I found out a tape I had of an irish hammered dulcimer player is wiped out - gives no sound at all. It was from a vinyl record, but I can't really remember the name of the player - maybe John Drury or Derry (but it might be a completely different name !- and on the tape it's just written "irish H-D"). It was awfully good, and I miss it. It must have been recorded in the 60es. Can anyone give me a clue ?
I have no idea, but you might get inspiration from http://www.causewaymusic.co.uk/cdfhda.html This is Dick Glasgow's site . He frequents thesession.org under the name Ptarmigan. You could e-mail him from his member profile here.
Thanks for the tip, Backer. I consulted the link you gave me : it must be John Rea. so I had the first name right, but was way far from the name. Now I must find a way of getting a copy, or the record itself...
I think I may have mentioned you already to Ptarm, but that might also be the email he says he never got... At the time I was singing the praises of the Hackbrett...
John Rea's Topic albums were deleted many years ago. However, if you can't track down the vinyl on eBay or elsewhere, then Robin Morton (who produced them) has issued a compilation CD which features some tracks by John as well as uilleann piper Seán McAloon and almost the entirety of the utterly splendid Packie Duignan/Séamus Horan album - http://www.templerecords.co.uk/newwebsite/products/product.php?&productID=COMD2079
Thnaks, all of you. I've bought the compil. from temple records (these people don't have switzerland in theri mailing...), but if someone can get me a copy of the original records, I'd be very grateful ! I can trade it against copies of real good hackbrett music !
Does anybody have a link to some online hackbrett music? I play hammered dulcimer here in the states and wonder at the fundamental differences. What music do they specialize in? Around here it's old time / bluegrass / ITM.
NIkita Pfister is a generous soul and a player, drop them a line... Basically, the Hackbrett is a sweeter, less dominant instrument in the hands of those I've had the pleasure of hearing... I have been trommelled by American players, but never by a Hackbrett or a Greek Santouri / Santuri...or really any of the European members of the family, though the Cimbalom can blast anyone away in the wrong hands... Just to be clear, I love the family, but have a few bad experiences with the American way with it that colour my response...
Austria / Germany / Switzerland ~ Dance Music:
Walzer = Waltz / Polka / Rheinlander / Boarischer / Masura - Masolka - Mazurka - Varsovienne / Galopp / March / Siebenschritt / Landler / Plattler / Zweifacher ~ etc..., including slow airs and set pieces...
Many bands feature the Hackbrett and most recordings of Volkstanz also feature the instrument... A classic combination we came across several times, as a core, was Hackbrett, fiddle, accordion & upright bass... Brass groups are also not uncommon...
I just read that you are in the Mid-West, Michigan, who has the traditions to find there, Germanic, polka bands, and Northern European too, including of course that catch all geographic term 'Scandinavian'... The thing of note was how well balanced the instruments were, the only bit that tended to stick out a bit was the driving thump of the upright bass... That 'balance' in my book is always appreciated. Too often a potentially dominant instrument can force the issue and use that potential to destroy the balance of appreciation between participating musicians... The hammered dulcimer isn't alone there, the accordion and bodhran and banjo ~ well, almost any instrument ~ can push to dominate and 'lead', vie for being the primary focus... It is always best to have consideration and respect for the others present, and if anything take turns...
A lot of the tunes played around here are in the old time fiddle style. There are notable bluegrass dulcimer players, Pam Bowman for example but she's an exception. A few of us really get into the ITM styles. One lady from mid Michigan area really rules for her clarity, for how precise she is and her musicality. Most of the music though comes from the contra dance tradition and having to back up a caller. Musicians who do that or anyone who plays a band learns to blend with the music. I guess around here there is also the "jam" session where musicality may sacrificed for speed, noise and socializing. Most of the time when 15 or 20 dulcimer players get together it's so loud you either have to really crank it up or just sit back and experience the flood of music. I guess the traditional music of Sweden, Danish and Germany blended to the contra styles played by Les Raber http://www.goldengriffonstringtet.com/raber.htm.
We have our own traditions but I'd agree with you that blending instruments is universal
I love a nice hammered dulcimer player and would lose out if I let the few experiences ruin any future opportunity, but I guess like with phobias, both my wife and I are a little on edge if we hear there's either a hammered dulcimer or piano accordion player about ~ or other self-imagined royalty, as the uilleann pipes can also raise that tension of apprehension... And yet, we're mad keen on the Santouri, and the music of John Rea too...
