The hammered dulcimer in Switzerland

Pictures, discography, literature and links

Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser (translation: AI) - 08. may 2014

Appenzell dulcimer built by Johann Fuchs, Appenzell 1990 Photo: Badri Redha © Freilichtmuseum Ballenberg

The following photo gallery complements the article by Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser Dulcimer in Switzerlandwho is in the Swiss Music Newspaper 5/2014 was published.

The pictures come from Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser's archive, which she has built up over 40 years of research. The images may not be copied. Anyone interested in individual illustrations should contact the owners of the pictures directly or contact contact@musikzeitung.ch turn.

Picture 1

Accessories for the Appenzell dulcimer, from left to right: small bridge, leather-covered mallets on one side, wire for stringing, tuning tools. Photo: Badri Redha © Freilichtmuseum Ballenberg

Picture 2

Valais dulcimer built by Edelbert Imhof. The stops (bars) on both sides make it possible to raise the fundamental tone of a chorus of strings by a semitone. Photo from: Amadé Salzmann, "The hammered dulcimer in Valais", Visp 1988

Picture 3

Mooskirchner Streichmusik, dulcimer music from Styria (Austria). The instrumentation corresponds to the Appenzell string music. Photo: Archive Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser

Picture 4

Coat of arms disc of the Junker Sebastian vom Stein (Canton of Bern), 1504. The dulcimer was also a popular amateur instrument for noble ladies in the 16th century. Black solder painting, detail. Image: © Swiss National Museum LM-6237

Picture 5

Carnival dance in Schwyz. Minstrels in traditional costume with dulcimer and shawm play for the Schreittanz on the Landmatte in Schwyz. Diebold Schilling, Lucerne Chronicle, 1513, folio 259r. Image: Lucerne Central Library © Property of the Lucerne Corporation

Picture 6

Dulcimer with a bridge and two bells. Woodcut from: Sebastian Virdung, "Musica getutscht", Basel 1511

Picture 7

Dulcimer from 1644 from the Davos Museum of Local History. Photo: Davos Review 2013

Picture 8

Vignette by Franz Niklaus König. It illustrates the instrumentation of the first notated and printed Appenzell dance: violin, dulcimer and bass. Image from: "Sammlung von Schweizer=Kühreihen und Volksliedern", Bern 1826

Picture 9

Gottlieb Emil Rittmeyer, Stubete auf Alp Sol, 1865, oil on canvas, 114 x 142 cm, location Kunstmuseum St.Gallen, acquired by the Kunstverein St.Gallen in 1865. The parasol protects against the detuning of the dulcimer strings. Image: © Kunstmuseum St. Gallen

Picture 10

Four string musicians from Appenzell. The original line-up of violin, dulcimer and bass from the early 19th century developed into a quartet with the addition of a second violin. The founders of Streichmusik Alder. From left to right. Johann Jakob Hug, Ulrich and Johannes Alder, Johann Jakob Keller. Photo around 1880, Adolf Müller, Herisau. Photo: Center for Appenzell Folk Music

Picture 11

Original Appenzell string music with two violins, violoncello, bass and hammered dulcimer. Streichmusik Alder, at the Gasthaus Sonne in Urnäsch (on the Säntis), circa 1936: Jakob Weiss jun. (bass), Jakob Alder, Widebach (1888-1956, cello), Johannes Alder (2nd violin), Jakob Alder (1st violin), Emil Zimmermann (dulcimer). Photo: Center for Appenzell Folk Music

Picture 12

Hackbrett-Fraueli (Anna Bühlmann-Schlunegger, 1811-1897) in Grindelwald. Around 1900, women played the dulcimer for money at the entrance to the Lütschinen Gorge and the Upper Grindelwald Glacier. Picture: Archive Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser

Picture 13

Cimbalom World Association in Appenzell, 2001 Photo: Archive Johannes Fuchs

Picture 14

China meets Appenzell. Concert in Appenzell 2008 with Liu Yuening and Johannes Fuchs. Photo: Archive Johannes Fuchs

Picture 15

The title page of the popular dulcimer booklet shows a solo dulcimer player. Picture: Archive Brigitte Bachman-Geiser

Picture 16

In the open air, the string music is played by hand harmonica instead of the second violin and cello. Photographer: Emil Grubenmann. Photo: Archive Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser

Picture 17

Walpen brothers. The brothers Adolph (dulcimer) and Josef (saxophone) Walpen from Grengiols in the canton of Valais also played the dulcimer four-handed. Photo: Walter Studer © Peter Studer

Picture 18

Bärnbieter Spiellüt. The ensemble plays with Christian Schwander on the hammered dulcimer. Photo: Archive Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser

Picture 19

Appenzell string band Geschwister Küng. This family band consists mainly of young women: from left: Clarigna, Roland, Mirena, Madlaina, Laraina Küng. Photo: Center for Appenzell Folk Music

Discography

Dulcimer and zithers in Switzerland. Historical recordings (MGB 6258)

Upper Valais spillite (MGB 9704/9602/9202)

Heinz Holliger, Alb-Chehr. Geischter- und Älplermusig fer d Oberwalliser Spillit
(ECM New Series 1540)

The new Appenzell Original String Music Project (MGB CD 6174)

Noldi Alder with Klangcombi. Homage to the string band Alder on its 125th anniversary (MGB-NV 12)

Töbi Tobler, Tell music (MGS-NV 6)

Küng siblings (MGS-NV 18)

Paul Huber, Concerto for hammered dulcimer and string orchestra (MH CD 1032)

Renato Grisoni, Suite lirica per salterio e organo (LP ZYT 274)

Karl-Heinz Schickhaus, Concerto per salterio (works by Leopold Mozart, Paolo Salunini, Niccolò Jommelli), Naxos CD 2205

Bibliography/literature

Brigitte Bachmann-Geiser: Folk music and folk music instruments in the art music of Switzerland with special consideration of the dulcimer. In: Folk music in the Alps. Intercultural horizons and crossoversedited by Thomas Nussbaumer, Verlag Mueller-Speiser, Anif 2006, pp. 207-223

Antoine-Elisée Cherbuliez: Quelques observations sur le "psalterion" (tympanon) populaire suisse "hammered dulcimer". In: Journal of the International Folk Music Council. Vol. 12, 1960, pp. 23-27

Margret Engeler: The relationship between folk music, folk musicians and folk music preservation using the example of Appenzell string musicSchläpfer publishing house, Herisau/Trogen 1984

Brigitte Geiser: The hammered dulcimer in Switzerland, Visp 1973 (Publications of the Stockalper Archive in Brig 25)

Paul M. Gifford: The hammered dulcimer, Scarecow Press, Lanham Md., 2001

Christoph Pfändler: The Swiss dulcimer today and tomorrow. In: Bulletin. Publication organ of the GVS/SMPS and the CH-EM, 2013, pp. 33-38 (abridged version of the Bachelor thesis by C. P., Lucerne School of Music)

Amadé Salzmann: The hammered dulcimer in Valais. Instrument making and playing instructions, Visp 1988

Karl-Heinz Schickhaus: The hammered dulcimer. History and stories, St. Oswald tympanum, 2001

Yvonne Schmid: A sensational find in the local history museum. In: Davos Review 88, 2013, p.8 13

Matthias Weidmann: Dulcimer school. Course for the Appenzell dulcimerCenter for Appenzell Folk Music, Gonten 2009; 2/2010

The hammered dulcimer in Switzerland

Pictures, discography, literature and links

Discography

Bibliography/literature

Links

Résumé français

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