Cranford Publications Cape Breton Island

Contact information Search for references to any tune, book or recording on this site Cranford Pub Search Engine

Sign Up for our Email Newsletter | View past newsletters

Cranford Publications specializes in Celtic fiddle music from Cape Breton, Ireland and Scotland. Proprietor Paul Cranford (left) is a fiddler and composer well-grounded in the traditions of music he sells, performs and arranges. This site provides resources for a continuing tradition. We both create and distribute books of music notation and related recordings; materials intended to help you learn to interpret music. We also link to many other educational sites as well as to other fiddlers, luthiers, festivals etc.

As you wander the site you will find links to thousands of tunes. Check out any page which features a book or CD that interests you - on most you will find links to tunes. Many are posted as free, on-screen musical notation others as sound clips, midi files, ABCs or link to articles, photos and descriptions - all relating to books and CDs which we make or have made available in our on-line store. Old newsletters are worth exploring since they both synopsize content and provide links to tunes, videos, artists, books etc.

Cape Breton Heritage	Our on-line store allows secure credit card purchases for all the books and recordings we feature. We also take phone and mail orders.	New Book
SPECIAL - eight books - $100	The Cape Breton Musical Heritage Series (currently 8 books) is still being compiled. The long term plan is for a 12 volume set. The Cape Breton Musical Heritage Series ( links to descriptions of the individual books) Paul Cranford's most recent CD	The Cape Breton Scottish Collection is new compilation of Scottish music, 318 melodies, originally published between 1740-1935, as interpreted by 20th century Cape Breton musicians. It is a book of musical notation arranged for fiddlers and their accompanists

Paul worked as a lighthousekeeper from 1975-2009. Lighthouses proved to be an ideal place to research, write and practice. Working month on - month off, he started publishing books of fiddle music in 1979 with a reproduction of The Skye Collection and over the years has published over a dozen collections. His final lighthouse posting was Machias Seal Island a bird sanctuary located on the Canadian-US border in the Bay of Fundy. Since retiring from lighhtouses, Paul has settled into fulltime life in Cape Breton. In 2009, he was artist in residence for The Celtic Colours International Festival. In 2010 he released a double CD of original music titled More Tunes from the Lighthouse which contains over 100 previously unrecorded tunes - soundclips & notation are posted for every tune!. In 2011, he once again worked with Celtic Colours, this time producing The Celtic Colours Collection, a book of music to celebrate the festival's first 15 years. This year, 2013 mak the release of The Cape Breton Scottish Collection, Vol 8 of the Heritage Series. Currently Paul is working on vol. 9, 10, 11 and 12 - the next of which will be titled The Cape Breton Highland Collection. Paul is married to artist, fiddler, piano player Sarah Beck. Well-known for her Raku animals, she also has her hand in many other pies including computer art and used books. If you are touring Cape Breton during the tourist season they work together in her shop, Wildfire Books and Pottery. Located on the Cabot Trail, the shop also carrys a good supply of books and CDs described on this site. Our ABC Tunes include transcriptions of tunes from many featured recordings. Note that after a recording becomes unavailable its associated tunes, abcs and sound clips remain accessible. ABC Programs - Newer programs for modern operatings systems ABC TUNES For ABC beginners, we also guide you through the how-to convert ABCS to standard notation or midi files. 38 minute DVD documentary tunes and screen shots posted Special Price $14.95

Sign Up for our Email Newsletter | View past newsletters