Fourth Grade
Worksheets
Uncle Amos's Fiddle
Matt watched Uncle Amos as he opened his violin case. Uncle Amos pulled out the polished wooden instrument. He rested it on his shoulder and tucked it under the side of his chin.
Matt shuddered a bit as his uncle tuned the fiddle. It sounded like an angry cat! Finally, he was done, and Uncle Amos played a quick tune.
The boy smiled and began to tap his fingers on his legs in rhythm. When his uncle stopped playing, the boy clapped his hands.
"That was good, Uncle Amos. Do you know how to play more songs?"
"Of course I do," said Uncle Amos. "I know hundreds of tunes."
"Wow," sighed Matt. "How do you remember them all?"
"Some of them are easier to remember than others. I have copies of the sheet music, too, so I can just read it if I forget," said Uncle Amos.
Matt looked at his uncle's instrument. "Is that a violin or a fiddle?"
Uncle Amos smiled. "It's both. If I were playing classical or formal music, it would be called a violin. If I am playing something that is informal, like maybe a country dance tune, it would be a fiddle."
