You are the only person I know who could come up with this!  Or did Tim
give you the cite?  It would be a fun (and riotous) event to re-enact.  

Barbara 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gregg Kimball
> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 12:01 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Patrick Henry and Virginia Fiddling
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> All this talk of Patrick Henry and fiddling made me think of an
> interesting newspaper excerpt that is often cited as the first
> documentation of a fiddle contest in colonial America.  For a
specific,
> recent citation, try Chris Goertzen,
> "Balancing local and national approaches at American fiddle contests"
in
> American Music,  Fall, 1996.  He, in turn, cites the Virginia Gazette
of
> November 26, 1736.  Here is the quote:
> 
> "We hear from Hanover County, that on Tuesday next, (being St. Andrews
> Day), some merry-dispos'd Gentlemen of the said County, design to
> celebrate that Festival, by setting up divers Prizes to be contended
for
> in the following Manner, (to wit) A neat Hunting Saddle, with a fine
> broadcloth Housing, fring'd and flowr'd &c. to be run for (the
Quarter,)
> by any Number of Horses and Mares: A fine Cremona Fiddle to be plaid
> for, by any Number of Country Fiddlers, (Mr. Langford's
> Scholars excepted:) With divers other considerable Prizes, for
Dancing,
> Singing, Foot-ballplay, Jumping, Wrestling, &c. particularly a fine
pair
> of Silk Stockings to be given to the Handsomest Maid upon the Green,
to
> be judg'd of by the Company. At Page's Warehouse, Commonly call'd
> Crutchfield in the said County of Hanover, where all Persons will find
> good Entertainment."
> 
> Goertzen finds the connection to St. Andrew's Day suggestive of
perhaps
> a Scottish fiddle contest tradition.  At any rate, it looks like P.
> Henry had some local fiddle players to emulate.
> 
> Gregg
> 
> Gregg D. Kimball
> Director of Publications
>   and Educational Services
> Library of Virginia
> 804/692-3722
> [log in to unmask]
> Support the Library of Virginia
> 

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