The interpretation I’ve heard is that the Devil does genuinely lose, because he doesn’t understand the cultural aspects of what it means to “fiddle.”
Like, what’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin? They’re the same instrument, but played differently. The Devil is able to master the technical aspects, but the point of a fiddle is to play songs to get people to dance - standards that they know and love. It’s not about hitting all the notes right, it’s about being the right kind of performer.
The interpretation I’ve heard is that the Devil does genuinely lose, because he doesn’t understand the cultural aspects of what it means to “fiddle.”
Like, what’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin? They’re the same instrument, but played differently. The Devil is able to master the technical aspects, but the point of a fiddle is to play songs to get people to dance - standards that they know and love. It’s not about hitting all the notes right, it’s about being the right kind of performer.