Mel Bay's Dulcimer Sessions

Welcome to the June 2009 issue of Dulcimer Sessions®!

The Mel Bay family of dulcimer books contains outstanding resources for a wide variety of music styles. You'll see what I mean when you visit www.melbayxpress.com then click on "Dulcimer" in the left margin. Click on "Hammered Dulcimer" or "Mountain Dulcimer" and check out the "All" line for a delightful browse!

There is some variety in the music and the content of this issue. In the last issue we featured a hammered dulcimer hybrid instrument based on the African mbira, and this issue focuses first on the Japanese relative of the mountain dulcimer.

"Mountain Dulcimer Relatives Worldwide - the Japanese Taishokoto," is written by German luthier and musician Wilfried Ulrich. The mountain dulcimer, the German hummel, and the Japanese Taishokoto (sometimes called a 'typewriter zither' in the USA) are just a few members of the worldwide diatonic zither family. You'll see lots of interesting photos and hear three melodies played on the Taishokoto: a piece by Bach, one by Mozart, and the traditional Japanese folk song "Sakura." For Wilfried's previous DulcimerSessions article on the German Hummel
"Tombigbee River" - Hammered and mountain dulcimer players will enjoy this sweet 1847 waltz/song that also goes by the name, "Gum Tree Canoe." It is presented in tablature, notation and mp3 sound file. This arrangement is from my book American Fiddle Tunes for Mountain Dulcimer.
"De Colores" - A lovely Mexican song arranged for hammered and mountain dulcimer players. It is a good example of how Mexican music uses harmonies of third intervals. This is arranged by Bonnie Carol from her Mel Bay book for mountain and hammered dulcimers, La Musica.
"Temperance Reel" - A favorite Irish/American tune with a powerful chord progression. It is arranged for hammered dulcimer by Sally Hawley from her Mel Bay book, The Hammered Dulcimer Treasury of Tunes.

Don't forget to visit our 34 Back Issues of DulcimerSessions.com. The 2003 issues have introductions to the history and playing rudiments of mountain dulcimers and hammered dulcimers, and from there you will find a continuing array of colorful articles with free music arrangements (many with sound files) and interesting photos - all courtesy of Mel Bay Publications.

I invite dulcimer players to submit articles to me for possible inclusion in future issues of Dulcimer Sessions. We offer a small honorarium for those we use. We also welcome requests for new subjects from visitors to this website.

Enjoy! See you in our August 1, 2009 issue.

Lois Hornbostel, Editor
Dulcimer Sessions
loisdulc@verizon.net
Website: www.LoisHornbostel.com
View Lois Hornbostel's Biography