A few years ago, I embarked on a project to create a common repertoire for people throughout the Upper Midwest who are discovering heirloom fiddle tunes from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota and gathering in small groups to play and perform this music. I have learned that while we have a common love for the music, we have a hard time playing together when we meet up at larger festivals because we don’t all know the same tunes. I enlisted the help of fiddlers and other old time musicians to compile a list, then surveyed fiddlers through the Minnesota State Fiddlers Association to whittle the list down to about 40. I looked for grant money to come up with a more comprehensive program to create a book with more details on the tunes and opportunities to gather, play and dance but have been unsuccessful to date. I have sheet music and links to YouTube videos for all the tunes, but I have haven’t finished the detailed histories along with citations for each tune.
However, I’ve been asked about where I am with this project, and I’ve decided to post what I’ve got. It’s my home to continue to flesh out these tunes, have them all transcribed in Finale so that they are uniform and have midi files associated with them, and provide more details. Keep checking back to this page to see my progress! Here’s what I’ve got so far –
Common Repertoire of Upper Midwest Fiddle Tunes – DRAFT
Common Repertoire of Upper Midwest Fiddle Tunes – List
Common Repertoire Video Playlist on YouTube
