John Altman's Fiddle

John Altman's Fiddle is both a musical instrument and a family keepsake whose return to use opens a path through the Altmans’ grief for their son David. Packed away since the boy’s death, it is brought out at Miriam’s urging; John’s playing turns private mourning into a shared act of remembrance, and the fiddle later accompanies dancing in the valley.

David’s Absence

At the Altmans’ home, Miriam asks John to play for the children. He says the fiddle is packed in a trunk, and his response makes clear that the instrument has not been part of family life for some time. Miriam has already unpacked and tuned it, however, and gently presses him to take it up again.

When John finally plays, Miriam sings. The music prompts Elizabeth to tell Angel and Michael about David, her and John’s son, who died at fourteen after his horse threw him while he was chasing a buffalo near Scott’s Bluff. Miriam recalls his lively nature and love of adventure, as well as his fine singing voice and affection for “Amazing Grace.” The fiddle thus brings the absent boy into the family’s present conversation.

Music as Shared Remembrance

The playing does not erase the family’s sorrow. John is visibly affected, and Elizabeth speaks through tears. But the instrument allows grief to be met collectively: Miriam has prepared it, John accepts it, and the family listens as music gives shape to memories that had remained difficult to approach.

The episode also establishes the fiddle as a link between memory and renewed participation. John later plays Virginia reels rather than mournful hymns. Michael dances with Angel, while other members of the Altman family join in, and John’s music helps turn the gathering toward shared celebration.

Narrative Significance

The fiddle’s movement from the trunk into John’s hands parallels the family’s gradual return to communal life. Its first renewed performance is bound to David’s death and the parents’ grief; its later use for reels accompanies dancing among the living. The instrument does not resolve loss, but it enables remembrance to coexist with music, family connection, and new moments of joy.