This is a comprehensive description of one of the liveliest fiddle-playing traditions in the world. It is both an historical and a contemporary study based on Peter Cooke's intensive fieldwork among Shetland musicians during the period 1970-80. It examines the repertory and playing style of the different communities of fiddlers and traces the stages by which a distinctive Nordic musical tradition has become more and more Scottish. Most importantly, perhaps, Dr Cooke discusses in the closing chapter the question of how it is that such a high proportion of menfolk in the islands become competent on what many music educators would class as a 'difficult' instrument. Many music examples and photographs illustrate the text and an accompanying cassette provides extracts from performances.