If you're looking for some sites with Hackbrett music, I can give you a few names. Sorry I don't have the time now to search them for you, but I guess you can google them. They have a prominent tendancy to be in german, but maybe some of them have an english version. Germany is one a the countries where the instrumnet developped the most. You can even make a concert licence (classical music) in hackbrett at the Ricahrd Strauss Konservatorium in Munich !
So here are the names :
Switzerland :
Tobi Tobler (very fine musician, one the finest player i've ever heard !)
Remo Crivelli
Barbara Shirmer
Marc Ramser
Gilbert Paeffgen (made a cd of TIM with John McHugh, an irish piper)
Germany :
Rudi Zapf
Margrit Uberlacker (the top best for baroque !)
and if you want more info, just mail me through this site, I'll see what I can do. And I'm still looking how I can get the recordings of John Rea...
In Switzerland, hackbrett is still played traditionnally in 2 regions : Appenzell, where it's played in small bands called "streichmusik" : 2 fiddles, cello, string bass and hackbrett : 1rst fiddle plays melody, 2nd fiddle a 2nd voice, usually a sixth underneath, bass plays beats nad celle counter beats, and the hackbrett fills in, partly melodic lines, partly accompaniment (mostly improvised !) the basic music is polkas (played slowly), schottishes (played fast), waltzes, mazurkas, gallops, and slow airs called "Zauerli", very beautiful (an imitation of vocal jodels). The hackbrett gives a percussive effect to match the bowed strings, and is perfectly blended. I used to play with a band playing swiss and balkan music, and we put an emphasis of blending the hackbrett with the other instruments.
the other region of traditionnal hackbrett is Oberwallis. It's nearly always played in groups, and used a lot to accompany. but nowadays, more and more people play other kinds of music, from traditional to jazz... see the names I gave in my last post.
And of course you have all the cymbalom music from Hungary and Rumania. And if you really want to be impressed, try chinese hackbrett music (it's called "Yang Quin"). I bought a tutor book when I toured in China in 2002, and I always thought it was for two instruments - until a chinese friend translated the introduction and told me it was for a solo.... From then, I tend to believe chinese player have an extra pairs of arms hideen somewhere...
Oh, and I forgot : if you want to have very good information on the instrument, try David Kettlewell's site (google David Kettlewell) he wrote a PHD thesis on hammered dulcimer, which is edited on the web, and is very very good !
David Kettlewell ~ has been professor at Tartu university in Estonia, and now works from his forest farmhouse in Bollstabruk, Northern Sweden ~ His own work through New Renaissance Fonts is mostly with medieval and renaissance scripts, calligraphic alphabets and ornamental capitals. David Kettlewell (b. 1946, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a harper, renaissance musicologist and conductor ~ & font designer ~ defintely a follower and practicioner of 'Renaissance' ideals...
Anyone heard of Jim Couza recently ?
I don't get to so many clubs and festivals as many years ago, and haven't seen or remembered a mention of him for a while.
Was he one of the loud players someone was complaining about ?
Squawk! OK I'm flushed!!!! Oooooh I nearly missed this one! ..... Yikes! TWO Dulcimer threads in the same year ... WOW! Looks like it's all done & dusted though. Nice work Nikita, Ceol etc., well done dudes, some useful info has been posted here. Must go & root out some of that Hackbrett playing now!
jrathbun, in the spirit of ... "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours!" .... here's my 'Banjo Hangout' where you can hear some examples of me playing Old Time tunes on my H-D: http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/music.asp?id=9832
Where can I hear you playing Old Time tunes on your H-D?
name of a hammered dulcimer player
name of a hammered dulcimer player
I found out a tape I had of an irish hammered dulcimer player is wiped out - gives no sound at all. It was from a vinyl record, but I can't really remember the name of the player - maybe John Drury or Derry (but it might be a completely different name !- and on the tape it's just written "irish H-D"). It was awfully good, and I miss it. It must have been recorded in the 60es. Can anyone give me a clue ?
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
I have no idea, but you might get inspiration from http://www.causewaymusic.co.uk/cdfhda.html This is Dick Glasgow's site . He frequents thesession.org under the name Ptarmigan. You could e-mail him from his member profile here.
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Backer
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Thanks for the tip, Backer. I consulted the link you gave me : it must be John Rea. so I had the first name right, but was way far from the name. Now I must find a way of getting a copy, or the record itself...
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
"John Rea: Traditional Music On The Hammer Dulcimer"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/2381
The 'Classic'...
