Fiddlecase Books Catalog
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Music from Mill Hollow, CD and Book of Original Fiddle Tunes.
43 tunes composed & performed by RANDY MILLER playing fiddle, accordion and piano, with an illustrated companion book. "Fifty years ago in April 1973 I moved to the beautiful hamlet of Mill Hollow in the hill country of southwestern New Hampshire. This corner of the world became my home and also my inspiration. I’d been in love with traditional tunes since I first discovered and learned to play them in my twenties. It seemed a natural next step to try my hand at writing a few – my first one in 1974 (Forest Road) and the most recent one (Randy’s Chorus Jig) in 2022." Album and book released May 12, 2023. |
Joy of My Life An album of instrumental contra dance music by the band, Celticladda, recorded LIVE from 2006-2007 in dance halls across the country. From 2006-2008, Randy Miller (fiddle), Tom Hodgson (guitar) and Eric Anderson (piano) toured extensively, playing dozens of dances throughout the country, in the heyday of the great revival and westward spread of New England contra dancing. This CD is a selection of Celticladda's most popular medleys, the ones played night in and night out! Album available as CD and DD (at bandcamp.com).
New England Fiddler's Repertoire is a source book of established contra dance music by Randy Miller and Jack Perron with an introduction by Newt Tolman. The first edition featured hand-lettered music, while the second edition (2003) presented easier-to-read music typesetting, tunes arranged alphabetically, and chords added. Over two dozen decorative wood engravings by Randy Miller were included.
This third edition by Randy Miller and Robert Bley-Vroman marks the 25th anniversary (1983-2008) of the publication of this essential tune book for the contra dance musician. NEFR-3 still has 168 classic contra dance melodies, from Batchelder's Reel to Chorus Jig, Money Musk, Petronella, Portland Fancy, and beyond, while maintaining all of the features of NEFR-2.
For the third edition of New England Fiddler's Repertoire, the time signatures for a number of tunes have been corrected to give an appearance more readily useful to the contra dance musician. Also added is a list giving the original 1983 order of tunes. The third edition was released January 25, 2008.
This third edition by Randy Miller and Robert Bley-Vroman marks the 25th anniversary (1983-2008) of the publication of this essential tune book for the contra dance musician. NEFR-3 still has 168 classic contra dance melodies, from Batchelder's Reel to Chorus Jig, Money Musk, Petronella, Portland Fancy, and beyond, while maintaining all of the features of NEFR-2.
For the third edition of New England Fiddler's Repertoire, the time signatures for a number of tunes have been corrected to give an appearance more readily useful to the contra dance musician. Also added is a list giving the original 1983 order of tunes. The third edition was released January 25, 2008.
Irish Traditional Fiddle Music
This landmark collection of Irish fiddle tunes, first published in 1973 by Randy Miller and Jack Perron, has helped introduce several generations of American musicians to the beauty and delights of Irish fiddle tunes. An expanded second edition was released on St. Patrick's Day 2006, of which Geoff Wallis (Musical Traditions) wrote, "Frankly, it's the best Irish tune collection issued for many a long year."
To read the complete review of ITFM in Musical Traditions e-zine, click here.
The 3rd edition of ITFM, released in October 2015, contains clear and faithful settings of 235 jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, slip jigs, and airs. Chords, a discography, bibliography, and extensive notes on tunes and sources are included. The cover and inside illustrations are from a wood engraving by Randy Miller. The transcriptions are true to the personal and regional characteristics of fiddlers like Julia Clifford, Paddy Canny, Martin Wynne, Sean McGuire, Mairtin Byrnes, Sean Ryan, Michael Coleman, Paddy Cronin, and others.
This landmark collection of Irish fiddle tunes, first published in 1973 by Randy Miller and Jack Perron, has helped introduce several generations of American musicians to the beauty and delights of Irish fiddle tunes. An expanded second edition was released on St. Patrick's Day 2006, of which Geoff Wallis (Musical Traditions) wrote, "Frankly, it's the best Irish tune collection issued for many a long year."
To read the complete review of ITFM in Musical Traditions e-zine, click here.
The 3rd edition of ITFM, released in October 2015, contains clear and faithful settings of 235 jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas, slip jigs, and airs. Chords, a discography, bibliography, and extensive notes on tunes and sources are included. The cover and inside illustrations are from a wood engraving by Randy Miller. The transcriptions are true to the personal and regional characteristics of fiddlers like Julia Clifford, Paddy Canny, Martin Wynne, Sean McGuire, Mairtin Byrnes, Sean Ryan, Michael Coleman, Paddy Cronin, and others.
