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Via Dolorosa Page 15
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Via Dolorosa Page 15

on June 25, 2017
Chapter: Book 9: Via Dolorosa
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Discussion ¬

  1. CptNerd
    CptNerd
    June 25, 2017, 11:09 pm | # | Reply

    Why does “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” start playing in my mind…

  2. Random Spanish Guy
    Random Spanish Guy
    June 25, 2017, 11:30 pm | # | Reply

    That fiddle is gorgeous. I like the detail of the strings shimmering in the last panel.

    Curious about what order mother Harker belongs to, to dislike music so.

    Also, is the painting in the second panel inspired on St George killing the dragon? The painting on the first panel also rings a bell, but can’t quite place it.

  3. Norman
    Norman
    June 25, 2017, 11:35 pm | # | Reply

    There is a Roma tale about how the devil turned an entire family into a violin for a woman who wanted a violin to seduce a man who did not care for her. The daughter trades her whole family for the violin.The mother became the body, the father the bow and the brothers the strings.
    It is said that their unending pain gives the violin it’s haunting sorrowful sound. BTW, the devil gets the daughter and her lover too.

  4. Emanon
    Emanon
    June 26, 2017, 7:00 am | # | Reply

    Your fine detailing in this page is so exquisite, I feel you’re showing off, Erin.

    Beautiful!

  5. Saibot
    Saibot
    June 26, 2017, 7:12 am | # | Reply

    Is that a double decker bridge? How would the fiddler even play that second set of strings? Do they just resonate when the primary strings are played? So wierd.

    I presume Hunter has the aptitude to make it sing. Perhaps we’ll learn how it works soon?

    • Piper
      Piper
      June 26, 2017, 10:46 pm | # | Reply

      It appears to be a Hardanger fiddle- the second set is sympathetic and acts similar to a set of bagpipe drones. There is a strong association with the Hardangers and the devil in Norwegian folktales.

      • The Gorram Batguy
        The Gorram Batguy
        June 27, 2017, 11:05 am | # | Reply

        Wow! I’m delighted to learn of this. Thanks for sharing the name.
        And now I’m listening to somebody playing one of these violins on Youtube. Very nice.

        • RyGuy
          RyGuy
          July 2, 2017, 9:22 am | # | Reply

          It is the main instrument played in “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” for the Rohan, so we have all heard it, wheather we realize it or not.

  6. Karyl
    Karyl
    June 26, 2017, 8:15 am | # | Reply

    One thing is for sure–the padre and Mother have NO idea who they just rescued, in any real sense. 🙂 I suspect that fiddle will manage to conjure something extremely distressing to them both.

  7. ScholarOfFortune
    ScholarOfFortune
    June 26, 2017, 12:17 pm | # | Reply

    My musical talent tos out at playing the radio, so I can’t comment on the violin except to second the complementary comments on the artwork.

    If Ma Superior destroyed all the fiddles, I suspect she’s one of those “no fun” religious types who also frowns on dancing, frolicking, or even just general merry making.

    My satisfaction at the destruction soon to rain about her is inversely proportional to the sympathy I won’t be feeling.

    • Romi Kumu
      Romi Kumu
      June 27, 2017, 3:36 pm | # | Reply

      I agree. I have a feeling whatever order they belong to has a rule of thumb along the lines of:

      If you’re happy and you know it… it’s probably evil!

      • Honzinator
        Honzinator
        July 6, 2017, 9:33 am | # | Reply

        ‘cept in this case … she’s right.
        Mother Harker is a very deliberate name choice, no? I suspect she left the single instrument exactly so that our protagonist would use it having no alternative but to notice it. Whether that will turn out well for her … Well, I suspect it will end like most attempts at calling demons.

      • Honzinator
        Honzinator
        July 6, 2017, 9:35 am | # | Reply

        ‘cept in this case … she’s right.
        Mother Harker is a very deliberate name choice, no? I suspect she left the single instrument exactly so that our protagonist would use it having no alternative but to notice it. Whether that will turn out well for her … Well, I suspect it will end like most attempts at calling demons.
        As for religion and music, even the most aggressive Protestants cannot hold a candle to Mohammed’s feelings about music. They make Plato in his Republic look like someone who would just let anything go.

  8. order99
    order99
    June 26, 2017, 8:36 pm | # | Reply

    The fiddle in question is likely a Hardanger resonating fiddle:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardanger_fiddle

    And here is how they sound:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZo12BTZDN4

    Beautiful detail on that instrument, Erin! But i’ve come to expect such perfection from you by now…:)

    • happy cat
      happy cat
      June 26, 2017, 9:58 pm | # | Reply

      I found a neat performer’s website that has the “devil’s tuning” (fanitullen) as well, and it is definitely something: http://www.hardangerfiddle.com/

  9. Schlump
    Schlump
    June 28, 2017, 8:21 pm | # | Reply

    Funny how instruments like the violin and the piano have been castigate by legalists. Even today, there are churches from the Restoration Movement that don’t allow pianos “because they didn’t have them in the First Century.” One wonders if the real reason was that they were associated with saloons, speakeasies, and houses of ill repute at one time.

    • RyGuy
      RyGuy
      July 2, 2017, 1:05 am | # | Reply

      There WERE harps that were played by hitting them with rods, the point being to get a more seamless resonance between notes on the strings without the usual “pluck” sound. These were the piano’s conceptual ancestors.

  10. Karyl
    Karyl
    June 30, 2017, 8:18 am | # | Reply

    So I found a youtube explanation of the differences, and feel confident that order99 nailed our fiddle down! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64lKomW2ncw
    Erin’s attention to detail is as fabulous as always!

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