7369 old music 2402 - KET

appears to be descended from a
German instrument called the
Scheitholt, which was brought by
immigrants in the 1700s.
Knowledge of this instrument
appears to have spread through the
Scots-Irish population of the southern
Appalachian range along with the
desire to improve upon its limitations:
very low volume and slow playability.
The fingerboard was raised and the
soundbox enlarged by these innovators,
with different shapes for different
regions, until the instrument we know
as the dulcimer was born. John Jacob
Niles and Jean Ritchie are credited with
popularizing the use of dulcimers as
accompaniment to English-language
ballads and dance songs.
Programs 2, 8, 10, 14
fiddle
Although the term fiddle is used
colloquially for a particular member of
the violin family, it is also a generic
term for any lute-type instrument
played with a bow. Since the late 18th
century, the fiddle has been a prominent
American folk instrument. In the
South, the fiddle typically is tuned
differently from the violin, and the
playing tradition is British-influenced.
The fiddle can be held against the chest
as well as under the chin. Another
example of how instruments move
among musical traditions, the fiddle
also can be found in Mexican mariachi
bands.
Programs 5, 7, 8, 9, 13
guitar
The guitar, a string instrument of the
lute family that is either plucked or
strummed, can be traced back to North
Africa. It was introduced to white blues
and folk musicians relatively late, about
the turn of this century, mostly by
African-American railroad crews.
In Europe, the guitar can be traced to
the Renaissance. The European version
was originally a shorter instrument with
four strings, which became five by the
end of the 5th century in either France
or Italy and finally six, creating the
instrument we know today. During the
20th century, many changes have been
made to the basic design of the sixstring
guitar to produce greater volume
and distinct styles, including a
“bassier” tone more suited for folk and
blues, where the guitar’s role was to
accompany the voice.
Programs 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15
hammer dulcimer
The hammer dulcimer is a trapezoidal
box with more than 100 strings that
are played with two little mallets. The
dulcimer dates back to 2000 B.C. and is
the oldest percussion instrument in the
world. It is also the great-grandfather of
the piano, because it introduced the
idea of striking a string with a mallet.
Originating with the people of the
eastern Mediterranean, like the harp,
the dulcimer is now found throughout
the world as both a folk and classical
instrument. The Persian santur, the
Hungarian cimbalom, the Swiss and
German Hackbrett, and the Chinese
yangchyn are all variants of the
hammer dulcimer.
It arrived in the United States in the
early 1600s, appearing in the ship
quartermaster’s log for the Jamestown
settlement in Virginia. By the mid-
1800s, it was a popular parlor instrument;
it was even sold in the Sears &
Roebuck catalog at the turn of this
century.
Programs 1, 3, 16
harmonica
Popular in this country since its first
production in Germany in the mid-
1800s, this reed instrument is placed
between the lips and played by blowing
in and out while covering unwanted
holes with the tongue. The harmonica
became a popular instrument in the
middle of the 1800s because factory
production made it widely available
and inexpensive. During the American
Civil War, soldiers from both the North
and South often played the harmonica.
It has played an essential role in the
American blues and folk tradition.
Programs 4, 5, 12, 14
jaw harp
This mouth instrument, which dates
back thousands of years, consists of a
flexible tongue-like piece (a lamella)
fixed at one end to a surrounding
frame. The jaw harp has a variety of
uses: In Southeast Asia, it is used as an
artificial voice. In India, it is used to
enrich the sound of a drum. Some
players emphasize the rhythmic, gonglike
music, while others emphasize
melodic styles to provide dance music.
It has also been popular in the United
States, particularly prior to the 20th
century.
This instrument is also known as a
jaw’s trump, a trump, or a Jew’s harp.
Programs 5, 9, 14
quills
A bunch of bamboo sticks of varying
lengths, open on one end and closed on
the other, this African-American reed
pipe is played singly or in groups. The
term “quilling” refers to the tuning of
train whistles to produce distinctive
sounds in the early 20th century on the
Illinois Central and other railway lines.
Program 14
Spoons
Two spoons are held back to back in
one hand and played “clackity-clack”
between the thigh and the other hand.
Program 16
Trump
See jaw harp.
Programs 5, 9, 14
60 Old Music for New Ears Teacher’s Guide