The Appalachian dulcimer is an American instrument, but it has close ties to other instruments brought over from "the old country". It is very similar in design, construction, and the way it is played to instruments from Scandanavia (langeleik langspil, hummel) and from France (epinette des Vosges), but it is more likely that the biggest influence came from a German instrument they called a zitter. In the 20th century dulcimer historians and enthusiast began calling this dulcimer predecessor a scheitholt because they found an account of this medieval instrument in a Dictionary of Musical Terms by Michael Praetorius. Until the 20th century there was no other reference to this name for this instrument, but there are personal records of people referring to this instrument as a zitter. A literal translation of the word is something like "pick up wood" and the meaning can include firewood which is collected, or scrap wood. Praetorius' description is none too favorable, and it is easy to imagine that this term was a derisive term educated musicians might have used for this peasant's folk instrument. The zitter is actually about the sized and shape of a piece of firewood.
I say that it is likely that the biggest influence on the dulcimer came from the German instrument. That is because of the history of the regions where the dulcimer developed, and the music that was typically played on it, and the ethnicity of the people doing that playing at the turn of the 20th century. Those people were the Scots-Irish of the Appalachias, and the music was either from the British isles or was American derivation of Scottish, Irish, English music. Early investigators into the history of the dulcimer including Pete Seeger and Charles Faulkner Bryan. They both, independantly assumed that they would find the ancestor of the dulcimer in the British Isles and both went on research trips to find it, and both came up empty and confused. By the end of Dr. Bryan's short life he began to realize that the dulcimerr came from elsewhere, but it was not until shortly after his death that others began to connect the German instrument with the historry of the settlement of the Appalacian region and the Scots-Irish.
to be continued.... Charles Faulkner Bryan
I say that it is likely that the biggest influence on the dulcimer came from the German instrument. That is because of the history of the regions where the dulcimer developed, and the music that was typically played on it, and the ethnicity of the people doing that playing at the turn of the 20th century. Those people were the Scots-Irish of the Appalachias, and the music was either from the British isles or was American derivation of Scottish, Irish, English music. Early investigators into the history of the dulcimer including Pete Seeger and Charles Faulkner Bryan. They both, independantly assumed that they would find the ancestor of the dulcimer in the British Isles and both went on research trips to find it, and both came up empty and confused. By the end of Dr. Bryan's short life he began to realize that the dulcimerr came from elsewhere, but it was not until shortly after his death that others began to connect the German instrument with the historry of the settlement of the Appalacian region and the Scots-Irish.
to be continued.... Charles Faulkner Bryan