 5:57