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Dulcimer Maker And Musician

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Fortunat Savard – “Adieu, Parents Et Amis Ou Red River Valley” (1937)
(vocals, mandolin, harmonica)
Anything I could say about this remarkable piece of music would be a mere shadow of it’s awesomeness!
Be amazed and perplexed!
Listen to this recording several times in a row.
Mysteries will be revealed and created!
Your life will change for the better!
Or not…
A New Musical Grammar; or, The Harmonical Spectator
by William Tans’ur (1746)
Containing all the useful theoretical, practical, and technical parts of musick. Being a new and correct introduction. to all the rudiments, terms, and characters, and composition in all its branches. With several scales for musical instruments; and philosophical demonstrations, on the nature of sound. Laid down in so concise and easy a method, as to be understood by the meanest practitioner, whether vocal or instrumental, by way of question and answer
Another wonderful and rare treasure courtesy of The Internet Archive.
The langspil is a traditional instrument of Iceland. It is a diatonic fretted zither with one melody string and two drones. The langspil is played by strumming, plucking and bowing.
When I first saw the above artwork of a woman playing a langspil I assumed the artist had taken liberties when portraying the playing position. I thought it would be difficult to play the langspil with the lower end of the instrument extending so far off one’s lap.
While looking for additional information about playing the langspil I came across this photograph of a man playing a langspil with the instrument in a somewhat similar position; the peghead end of the instrument is extending far off his lap.
I then noticed both players use their left thumb to fret the melody string of the langspil while the fingers of the left hand stabilize and support the instrument on their laps.