When it comes to Scottish culture, the bagpipe is as overwhelming culturally as it is musically – people think of that instrument before anything else. And indeed, a piper did open and close the concert at the Hermosa, but in between those stirring pieces a large and talented ensemble of fiddlers, singers, cellists, guitarists, and other performers displayed the variety and passion of Scotland’s music.
The theme for the evening was the music of the Cape Breton Island region of Eastern Canada – which may seem unusual for a group celebrating Scottish music, but there’s a good reason for it. Cape Breton was settled by Scots in the 1600s and had a massive influx of Highlanders in the 1800s, and from that day forward the isolated nature of the island meant that their music stayed pretty much the same. Back in Scotland, influences of French and Classical music crept into the repertory, but the Cape Breton Islanders kept playing within the traditions of their ancestors.
This doesn’t mean they only played the old tunes, as evidenced by the repertoire of special guest Andrea Beaton, who played tunes composed by her father, grandfather, and other members of her extended and very musical family. She played some of her own too, notably a cheery tune called “Mike To The Rescue,” named in honor of a roadie who showed up with instrument cables mere moments before a concert was supposed to start. Andrea showed considerable virtuosity on her fiddle as well as virtuoso skill at traditional step dancing during an energetic piano solo by Samantha Harvey. The audience was electrified as she whirled across the stage, fiddle still in hand, while high stepping and tapping out an intricate rhythm. It had the fire and accomplishment of flamenco dancing, Gaelic style, and both performers received an extended round of applause.
The other flamboyant performers of the evening were soloist Howard Chu, who performed some astonishingly fast tunes from Donegal, and singing sisters Stacey and Christina Tappan. As it happens, the Tappan Sisters are the daughters of Scottish Fiddlers group leader Jan Tappan, but there’s no nepotism here – both are trained opera singers, and Stacey is currently in the cast of the LA Opera’s production of “Albert Herring.” Since their mother is both a fiddler and the director of the group, the sisters grew up with the Scottish repertoire and can sing with expressive power in both English and Gaelic. Their performance of “Mouth Music” – a kind of quick tempo scat singing using traditional Celtic rhythms – was particularly impressive, their powerful soprano voices alternating from near whisper to soaring harmony.
This concert was not all about individual talents; most of the program was performed by an ensemble of twenty fiddlers, three guitars, two clarinetists, a bassist, harpist, pianist, and percussionist. The full group produced a lush orchestral sound that is not what most people expect from traditional folk music. Though bouncy pieces suited to dancing made up much of the program, Scottish music is rich in soft, introspective tunes called slow airs, and these moody, sometimes melancholy works were highlights of the program.
Director Jan Tappan was a personable host for the evening, telling brief stories about the origins of various tunes before picking up her own fiddle and leading the group through medleys that shifted effortlessly between modern and ancient works. By the end of the evening, signaled by the singing of Auld Lang Syne and a triumphal march out of the hall led by the piper, the sometimes lonely, sometimes defiant sounds of Scotland had mesmerized the near-capacity crowd. Appearances by Scottish musicians in greater Los Angeles are rare, but this show proved that some excellent talent is available close to home.
The Scottish Fiddlers of Los Angeles are at scottishfiddlers.org.
