Dòmhnall Riddell, fear-ceàird fìdhle (16 à 17)

Bha Dòmhnall Riddell BEM, nach maireann, à Cnoc Odhar, faisg air Inbhir Nis. Bhiodh e a' cluich na fìdhle, a' sgrìobhadh ciùil agus a' dèanamh fhìdhlean. Bha e cuideachd na Mhàidsear-pìoba anns na Lovat Scouts. Am measg nan sgoilearan aige bha Donnchadh Siosalach, Brus MacGriogair agus Iain MacPhàrlain.<br /> <br /> Anns an earrainn èisteachd seo, tha Dòmhnall a' bruidhinn mun bhuannachd a th' ann a bhith a' cur stiallan tana de dh'fhiodh sgeadaicte a-steach dhan na clàran mullaich agus (glè thric) dhan fheadhainn ìseal ann an inneal-teud.<br /> <br /> 'To purfle a fiddle, I find it - to put in both back and front - that's a day's work, just to do that. It takes a whole day and it's a very tiring job, you see, it's sore on the fingers - cutting out that fine, fine channel so accurately and inlaying the purfling. And the purfling is sunk to about the same depth down as it is in breadth. The purpose of the purfling is, in the first place, ornamental. Then they also say it also has - it prevents splintering. If that splits here, the purfling stops damage. I don't know. Some of the very old Italian fiddles that they pay big prices for today were not purfled at all. There was just an ink mark drawn round or a scratch with the gauge and left at that. They couldn't afford purfling and these fiddles sold for tiny sums of money and today they pay fantastic prices because they've got a good tone'