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The Portland Collection- Fiddle and Mandolin Music

Ranked #3,277 in Music, #90,531 overall

Traditional Celtic and Contra Dance Music

Want a great source for traditional music? Try the Portland Collection of contra dance music for fiddle and mandolin.

Edited by Susan Songer and Clyde Curley, this collection has songs originating from Ireland, Scotland and North America. It includes a fine assembly of Scottish reels and Scottish hornpipes, Canadian reels and spritely Irish jigs.

The collection is a two-volume set with books of music and CDs of the songs. The Portland Collection is the doorway to many evenings of easy fiddle and mandolin music you can enjoy playing at home, in a traditional session or as the music enlivening your friends' contra dancing.

We discovered this collection when my husband was learning to play the mandolin. He found the songs from both volumes of The Portland Collection fairly easy to play. Happily, I found the songs easy to hear. Eventually I took up guitar to play along with him.

I wrote this review because I want you to discover the fun of playing music from this excellent Portland Collection.

My Recommendation for Lively Music

I'm not a musician, and I don't play one on TV. But I am qualified to recommend this traditional music collection because I enjoy listening to it. One of the great things about dance tunes is that they are catchy. The rhythm gets into your feet, even if you are sitting down, and the melody catches in your brain. So from the point of view of the audience, I think they're excellent.

My husband plays the melody on mandolin, And sometimes, I give up my important role as audience and follow along with him on guitar. Although I don't read music, each volume of the Portland Collection works for me because the chords are provided along with the notes. I strum or more often pluck random patterns that instinctively fit these inviting songs.

The Collection Is Easy to Get

The two volumes of the Portland Collection make a great holiday gift. The two volumes are sold separately at Amazon. We recommend both, but you might want to try one at a time. The music is excellent - really makes you tap your foot. And the songs are relatively easy to play but also provide a foundation for a lot of interesting variations.

My husband and I give this set our highest rating.
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Easy Fiddle Music?

When I say this is easy fiddle music, I mean relatively easy. For me, all fiddle music is relatively impossible. But for someone who can play, this music is much more accessible than some, such as classical violin. The contra dance reels, for instance, have an infectious beat. And we find that even the jigs can be slowed down, as in s-l-o-w-e-d down, so that a less accomplished player (me) can play them. The result is that these fast songs become lovely slow ballads.

My husband is just beginning to play the fiddle. He finds the dance tunes of The Portland Collection to be a fun choice.

Music for St. Patrick's Day: Listen or Play

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Fiddle and Mandolin: What's the Connection?

About six years ago, my husband took up playing the mandolin because he could not play the violin. That is, he studied violin as a boy but "could not make music come out" according to him.

When he found out that the mandolin tuning is like a violin, he began to wonder if he could learn. It would be easier -- frets instead of open fingering and NO BOW. The bow is an instrument all to itself. And the violin and mandolin are similar in size. Another good thing is: either one can easily be carried on a plane as carry-on baggage.

Fiddling with Dance Songs

After I surprised my husband with a used mandolin as a gift, he took lessons from a superb teacher and learned quickly! Two years later, he discovered The Portland Collection traditional dance music. Right away his playing improved, especially his sense of rhythm. The music "breathed".

This year, we decided he was ready to try the violin again. He began to play the dance songs from the Portland Collection as fiddle tunes. It's still a bit rough, but the fiddle playing is really coming along. Next step: stop renting and choose a violin to purchase.

Electronic Tuner for Easy Adjustments

Do you find tuning your instrument to be time consuming and sometimes frustrating? Save time and hassle with an inexpensive electronic tuner, especially good for mandolin or guitar. We enjoy using KORG tuners.
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Reel Beatrice

This song is heartful and deep played slowly or lively and exciting played fast. We do both. ( But this is NOT us playing!)
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Our Favorite Irish Songs from the Collection

The Portland Collection includes music from many areas and types - reels, jigs, hornpipes collected from Ireland, Scotland, France, Canada, the United States. But when thinking of St. Patrick's Day music, here are some of our Irish favorite tunes:

Blarney Pilgrim

Kesh Jig

Charlie Mulvihill

Sean Ryan's Jig

Here are a variety of songs in the Portland Collection drawn from around the world we play often:

Volume 1

Cottage in the Grove

The Cowboy Jig

Oyster River Hornpipe

The Phoenix

Reel Beatrice

Volume 2

Buzz the 9 (this one is by Betsy Branch)

Kathy Seubert ( this one is by Susan Songer)

Maids of Castlebar

6/8 du Petit Sarny

Walk up Georgia Row: our all-time favorite

What's the Difference between a Fiddle and a Violin?

My husband's mandolin teacher said you can tell a fiddle from a violin this way:

If you mind beer getting spilled on it, it's a violin.
:-)

Excerpts from The Portland Collection

The books are interesting reading. Not only do they contain musical scores, they also have interesting essays by Songer and by Curley as well as quotes from dancers present at caller Mary Devin's contra dance in Portland, Oregon in 1997.

Songer says she was introduced to this music when she was learning to play fiddle an attended contra dances in Portland to try to learn the dance songs by ear. Worried that this would be difficult, she began to write down notation.

