Interview: Dave Swarbrick & Sam Sweeney on the fiddle

Posted by Christopher Friedenthal on 06 October 2011

In a special treat for fiddle players, we present a special in-depth discussion between one of the folk scene’s young stars & one of its greatest masters.

Amongst other things, Dave Swarbrick & Sam Sweeney discuss ornamentation, sources of material & the baroque period. Then Dave breaks down the version of Byker Hill he famously plays with Martin Carthy.

Part of the In the Footsteps series of interviews.

Recorded in Coventry on 13 April 2011. Many thanks to Dave Swarbrick for hosting the interview.

Part of the In the Footsteps video interview series

Artist quick links

Sam Sweeney Dave Swarbrick

Comments

i have seen both these gentlemen play at towersey festival, and it’s fantastic to see these two greats playing together, concert tour?

Peter Austin
YouTube user

Dave Swarbrick makes me wish that I had the musical ’ear’ to be able to play fiddle. I guess that I’ll just have to content myself with being crap at guitar. A truly wonderful interview with beautiful insights from the brilliant Mr Swarbrick and the tremendous Sam Sweeney. Many thanks to BrightYoungFolk. Tony

Mouldytone
YouTube user

You can see why fiddle players are willing to sell their souls to the devil in folk tales. I would put mine up for auction to be able to play like Dave and Sam if only I believed in the devil, so I just have to keep working and practising. Two really nice guys as well as great fiddle players. Thanks for the clip Bright Young Folk

Mike Dev.
Bright young user

Great interaction between two masters. Dave mentioned pianist Beryl Marriot one of his mentors

mikesamwild
YouTube user

10cd box set of swarb solo violin playing please. All this stuff about the baroque, learning a tune a day, all those years of research and writing. Someone just put him in front of a microphone and press record. Then in 100 years time...what a treasury.

Mropinions100
YouTube user