East Anglian Dulcimers

East Anglian Dulcimers

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An introduction - All the dulcimers that ever there were ..........

There have probably been more dulcimer players and makers in East Anglia than in any other area of England.

In East Anglia it was just called a dulcimer, not a hammered dulcimer as it is known in America in order to distinguish it from the hourglass shaped Appalachian dulcimer.

The makers
Norfolk
Suffolk
Essex

Cambridgeshire

Interest in the dulcimer was at its peak in East Anglia from around 1850 to 1930. The demand for instruments provided work for both skilled instrument makers and jobbing carpenters and also encouraged home made creations.

Unidentified

dulcimers
In private hands
In museums

Dulcimer tunings

& strings

In East Anglia the old players used cane beaters, typically wound with wool. Most instruments from the region were highly decorated and had an integral hinged stand to enable them to be played on a table.

Design

The other distinguishing feature of the East Anglian dulcimer is that the bridges are individual not continuous as in other traditions. These, often called ‘chessman’ bridges, allowed for a more chromatic tuning as some could be moved to the left or right.

Beyond

East Anglia

For centuries a form of struck psaltery or dulcimer has been played in most parts of the world. In England the hot bed for dulcimer playing was London and Birmingham (where the instruments were often played with plectrums) and of course East Anglia.

Have a look at our Dulcimer playing around the world page and then immerse yourself in the dulcimers, the players and the makers from the Eastern Counties of England. Maybe by starting with:

All the dulcimers that ever there were ..........

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