Curley writes that "there is life in the lift of dance music."

Dancer Monique Bessette says of contra dance that she likes "to just fall into the beauty of the music."

And there is an explanation of the origin of each song.

Cottage in the Grove

This version is very different than how we play it. But I think it's beautiful
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Audio CD: Play Along with a Selection

This dual disk audio CD set called the Portland Selection is a group of selected songs from the 2-volume set played by the artists-authors Susan Songer and Cliver Curley plus Betsy Branch. The songs are played at a moderate speed so you can join them.

We have not tried this version ourselves, but it sounds like fun. I'm thinking it may be a birthday present for my husband...
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Which Do You Like Better?

Mandolin and Fiddle

Traditional music such as that in the Portland Collection can be played on mandolin or fiddle (violin). I think at dances you are likely to hear at least one fiddle, in part because the sound projects so well. But this music is excellent for listening, too, even when you're not dancing. Although you will be tapping your feet.

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Travelin' Music

One of the great things about playing mandolin or violin is how easily your instrument can travel with you. I just got off a plane on which a young passenger was traveling with a mandolin. He and his mom were coming home from a bluegrass festival. His mandolin was in a a hard case for great protection, and it fit in the overhead compartment.

A fiddle and a mandolin are about the same size, so you can travel on a plane with either one. If you travel by car, be VERY CAREFUL not to let a wooden instrument stay in the hot sun - take it inside with you when you stop, and keep it covered in the car while in motion.

The Mandolin Cafe

This site is an interesting collection of mandolin news, MP3 and a great forum with a thread on the Portland Collection. Check it out by clicking the link below.

CLICK HERE ----> The Mandolin Cafe Forum: Portland Collection Thread

Audio from the Portland Collection

The Portland Collection, 2 volume set, Songer and CurleyYou may enjoy visiting the website for the Portland Collection of Songer and Curley. If you do, click the link called "have a quick listen" to hear some fabulous music. Very spritely but very smooth.

The Portland Collection

Music from Amazon

Here are some excellent audio CDs to enjoy
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Do You Prefer MP3?

We had the pleasure of hearing Jamie Laval play in Southern California a few years ago. I love the way he beats a rhythm with his feet to accompany the fiddle. He was playing with Ashley Broder that day, a great combination.

Here's an MP3 with music we enjoy that features Jamie Laval. See an arrow in this picture of the album?

CLICK ON THE ARROW in center of the picture.

You can listen to songs for FREE before you buy.

Do you enjoy traditional music such as this? Comments welcome.

  • fugeecat Mar 30, 2012 @ 10:35 pm | delete
    I love the videos the music is beautiful.
  • scarlettohairy Mar 24, 2012 @ 2:42 am | delete
    I love the definition of a fiddle or violin. Precious!
  • Upon-Request Mar 16, 2012 @ 11:29 pm | delete
    Love traditional Irish fiddles - hearing them always makes me smile.
  • poddys Mar 11, 2012 @ 4:05 pm | delete
    Thanks so much for featuring my Best Guitar Tuners lens. I'm currently gearing up for St. Patrick's Day with some music from Irish Rock band Horslips. Adding a link to this lens on my Limericks For St. Patrick's Day lens.
  • Starving_Artist Feb 6, 2012 @ 12:03 pm | delete
    wonderful music and instruments!
  • Noctambulant Jan 8, 2012 @ 11:27 am | delete
    Amazing stuff...I love these folk songs. The authentic feel is amazing...Liking this a lot..:)
  • Tipi Dec 1, 2011 @ 2:48 pm | delete
    Returning to love this once again, excellent...blessed!
  • AmericanCitizen Nov 19, 2011 @ 4:00 pm | delete
    I love this kind of music!
  • Lanny Jul 27, 2011 @ 7:55 am | delete
    Thanks for the great review of the Portland Collection. I also love these tunes! I will check out your list of favorite tunes from both volumes and give them a try.
  • vallain Jul 9, 2011 @ 6:46 pm | delete
    I'm a huge fan of traditional celtic music. When I lived in Baltimore, I used to go to the Iron Horse for the set dancing. What a great place. Sorry to say, it is gone now.
  • JoyfulPamela Jun 25, 2011 @ 11:27 am | delete
    Wonderful music! *SquidAngel Blessed* and featured on "Musical Instrument Angel"! : )
  • darciefrench Jun 24, 2011 @ 6:06 pm | delete
    I sure do love traditional music - you did a fantastic job on this lens!
  • Liquid_Granite Jun 21, 2011 @ 12:25 pm | delete
    I like your lens, wonderful music selection.
  • Tipi Jun 16, 2011 @ 7:33 pm | delete
    Wonderful music and a very lovely presentation. The fiddle and mandolin are pleasant instruments. I'll have to finishes listening to Cottage in the Grove.
  • efriedman Jun 16, 2011 @ 7:38 pm | delete
    So glad you enjoyed the lens and the music. Cottage in the Grove is a mesmerizing song to me.
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For something a little different...

Chris Thile is a talented mandolinist and plays in a different style than the music I've described. We enjoy listening to his music.
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