Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Our Traditional Instruments

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We play a variety of Traditional Musical Instruments which we feel are very suitable indeed, for playing music especially for the Wedding Ceremony &/or during the Drinks Reception at a Wedding.
The Harp is the instrument we find is most often asked for, to provide a traditional flavour, to the music at the Wedding Ceremony.
Of course, there are many different types of Harp, so Sabine has one to suit most occasions.
The Clarsach, the traditional Harp of Ireland and Scotland, is the one most often asked for. However, the Knee Harp is most suitable for use in the Traditional Pub Session, while her Gothic Harp has a lovely olde Worlde sound which adds a wonderful charm to the music and is ideal for period events.

1: The Clarsach
2: The Knee Harp
3: The Gothic Harp
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4: The Hammered Dulcimer

A speciality of ours is the old and now very rare, County Antrim Hammered Dulcimer.
For many generations this wonderful old musical instrument was actually made and played in the Glens of Antrim. Sadly today, you can count the Dulcimer players of Co. Antrim on one hand.
It is a great shame that this tradition was allowed to die out, because the Hammered Dulcimer has a wonderful instrument which provides an absolutely glorious sound in a Church setting. 
It sounds very special, when played alongside a Harp and with 68 strings, it is very resonant indeed.

Here we are in Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim.
We are in costume, playing the Hammered Dulcimer & Gothic Harp.
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5: The Fiddle

Another very popular instrument to be heard on the day of a Wedding is the Fiddle.


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Another of the more unusual instruments we play is the Concertina, or Squeeze Box.
We play both the English and the Anglo versions of this instrument, the Anglo being the most popular one in Ireland, while the English has always been the preferred instrument of choice in Scotland.

6: The English Concertina

7: The Anglo Concertina

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Other instruments we often play, especially during the Drinks Reception, are the Mandolin & Fife.
8: The Mandolin
9: The Fife 
A speciality of ours is the old and now very rare, County Antrim Hammered Dulcimer.

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