English Dulcimers Causeway Dulcimer Festival

2nd Causeway Dulcimer Festival

Bushmills, Co. Antrim, Ulster

2nd to 4th June - 2006

[Nat Magee's copy of John Rea's Dulcimer]

[Photo by Rick Davis]

Patron - Hector MacDonnell Glenarm Castle Co. Antrim

UK Dulcimers

East Anglian Dulcimer

Full details of this instrument, which used to belong to Jenny Coxon, are as follows:

10/10 - 4 strings per course.
Separate 'chessmen' bridges in assorted woods and sizes.
Solid soundboard approx. 7mm, warped somewhat.
Gilded moulding tacked on around edge of soundboard.
Old metal handle at top (furthest from player) end - evidence of different handle having previously been attached to bottom end.
Two short legs screwed on at top end are a later addition.
Label inside reads:
1899 W. FINTER
WATCHMAKER & JEWELLER
HIGH STREET
NEEDHAM MARKET
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TUNED AND REPAIRED CLOCKS WOUND BY THE YEAR. PICTURES
FRAMES MADE TO ORDER, DEALER IN ENGLISH AND FOREIGN WATCHES, CLOCKS etc
Original owner was an old man (name not known) who was 80/90 years old in 1987.

Acquired from him by George Monger and sold on to Geoff Giddings.
Jenny Coxon bought it from Geoff in 1994.

This dulcimer belonged to Jenny Coxon until 2004, when she sold it to the 'East Anglian Music Trust' to be used in a Dulcimer project.

Nonsuch Dulcimer Players

This photo shows two English Dulcimer playing families. Left to right it shows Laura Sorrill [Fred Woodley's granddaughter], Fred Woodley himself, Reg Reader & Tom Knight [Tom's grandson], with Jenny Coxon to the right, keeping an eye on them.

Fred & Laura play in the traditional Birmingham style by plucking/stroking the strings. Reg & Tom play in an East Anglian style with can hammers.

For more interesting Photos of English Dulcimers & players, visit Fred Woodley's excellent website.

The Dove Chromatix Dulcimer

This is Jenny Coxon's 'Dove Chromatix' 1993 (9/15/15/10) made by Roger Frood of Dove Dulcimers, Glastonbury.

He has only ever made three of this model.
As a fully chromatic dulcimer, it embodies Roger's design solution to give players all the notes they'll ever want!

Jenny Coxon in Session

Just in case you are wondering who Jenny Coxon is, here she is in 'full flight' at her local session!

My Concert 12/12 Oakwood Dulcimer

'Oakwood Instruments' are based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, and have been making hand-crafted instruments for twenty years.

Pav Verity's English Dulcimer

Pav reckons this is an old East Anglian type Dulcimer.

Pav Verity's Other English Dulcimer

Pav has had this Dulcimer for 25 years.

Jack Bethel 's Session Dulcimer

As I understand it, Jack Bethel came up with the idea & design for this little Dulcimer, and Oakwood Dulcimers actually constructed it. I haven't actually seen Jack's, but his friend Michael Smith, has also had one made for him & he brought it over to CDF05 & I must say it is a cracking little instrument & would blend in nicely with any session.

The complaint I hear folk make about the normal large Hammered Dulcimers in sessions, is that their large, loud sustain makes the sound muddy & messy, especially if there are a lot of key changes involved in the music. This little Dulcimer gets round that problem by not having any great sustain to speak of, but it does have a very punchy sound & sounded great in the duets with Mandolin & Fiddle which we heard at Bushmills this year.

Fred Woodley's Small Session Dulcimer

Fred Woodley's own design, this Dulcimer is a 13/12 with three strings per course treble & bass.

All the treble strings are steel Piano wire, & the bass are all brass wire.

Fred Woodley's very-very small 'Session Dulcimer'

Fred Woodley made this tiny Dulcimer more as a gimmick but it does play, when tuned.

George Monger's 'East Anglian' Hammered Dulcimer

George Monger's East Anglian Dulcimer with Chessmen Bridges

[Photos R&B Davis]

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