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Al Cherny Fiddle

Not available for use in Recording Studios

On exhibit

Artifact TypeFiddle

Manufacturer Joleph Rlok

Manufacturer LocationGermany

Date1886

This instrument was formerly owned by the great Canadian fiddler Al Cherny. Born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, in 1932, Cherny gained a reputation for being a talented and flashy fiddler—often playing with the instrument held behind his back or under his leg. In the 1950s he relocated to Ontario to perform with CKNX’s Barn Dance radio show and eventually made it to CBC’s The Tommy Hunter Show, where he became a regular, bringing his upbeat style, infused with a dash of Ukrainian folk, to a national audience.

Operation/FunctionThis particular artifact consists of a hollow wooden body with wooden fingerboard and bridge and steel strings. It is accompanied by a case and horsehair bow.Cultural SignificanceThe fiddle holds a particular sense of cultural significance with respect to its initial inception occurring almost exclusively in folk and traditional music, especially of that associated with early modern European music. Violins have often been associated with more formal genres of classical and jazz music, which are often performed in large concert halls, while fiddles are associated with folk and related traditions, including country and bluegrass, which were often performed in considerably smaller spaces that supported a related dance culture. Fiddles were used primarily in folk music, country, and bluegrass and their origins as being lesser quality instruments in contrast to the high-end versions that were recognized as violins garnered certain stereotypes between the two instruments. Although this is diminishing today, the history of the distinction still stands in the manner in which fiddles appealed to less wealthy people, while violins were reserved for professional performers. Fiddlers, historically speaking, were not formally trained, could not read music, did not typically have the financial means to acquire high-quality violins, and learned to play through an aural tradition. The fiddle has also stood as an important instrument in a number of cultures, including many eastern and northern European and Scandinavian traditions, as well as in the descendants of American styles such as Appalachian, Cajun, etc. Fiddles were initially intended to accompany dance music, while the violin was not. This influenced the way the instruments continued to be played: violins used smoother movements, while fiddles employed more rhythmic and active passages.Technological SignificanceAlthough fiddles and violins are used in different musical contexts, they are essentially identical in terms of sound-producing technology. The fiddle is a member of the chordophone classification of instruments, which comprises stringed instruments, and sound is activated primarily with the aid of a bow. The instrument was first developed in the early sixteenth century, however throughout the following centuries both the violin and fiddle continued to develop as independent instruments. The gamba, an early predecessor to the cello, also developed from the initial design of the violin. Fiddles and violins are considered relatives to the cello, double bass, and viola, as well as to their early and non-Western music counterparts, the rebec, sarangi, rebab, and kontra. Their design is also considered to have been influenced by instruments such as the lyra and hurdy gurdy. Several of the technological differences that have distinguished violins from fiddles, such as the shape of the bridge and the strings used, are less common today, though throughout the instruments’ history they have played an important part in defining how the instruments were used. The use of fine tuners on fiddles, required to overcome the steel strings’ instability in relation to tuning pegs, has become standard on violins as well.Users/PerformersThere is little documented information about Al Cherny’s life, however it is known that he was born Albert Peter Chernywech on 1 November 1932 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and died 23 August 1989. Cherny began playing the fiddle and violin at an early age, beginning with Ukrainian folk tunes, and performed frequently throughout his career, including with the Western Round Up and in the CKNX-broadcasted Barn Dance show, where he performed with The Golden Prairie Cowboys. In his early years, Cherny performed with several groups in Medicine Hat before relocating in the 1950s to Wingham, Ontario, a small town west of Toronto, to participate in the Barn Dance show. Cherny’s professional fiddling career took an important turn in 1960, when he performed at the Annual Old Time Fiddle Contest in Shelburne, Ontario and was named both North American Open (Old-Time) Champion and Novelty Class Champion. Cherny’s double championship win in this year marked a first for Canadian fiddlers. In 1961, Cherny began performing on the show Country Hoedown, which aired on the CBC in Toronto, and later became a regular fixture on the network’s The Tommy Hunter Show. Among his notable live performances include a Montréal appearance in which he played for Prince Philip at the Commonwealth Conference, supported by the Montréal Symphony Orchestra. Cherny also worked as a recording artist during this time, producing a number of singles and eventually several albums under various labels, including his first full release in 1960. He also toured extensively throughout his career, both nationally and abroad. Cherny is known in his playing for being upbeat, active, and spontaneous, and for his practice being rooted in both Ukrainian folk music and classical violin music. Cherny succumbed to throat cancer in 1989 at the age of 56.

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