Post by Ptarmigan on May 8, 2008 18:09:30 GMT
Did you know that the Hammered Dulcimer is a Co. Antrim instrument too?
........ how many of you have ever heard of this instrument, never mind even seen it or heard one being played?
Believe me, if you had heard one, you would remember.
I play mine out regularly & it always inspires folk to come over & ask about it.
When they do, of course they are always amazed to learn that it has had a home in the Glens of Antrim for around 200 years ':!:'
Before I say any more, here is a photo of two Co. Antrim men playing their Hammered Dulcimers.
Glens of Antrim men - the late Nat Magee & William Rea
They are in fine fettle here, playing at the Smugglers Inn on Saturday, 3rd June 2006, during this year's Hammered Dulcimer sessions up in North Antrim. Incidentally, both of these instruments were made in the Glens by a relative of their's, the late Alec Magee, who made at least twelve Dulcimers in his time (photo by Jenny Coxon)
Before I say another word though, I should let you hear what a Hammered Dulcimer actually sounds like, so here are three short sound clips which will give you a hint of the magical sound of the Hammered Dulcimer:
Scottish Tune on Hammered Dulcimer & Fiddle An Irish Jig ~ Out on the Ocean A Scottish AirThe fact is, Co. Antrim plays an important part in the history of the Hammered Dulcimer.
It came to Co. Antrim, like many of Ulster's people, from Scotland, & then travelled on with them to the Appalachias.
Today, Co. Antrim is actually the home of the Hammered Dulcimer in Ireland, so we should be proud of this instrument.
In the world of Dulcimer playing, one player's name, that of the late 'John Rea' of Glenarm, is synonymous with Dulcimer playing here.
As I said, this instrument, believe it or not, has been made & played by Co. Antrim folk for at least 200 years, & was often used in the Churches of the area around Ballyclare, Larne & Glenarm, when they could not afford to buy an organ, & yet it is now almost forgotten!
Unfortunately, there are only perhaps four or five Antrim men still alive, who are a direct link with this tradition & although we are fortunate that they are still playing their own, family made Dulcimers, it has to be said that two of them are now in their golden years, so why oh why is it not seen being played more often, especially at Ulster Scots concerts?
If we don't act soon, this tradition will be lost, forever.
I fear that ignorance of this once treasured instrument of the Glens of Antrim, has led to it becoming almost extinct here.
Unfortunately, as there are so many strings to a Hammered Dulcimer, my smaller one has 52, it can be hard work tuning it up before you even start to play, so for anyone who didn't have a 'good ear' for tuning, this fact would have made an instrument like a Fiddle, with only four strings, much more appealing.
Couple this with the fact that a Hammered Dulcimer is a heavy, bulky, awkward contraption to lug around & the Fiddle becomes even more attractive as an option.
So, perhaps it's no wonder folk think of Fiddles nowadays, when they think of the Traditional Music of the Glens of Antrim.
However, with the danger of this instrument being lost forever to Co. Antrim & Ulster, I took up playing it a few years ago, and now play it out, every week on the Causeway Coast here.
Now, when 'Mrs Ptarmigan' & I play for Wedding ceremonies & receptions we always take along a Hammered Dulcimer too & it sounds quite elegent when played along with our Harp as well as providing a stirring sound when played alongside our Fife.
I also play it out, with our group ‘Scad the Beggars’ whenever the opportunity arises.
With the danger of extinction in mind, (the Dulcimer's, not mine!) I also started a small festival in Bushmills last year to help raise the instrument's profile & try & save it.
Unfortunately, I have not managed to raise any funding for it this year, to help me carry out this important work, but last year I did have a number of excellent musicians who very kindly volunteered their services for the cause & hopefully they might be persuaded to come forward again, this year - for this good cause.
Incidentally, the festival is also designed to promote other instruments with a Co. Antrim flavour, including the Fife, the Fiddle, the Lambeg Drum, plus Scottish Smallpipes, Northumbrian Pipes, the old Uilleann Flatpipes, the Harp plus the wonderful rhymes of this area.
For more info. on this festival, visit:
Causeway Dulcimer Festival ~ BushmillsBut, back to the Hammered Dulcimer.
Those of you who are not familiar with this instrument, might like to visit this page of my festival website, where you will find numerous photographs of these beautiful looking & sounding instruments, including some from Co Antrim & Co. Down:
Causeway Dulcimer PhotosToday, the best player in Ireland is still a Co. Antrim man, one Barry Carroll who has also recorded a CD with Hammered Dulcimer & Uilleann Pipes and more recently was a guest
musician on Sharon Shannon’s last CD.
Interestingly, there was very little interest in Hammered Dulcimers in the south.
However "two players from both areas did try to meet up once, but the meeting never happened because both men ended up waiting at 'different stations'!"
In 2002, a Hammered Dulcimer festival took place in Cork and ran for three years, organised by an American player, Christie Burns.
Before the first Fest, a call went out for all Irish Hammered Dulcimer players to attend, or at least make themselves known – only four appeared!
However, many Hammered Dulcimer players from all over the world did turn up & beginners classes rekindled an interest in this endangered species.
Christie has gone home to America now, but I am determined to do my best to help save this rare Co. Antrim beastie, and in 2003 I organised a concert in Glenarm Castle which was attended by four Hammered Dulcimers players, including myself.
In 2004, for my Black Nun Fest in Ballycastle I brought over an American player Rick Davis, from North Carolina to
help keep the flame burning. Nat Magee, of Larne has also played at my Black Nun folk club.
If you live in North Antrim and you are curious to find out what a Hammered Dulcimer actually looks like, and you would like to hear it being played, then you might like to know that I play mine every weekend in the Smugglers Inn, Bushmills.
Nat Magee would also play with us every once in a while at the Smugglers Inn.
So there you have it, its been around for perhaps a thousand years, made and played throughout Co. Antrim for at least the past 4 or 5 generations, and still, every time I take it out in North Antrim folk ask me what it is! Hopefully the Causeway Dulcimer Festival will put this right.
For detailed information on the Dulcimer, worldwide, check out David Kettlewell's excellent & extensive website:
The Hammered Dulcimer I would especially recommend that you visit the section there on Northern Ireland!
To find out more about the Hammered Dulcimer & Dulcimers in general, visit my
Dulcimer Player's Forum (Europe)Cheers
Ptarmigan