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History
Whenever
you play a hammered dulcimer in public,
people will come up to you with raised
eyebrows and a bewildered look. Curious,
wondering about that strange looking instrument
with that typical clear sound. Hammered
WHAT??
To most of us the hammered dulcimer is
an unfamiliar instrument, although its
history goes back centuries. Let's take
you on a little trip through history. |
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Back to the roots
Lets go back to its very roots. The theory
is that the hammered dulcimer originated
from the Middle East around 900 AD. It spread
across the north of Africa and the Moors,
who had a big influence on Spain and Portugal
brought the hammered dulcimer into Europe
during the 12th century. There are people
who believe that hammered dulcimers were
played even earlier than this in Ireland.
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Hackbrett or cymbalon
The
hammered dulcimer has had and still has
many names. During the late Middle Ages
and the Renaissance the instrument remained
popular all over Europe. Different countries,
different names.
In Ireland and France the instrument was
called 'tympanon'. The Germans used the
word 'hackbrett' and in Hungary a ressembling
instrument carried the name 'cymbalon'.
In England in the late 16th century the
instrument was so popular that the translators
of the King James version of the Bible
used the term 'dulcimer' as the English
word for the Greek 'symphonia'. This was
actually a bad translation, because the
instrument they referred to was a type
of Greek bagpipe. But still these days
people think because of this mistake,
the dulcimer is as old as the bible. They
won't catch you quoting that one from
now on!
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Hammered
dulcimer in the US
It is unclear when the first hammered
dulcimer made its entry into America.
The earliest reference to the instrument
in this country comes from Judge Samuel
Sewall. He wrote of seeing a dulcimer
played in 1717 in Salem, Massachusetts.
At the time dulcimers were often built
at home, or in small shops and factories,
and reflected regional and personal folk
styles. During the 19th century, these
small shops operated in places like Norwich
(Connecticut), Chautauqua County and Brooklyn
(both New York).
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The
mystery of the disappearance
You like a good mystery? Then figure out
why the dulcimer virtually disappeared
during the first half of the 20th century.
A possible explanation is the competition
with the more fashionable piano. In case
you wondered, the beautiful instrument
is now working on a come back!
More and more new dulcimers are being
built and there is an increasing number
of new players. Hopefully you will be
one of them!
Don't make that mistake!
Don't
get caught making this mistake. Even people
who know much about American music often
confuse the hammered dulcimer with the
three or four stringed mountain dulcimer
or plucked dulcimer. The two have nothing
in common except their last name.
Join us and become one of the happy dulcimer
players, you won't regret!
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Copyright Bill
Bosler 2007 |
