cittern  

[CITTERN] Re: Traditional British (plucked) instruments

Nancy Carlin
Sat, 05 Apr 2008 10:53:20 -0700

The crwth has one plucked string on the bass side 
of the instrument. The rest are over a rather 
flat bridge and are bowed.  Here is a link to some pictures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crwth
Cass Meurig, who is in one of the pictures, wrote 
a PhD dissertation on the instrument and has made a CD all of crwth music.
Nancy Carlin


>Damien, I'm sure other people will disagree with 
>me, so I'll send this to the cittern list! 
>(also: the 'crwth' is a bowed instrument, not plucked)
>
>
>Damien Delgrossi wrote:
>>>>
>>>>I am suprised to read you saying that UK 
>>>>doesn't have plucked instruments traditions. 
>>>>What about banjos? and pictures showing 
>>>>popular mandolin played by folk performers 
>>>>long long time ago? Are you sure of what you said?
>Stuart wrote:
>>>I think so. In the 1950s, some folk singers 
>>>used pianos as accompaniment! The  guitar - as 
>>>an accompaniment to folk songs  -  is from the 
>>>1960s. The traditional folk songs collected 
>>>from the 19th century were all sung 
>>>unaccompanied. The only genuine folk string 
>>>instrument  (apart from fiddles) is the hammered dulcimer.
>>>
>>>Banjos, guitars and mandolins have been around 
>>>in Britain since the late 19th century. But 
>>>not playing traditional folk music. They 
>>>played popular tunes and popular  'folk' tunes 
>>>(only a distant relation to traditional folk 
>>>music) and bits of classical music.
>>>
>>>Nowadays, many folk players players play 
>>>modern citterns, flat-backed bouzoukis, 
>>>mandolins and mandolas etc. But this is all from the 1960s and 1970s.
>>>
>>>There are no plucked instruments in 
>>>traditional Irish music either (before the last few decades).
>>>
>>>Stuart
>Good morning Stuart,
>
>It is very interesting what you wrote. I 
>understand well the difference you do between 
>folk popular tune and traditional music. People 
>often don't do the same and think that popular 
>tune are always traditional. You're right when you say that is not.
>
>So the only plucked instrument traditional is 
>the medieval crwth from Wales in the 9th century?
>
>Regards,
>
>Damien
>
>
>
>To get on or off this list see list information at
>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

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