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Sorry, the 'pause', you found out yourself... Yes, it is a lovely recording...
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
I think I may have mentioned you already to Ptarm, but that might also be the email he says he never got... At the time I was singing the praises of the Hackbrett...
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
John Rea's Topic albums were deleted many years ago. However, if you can't track down the vinyl on eBay or elsewhere, then Robin Morton (who produced them) has issued a compilation CD which features some tracks by John as well as uilleann piper Seán McAloon and almost the entirety of the utterly splendid Packie Duignan/Séamus Horan album - http://www.templerecords.co.uk/newwebsite/products/product.php?&productID=COMD2079
# Posted on May 5th 2007 by Floss the Tethers
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Thnaks, all of you. I've bought the compil. from temple records (these people don't have switzerland in theri mailing...), but if someone can get me a copy of the original records, I'd be very grateful ! I can trade it against copies of real good hackbrett music !
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Does anybody have a link to some online hackbrett music? I play hammered dulcimer here in the states and wonder at the fundamental differences. What music do they specialize in? Around here it's old time / bluegrass / ITM.
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by jrathbun
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Hackbrett ~ Germany, Austria, Switzerland...
NIkita Pfister is a generous soul and a player, drop them a line... Basically, the Hackbrett is a sweeter, less dominant instrument in the hands of those I've had the pleasure of hearing... I have been trommelled by American players, but never by a Hackbrett or a Greek Santouri / Santuri...or really any of the European members of the family, though the Cimbalom can blast anyone away in the wrong hands... Just to be clear, I love the family, but have a few bad experiences with the American way with it that colour my response...
Austria / Germany / Switzerland ~ Dance Music:
Walzer = Waltz / Polka / Rheinlander / Boarischer / Masura - Masolka - Mazurka - Varsovienne / Galopp / March / Siebenschritt / Landler / Plattler / Zweifacher ~ etc..., including slow airs and set pieces...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
There is a shop in Salzburg that has at least a sizeable shelf worth of music for the instrument, tutors & tunes...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Many bands feature the Hackbrett and most recordings of Volkstanz also feature the instrument... A classic combination we came across several times, as a core, was Hackbrett, fiddle, accordion & upright bass... Brass groups are also not uncommon...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
I just read that you are in the Mid-West, Michigan, who has the traditions to find there, Germanic, polka bands, and Northern European too, including of course that catch all geographic term 'Scandinavian'... The thing of note was how well balanced the instruments were, the only bit that tended to stick out a bit was the driving thump of the upright bass... That 'balance' in my book is always appreciated. Too often a potentially dominant instrument can force the issue and use that potential to destroy the balance of appreciation between participating musicians... The hammered dulcimer isn't alone there, the accordion and bodhran and banjo ~ well, almost any instrument ~ can push to dominate and 'lead', vie for being the primary focus... It is always best to have consideration and respect for the others present, and if anything take turns...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
A lot of the tunes played around here are in the old time fiddle style. There are notable bluegrass dulcimer players, Pam Bowman for example but she's an exception. A few of us really get into the ITM styles. One lady from mid Michigan area really rules for her clarity, for how precise she is and her musicality. Most of the music though comes from the contra dance tradition and having to back up a caller. Musicians who do that or anyone who plays a band learns to blend with the music. I guess around here there is also the "jam" session where musicality may sacrificed for speed, noise and socializing. Most of the time when 15 or 20 dulcimer players get together it's so loud you either have to really crank it up or just sit back and experience the flood of music. I guess the traditional music of Sweden, Danish and Germany blended to the contra styles played by Les Raber http://www.goldengriffonstringtet.com/raber.htm.
We have our own traditions but I'd agree with you that blending instruments is universal
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by jrathbun
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
I love a nice hammered dulcimer player and would lose out if I let the few experiences ruin any future opportunity, but I guess like with phobias, both my wife and I are a little on edge if we hear there's either a hammered dulcimer or piano accordion player about ~ or other self-imagined royalty, as the uilleann pipes can also raise that tension of apprehension... And yet, we're mad keen on the Santouri, and the music of John Rea too...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
If you're looking for some sites with Hackbrett music, I can give you a few names. Sorry I don't have the time now to search them for you, but I guess you can google them. They have a prominent tendancy to be in german, but maybe some of them have an english version. Germany is one a the countries where the instrumnet developped the most. You can even make a concert licence (classical music) in hackbrett at the Ricahrd Strauss Konservatorium in Munich !
