Fiddler Violinist David Greenberg at Celtic Colours

David is an incredible musician. From fiddle to Baroque music he is truly a Master. He plays Cape Breton fiddle tunes as if he were born on the island. Now living in Canada, David travels the world . Great to see live, he really gets into a tune.
Filmed by Sam Ruest at Celtic Colours 2006

Category:

Music

Tags:

• David
• Greenberg
• Fiddle
• Violin
• Cape
• Breton
• Scottish
• Baroque
• Harp
• Cello

[ainefidileir]

@violaannie9

I've looked at moving to Nova Scotia to take lessons from him :)

[violaannie9]

During a long drive once I asked David about his relaxed left wrist and the fact he doesn't use a shoulder rest - his reasons went on for quite some time but basically boiled down to 'tension and release of tension'. He's not locked into one or the other but is free to move as he needs to, and the results are simply superb. @dbadagna he grew up in Maryland and was classically trained, but also listened to Cape Breton a lot and was largely self-taught. He has lived in Canada since the late 80s.

[procarpenter1788]

@minoune86 I also am confused as to why a classically trained violinist would play with a bent wrist. Is it in homage to some of the great Cape Breton fiddlers?

I always thought they played that well in spite of the bent wrist, not because of it!

[sgtcrab1]

@dbadagna David was with the Baroque group Tafelmusik. His wife Kate Dunlay is from the mid west USA I think and did her MA Thesis on CB music. I believe they met at Uni in the US. Kate did a book of and on CB fiddle playing I have it somewhere.

[nozecone]

Sleepy Maggie is the reel he goes into after the Are You Sleeping Maggie? melody. Then he goes crazy. Maybe some of Musical Priest is mixed in there.

[boguspurr]

No, "Sleepy Maggie" is something different again.

[ainefidileir]

that is, Chris Norman did an album with Alasdair Fraser.

It's called "Beauty of The North"

I highly recommend it.

[dbadagna]

I'm curious about his history with Cape Breton? I assume he is not a native Caper but that he is from somewhere in the U.S. like New York, and came to this music later in life, spent time there each summer on the Ceili Trail, etc., immersing himself and eventually becoming an honorary Cape Breton musician. I don't know of any other people like that.

[ainefidileir]

he does indeed! he also cut a great album with Alasdair Fraser on fiddle.

truly beautiful album.

[ainefidileir]

very jealous! i would love to take lessons from him.