The Fiddler's Throne
Randy Miller's pencil drawing on the cover of The Fiddler's Throne shows the fiddler's bench in the ballroom of the 1805 Mack Tavern in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Few such antique yet practical dance halls remain in New England. Fortunately, fiddlers from many different musical cultures remain throughout the world and they will enjoy this unique collection of 375 jigs, reels, hornpipes, marches, and waltzes.
Selected and edited by fiddler and piano player Randy Miller, the book includes tunes from New England, Ireland, Scotland, Shetland, the north of England, and Cape Breton. Many of the tunes may be played for contra dances. A fifth of the tunes are recently composed by musicians such as Liz Carroll, Jerry Holland, Billy McComiskey, Martin Mulhaire, Randal Bays, Ronnie Jamieson, Brendan Taaffe, Sarah Bauhan, Sean Ryan, George Wilson, Josephine Keegan, and the author, to name a few.
Also included are more than a dozen compositions by the late Ralph Page, dean of New England callers and a fiddler himself, and more than 20 tunes from the hand-written manuscript of New England fiddler John Taggart (1854-1943). This tune book includes composer index, bibliography, discography, chords, and background notes on the tunes.
Randy Miller's pencil drawing on the cover of The Fiddler's Throne shows the fiddler's bench in the ballroom of the 1805 Mack Tavern in Deerfield, New Hampshire. Few such antique yet practical dance halls remain in New England. Fortunately, fiddlers from many different musical cultures remain throughout the world and they will enjoy this unique collection of 375 jigs, reels, hornpipes, marches, and waltzes.
Selected and edited by fiddler and piano player Randy Miller, the book includes tunes from New England, Ireland, Scotland, Shetland, the north of England, and Cape Breton. Many of the tunes may be played for contra dances. A fifth of the tunes are recently composed by musicians such as Liz Carroll, Jerry Holland, Billy McComiskey, Martin Mulhaire, Randal Bays, Ronnie Jamieson, Brendan Taaffe, Sarah Bauhan, Sean Ryan, George Wilson, Josephine Keegan, and the author, to name a few.
Also included are more than a dozen compositions by the late Ralph Page, dean of New England callers and a fiddler himself, and more than 20 tunes from the hand-written manuscript of New England fiddler John Taggart (1854-1943). This tune book includes composer index, bibliography, discography, chords, and background notes on the tunes.
The Fiddler's Friend by fiddler Randy Miller contains 40 fiddle exercises to improve fingering and bowing. Randy has used his teaching experience and more than thirty years of fiddling to create a series of exercises tailored specifically to fiddlers and traditional fiddle music.
By breaking down the musical elements of fiddling to its bowing-and-fingering basics, and working out a system of repetitive, focused practice on these basics, there is tremendous potential for progress. The fingering of the left hand in particular can be a great challenge, since most fiddlers are right-handed. Many of these exercises, therefore, focus on strengthening the weaker left hand.
The exercises were created with typical fingering and bowing patterns in mind as encountered in many fiddle tunes.
Add nimbleness and fluidity to your playing! These fiddle exercises are for all levels, novice through advanced. Bowing marks, a key to left-hand fingering, and tempo indications are included.
William Marshall's Scottish Melodies
This second edition of Wm. Marshall's Scottish Melodies by Randy Miller and Jack Perron contains 262 strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, marches, jigs, and airs for the violin, flute, piano, mandolin, and cello, with the original bass-clef accompaniments.
William Marshall (1748-1833) is regarded as one of the greatest composers of Scottish fiddle music. His tunes have been played for generations, passed down from fiddler to fiddler to the present day in Scotland and Cape Breton. All of Marshall's known compositions are included in this new edition.
Born in Fochabers, Scotland, into a large family, Marshall at the age of 12 was appointed butler to the Duke of Gordon. His talents in the mechanical and musical arts earned him the admiration not only of the residents of Gordon Castle, but of those throughout the northeast of Scotland, Edinburgh and London. He was by all accounts a highly skilled fiddle player, and Robert Burns wrote that he was "the first composer of strathspeys of the age."
