Hello all!
I am 'planning' on playing Fiddle Time as one of my pieces at my grade 1 exam in a few weeks time.
I only ever listened to this piece on the ABRSM cd where (in mine and my teacher's opinion) it sounds a 'little too slow and little too smooth'. I tend to play it a little faster than on ABRSM cd and more 'jumpy' (?) if that's the right way to say it? more like a 'folk' tune, on ABRSM cd it sounds very 'smooth' more like a classical piece than a folky dance.
I was curious to find out how it sounds on the original CD which comes with Fiddle Time Joggers (is it joggers?), does it sound different on there than on ABRSM cd? I have not used the fiddle time books with my teacher to learn so don't have them and I am reluctant to buy the book and cd just for the sake of listening to one tune only! I don't know anyone who is learning violin in my area who is using the book/cd otherwise I'd ask if I could listen to it.
Many thanks in advance
Jo
also your opinions appreciated if you think it would sound better the way I play it (a little faster and a little more jumpy 'fiddly' I shall say).

I've pm'd you about this.

I played this for my grade 1, and then for the first Leicester forums concert, but as I haven't heard the ABRSM version, I can't tell you a simple answer.

However, I think it needs to be quite chirpy. I also had fun playing it "swung" and with sort-of bluesy slides into some of the notes (although I chickened out of doing that for the exam).

Experiment until you find your way of doing it.

If I never hear this piece again it will be too soon.

Don't get me wrong, I loved it when the first 100 kids played it for their exam but after that it started to get to me......

ABSOLUTELY!!!
I am starting to be a little fed up with it myself after playing it for 4 MONTHS!!!
When I first learned it I loved it and was dancing WHILST playing it. Now, although I am sure it is still a very nice piece I think I would benefit from a break (and a break will be after the exam LOL)

I find that all the time. I didn't play it for my grade 1 as it wasn't on the syllabus then (I dont think), but sooooo many little violinists at my school are playing it at the moment!!

The fiddle time books get annoying after a while - especially as I have my A level music lessons when the violin teacher teaches her less advanced students so I hear the fiddle time pieces being scratched out every few mins. I also have my flute lesson when the cello teacher has one of her beginners too who is using the cello time books, and has the same pieces!!

Grr....

It's definitely been one of those pieces that stands out and that most of my pupils have really wanted to play- so well done AB for listing it, although I will still appreciate not having to play for it for exams quite so often!

As to style, try to aim for a speed where you can show off the differences between a dancing (first bit) and singing (middle bit) style. Although it's written in 4/4 I aim for almost a 2/2 feel, rather as if you're saying 'FI ddle time, FI ddle time' to start with.

Remember, too, that the poor old examiner will have heard it probably a million times by now - so aim for a sweet tone so that they enjoy and remember your performance for all the right reasons.

You'll be great!

Thanks for the tip Minstrel! sounds good the way you explain it, I'll go for that!

I thought the Fiddle Time books were great at first but am getting a bit jaded with them. They 'jump around' too much, ie they bring in too many strings and notes at once so don't really help with the understanding of notation, unlike the rather wonderful 'Starting Right' (Eta Cohen) which I've now gone back to after trying numerous other methods.

The Fiddle Time tunes can be very good, with nice fun backing tracks, but the books have their flaws - as I guess they all do. And like everyone else here, if I hear that tune 'Fiddle Time' one more time....

Ditto ditto ditto. And then my husband started learning it for his Grade 1, and I was bombarded with the delightful little piece every day!!

Aaarghhhhhh! Having read this thread, I just can't get this ditty tune out of my head now - goodness knows how many times I heard it last year!

*Goes off to listen to Kylie*

I don't use the Fiddle Time books any more - not as teaching books anyway. They don't bring new concepts in gradually enough so just end up confusing the kids - too many strings at once. Perhaps for kids taught at home who practise a lot but not for groups of school kids.

I'm coming to realise that most kids prefer starting out on tunes that are really short and simple, or have a lot of repetition, or are very familiar to them. Or all three at once - best of all!