So here are the names :
Switzerland :
Tobi Tobler (very fine musician, one the finest player i've ever heard !)
Remo Crivelli
Barbara Shirmer
Marc Ramser
Gilbert Paeffgen (made a cd of TIM with John McHugh, an irish piper)
Germany :
Rudi Zapf
Margrit Uberlacker (the top best for baroque !)
and if you want more info, just mail me through this site, I'll see what I can do. And I'm still looking how I can get the recordings of John Rea...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
In Switzerland, hackbrett is still played traditionnally in 2 regions : Appenzell, where it's played in small bands called "streichmusik" : 2 fiddles, cello, string bass and hackbrett : 1rst fiddle plays melody, 2nd fiddle a 2nd voice, usually a sixth underneath, bass plays beats nad celle counter beats, and the hackbrett fills in, partly melodic lines, partly accompaniment (mostly improvised !) the basic music is polkas (played slowly), schottishes (played fast), waltzes, mazurkas, gallops, and slow airs called "Zauerli", very beautiful (an imitation of vocal jodels). The hackbrett gives a percussive effect to match the bowed strings, and is perfectly blended. I used to play with a band playing swiss and balkan music, and we put an emphasis of blending the hackbrett with the other instruments.
the other region of traditionnal hackbrett is Oberwallis. It's nearly always played in groups, and used a lot to accompany. but nowadays, more and more people play other kinds of music, from traditional to jazz... see the names I gave in my last post.
And of course you have all the cymbalom music from Hungary and Rumania. And if you really want to be impressed, try chinese hackbrett music (it's called "Yang Quin"). I bought a tutor book when I toured in China in 2002, and I always thought it was for two instruments - until a chinese friend translated the introduction and told me it was for a solo.... From then, I tend to believe chinese player have an extra pairs of arms hideen somewhere...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Oh, and I forgot : if you want to have very good information on the instrument, try David Kettlewell's site (google David Kettlewell) he wrote a PHD thesis on hammered dulcimer, which is edited on the web, and is very very good !
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Google has a translation service, and it's free...
Great contribution Nikita!
Now where's Ptarm?
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
David Kettlewell
http://www.new-renaissance.eenet.ee/
http://www.new-renaissance.eenet.ee/david/index.htm
http://www.new-renaissance.eenet.ee/dulcimer/
Fonts
http://www.new-renaissance.com/
http://www.new-renaissance.com/fonts/
http://www.myfonts.com/foundry/newrenaissance/
Publication:
"All the Tunes that Ever there Were" David Kettlewell
"An introduction to the hammered dulcimer in the British Isles.
More from Ptarm's Causeway Music
http://www.causewaymusic.co.uk/cdfhda.html
http://www.causewaymusic.co.uk/ushdu.html
David Kettlewell ~ has been professor at Tartu university in Estonia, and now works from his forest farmhouse in Bollstabruk, Northern Sweden ~ His own work through New Renaissance Fonts is mostly with medieval and renaissance scripts, calligraphic alphabets and ornamental capitals. David Kettlewell (b. 1946, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a harper, renaissance musicologist and conductor ~ & font designer ~ defintely a follower and practicioner of 'Renaissance' ideals...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Thnaks for the link job, Ceol ! Still no news of Ptarmigan ?
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by Nikita Pfister
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
I've also been trying to 'flush' him out...
# Posted on May 6th 2007 by ceolachan
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Anyone heard of Jim Couza recently ?
I don't get to so many clubs and festivals as many years ago, and haven't seen or remembered a mention of him for a while.
Was he one of the loud players someone was complaining about ?
# Posted on May 7th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: name of a hammered dulcimer player
Squawk! OK I'm flushed!!!! Oooooh I nearly missed this one! ..... Yikes! TWO Dulcimer threads in the same year ... WOW! Looks like it's all done & dusted though. Nice work Nikita, Ceol etc., well done dudes, some useful info has been posted here. Must go & root out some of that Hackbrett playing now!
Pete, I don't know anything about Jim's present activities, but here's an old photo of him, for anyone who doesn't know him:
http://www.nonsuchdulcimer.org.uk/photogallery/photos3.htm
jrathbun, in the spirit of ... "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours!"
.... here's my 'Banjo Hangout' where you can hear some examples of me playing Old Time tunes on my H-D:
http://www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/music.asp?id=9832
Where can I hear you playing Old Time tunes on your H-D?
# Posted on May 10th 2007 by Ptarmigan