262 of Marshall's tunes are included, from his collections published in 1781, 1788, 1800, 1822, 1823, and 1845. This book presents exact replicas of Marshall's tunes, including his dynamics and ornaments, with original bass-clef accompaniments in an easy-to-read format. Included is a map, illustrations, the famous portrait of Marshall by John Moir, the unabridged 1845 biography of Marshall, and facsimiles of the covers of his 6 original publications. Also contains four reference appendices. Originally published by Fiddlecase Books in 1978; 2nd Edition, 2007.
This second edition of Wm. Marshall's Scottish Melodies by Randy Miller and Jack Perron contains 262 strathspeys, reels, hornpipes, marches, jigs, and airs for the violin, flute, piano, mandolin, and cello, with the original bass-clef accompaniments.
William Marshall (1748-1833) is regarded as one of the greatest composers of Scottish fiddle music. His tunes have been played for generations, passed down from fiddler to fiddler to the present day in Scotland and Cape Breton. All of Marshall's known compositions are included in this new edition.
Born in Fochabers, Scotland, into a large family, Marshall at the age of 12 was appointed butler to the Duke of Gordon. His talents in the mechanical and musical arts earned him the admiration not only of the residents of Gordon Castle, but of those throughout the northeast of Scotland, Edinburgh and London. He was by all accounts a highly skilled fiddle player, and Robert Burns wrote that he was "the first composer of strathspeys of the age."
262 of Marshall's tunes are included, from his collections published in 1781, 1788, 1800, 1822, 1823, and 1845. This book presents exact replicas of Marshall's tunes, including his dynamics and ornaments, with original bass-clef accompaniments in an easy-to-read format. Included is a map, illustrations, the famous portrait of Marshall by John Moir, the unabridged 1845 biography of Marshall, and facsimiles of the covers of his 6 original publications. Also contains four reference appendices. Originally published by Fiddlecase Books in 1978; 2nd Edition, 2007.
Also by Randy Miller with Al Wellington
Oberlin Fever: A Championship Spirit in Black and White
Oberlin Fever chronicles the improbable season-ending victory of a college basketball team over an unbeatable rival, Wittenberg University, a perennial national powerhouse that had not lost to Oberlin in 18 years. Two confident freshmen, recruited by a visionary coach, joined forces in 1966 on the campus of Oberlin College and made a secret pledge to win the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship before they graduated. This talented duo became roommates, and the realization of their prophetic vision is the core of this remarkably inspiring David-vs-Goliath tale.
The book examines how Al and Randy's similar world-views were forged in the cauldron of the racial strife of the 1960s. Added to this volatile environment were the increasingly strident protests against the Vietnam War that were sweeping college campuses. This story shows how, during turbulent times in the streets of our nation, unity was forged and history was made on the hardwood floor of a small liberal-arts college in Ohio.
The Oberlin Yeomen came together, met every challenge, and overcame every obstacle. Excitement and passion grew steadily on campus as the Obies marched step by exhilarating step toward their destiny of winning it all! Feel the electricity of the underdogs and their frenzied fans as they unleash a torrent of athleticism and will-power, inching closer to the goal they had pledged to achieve! Illustrated with 140 photographs. Appendix includes complete season and tournament stats.
Oberlin Fever: A Championship Spirit in Black and White
Oberlin Fever chronicles the improbable season-ending victory of a college basketball team over an unbeatable rival, Wittenberg University, a perennial national powerhouse that had not lost to Oberlin in 18 years. Two confident freshmen, recruited by a visionary coach, joined forces in 1966 on the campus of Oberlin College and made a secret pledge to win the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament Championship before they graduated. This talented duo became roommates, and the realization of their prophetic vision is the core of this remarkably inspiring David-vs-Goliath tale.
The book examines how Al and Randy's similar world-views were forged in the cauldron of the racial strife of the 1960s. Added to this volatile environment were the increasingly strident protests against the Vietnam War that were sweeping college campuses. This story shows how, during turbulent times in the streets of our nation, unity was forged and history was made on the hardwood floor of a small liberal-arts college in Ohio.
The Oberlin Yeomen came together, met every challenge, and overcame every obstacle. Excitement and passion grew steadily on campus as the Obies marched step by exhilarating step toward their destiny of winning it all! Feel the electricity of the underdogs and their frenzied fans as they unleash a torrent of athleticism and will-power, inching closer to the goal they had pledged to achieve! Illustrated with 140 photographs. Appendix includes complete season and tournament stats.