minstrel: Appalachian Dulcimer Ancestors

[Robin]

At 10:02 10/09/98 -0400, Greg Lindahl wrote:
>From: "Sandra Davis" <isolde at pstbbs.com>
<SNIP of details of onforwarding of message from unsubscribed poster>
>I have primary source documentation (in one of these piles somewhere)
>that the period equivalent of the mountain dulcimer
>was referred to in Germany as the "Sheitholt" (I am not absolutely
>positive on the spelling).  There are several extant examples in
>various museums.
>
>While the Sheitholt did not have the "waisted" shape of the
>modern mountain dulcimer, nor the heart shaped cut-outs, it
>did appear to be equivalent in almost every other aspect.

I can't find my other references at the moment, but this is good for a start.

The Dulcimer Book by Jean Ritchie
(c) 1974 Oak Publications (probably bought out by another publisher now)
ISBN 0.8256.0016.2
LCC 63-20754
Distributor at time: Music Sales Corporation

This book has a fairly complete probable history, as well as how to tune
(to various modes), play, etc. Her book records appalachian dulcimer
traditions passed down from her father. I will not reproduce it all here,
just briefly mention a few high notes (pardon the pun) from her lengthy
book section which contains many B&W pictures. Reaearch is good for the
soul...

She says that at first she would have killed if anyone had suggested that
the instrument was not an American invention, but as she studied more and
learned more widely, she realised just how related it was to old folk
instruments brought over by immigrants form other lands. She was one of the
early promoters of the instrument, especially outside USA, and travelled
widely

She refers to 
Stringed Instruments of the Middle Ages
Reeves London pp263-291
(Hortense Panum, Danish; Eng. Ed, & Rev. by Jeffrey Pulver)

when talking about the period Schieholt, from which it appears that other
later instruments such as The Norwegian Langeleik (also called a Langspil)
- earliest reference (17, The Epinette des Vosges (French) - overall shape
very similar, The Humle (Dutch) evolved. She notes that the pattern of
settlement of the immigrants in the Appalachian mountains was such that
many of these were in close proximity, and doubtless remembered old
instruments from their original communities. When it came time to make new
instruments in the new land, a new instrument evolved, based on pleasant
memories of other instruments.

She mentions
"In an old metrical romance entitled 'The Squyr of Lowe Degre', an imposing
array of early English musical instruments are mentioned, among them the
'dowcemere'."

She is quoting Dr Josiah Combs writing about the Southern highlander's
music in 1925 "The Highlander's Music" - an unused chapter of the doctoral
thesis 
Folksongs du Midi des Etats-Unis, 
completed at the Sorbonne in 1925 by Dr Josiah H Combs. The chapter was
published in 1926 in Vient de Paraitre (January) and was reprinted in the
October-December, 1960 issue of 
Kentucky Folklore Record (Vol VI, No 4)
with a note by D.K. Wilgus.

Robin
Fooles Troupe Scribe

rhayes at powerup.com.au
http://www.powerup.com.au/~rhayes/index.htm
Author of The Virtual Fooles Troupe
http://www.powerup.com.au/~rhayes/vfoolshm.htm

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