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INSTRUMENTS PLAYED ON THE CD



BASS INSTRUMENTS

Peter plays three bass instruments on this CD: The BASS VIOLIN (TRACKS 1,9,14), the LOW BASS VIOL (TRACKS 10, 11) and the THREE STRING BASS (TRACKS 3,5,8). The BASS VIOLIN is a direct ancestor of the cello and was in common use in the 16th and 17th centuries. The LOW BASS VIOL has 6 strings and was the standard bass string instrument of the German speaking countries throughout the 17th century, eventually being supplanted by the cello. Peter's is a copy of an instrument by Busch, Nuremberg, built in the 1640s and it is tuned a fifth lower than an ordinary bass viol. Peter's THREE STRING BASS was made by Leopold Widhalm, Nuremberg in 1720.  Double basses were often made with 3 strings, as it was very difficult to make a fat enough gut string for the lowest 4th string. This type of instrument continued in use in the UK until after the first world war.


LOW BASS VIOL

THREE STRING BASS

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DULCIMER

The DULCIMER (track 8) has a set of strings are stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board and struck with small wooden hammers.

GUITARS
Clara plays two types of guitar on this CD. The RENAISSANCE GUITAR (tracks 1,2,5,9,12,14,15) is a small guitar with 4 sets of strings. The BAROQUE GUITAR (track 3) is slightly larger with 5 sets of strings. Neither instrument is as large as the modern classical guitar.

HARPS
Joy plays 4 different types of harp on this CD. The BAROQUE TRIPLE HARP (tracks 10 and 11) is a chromatic harp with three rows of strings. The BRAY HARP (tracks 3 and 5) is a diatonic harp with bray pins which buzz when pushed close to the soundboard. The CLARSACH or CELTIC HARP (tracks, 2,6,7,9,13,14) has levers which can change the pitch of each string by a semitone and the MEDIEVAL HARP (tracks 4) is a small diatonic triangular harp.

A photo of 'God's waiting room' and Joy's centre of operations. The dulcimer sits on a stand in front of 4 of Joy's larger harps. The two to the left are Clarsachs while the one on the right is her baroque triple harp.
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HURDY GURDY

The HURDY GURDY (tracks 1,8,12,15) is a stringed instrument played by turning a wheel which causes the strings that lie across it to vibrate. There are 2 melody strings which are stopped by tangents attached to keys. There are 4 other strings which act as drones. Clare used 2 instruments on this recording; a 'lute-back' hurdy-gurdy made by Chris Eaton (tracks 8 and 15) and a 19th century 'lute-back' hurdy gurdy made by Coulson (tracks 1 and 12).

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NYCKELHARPA

The NYCKELHARPA (tracks 2,3,4,5,6,7,9,12,14,15) is a Swedish keyed fiddle. It has four playing strings and twelve sympathetic strings. Each sympathetic string is tuned to a different chromatic note making the instrument extremely resonant in every key. Tangents attached to keys are pressed against the playing strings to change the pitch. Clare's nyckelharpa is was made by Jean-Claude Condi and is tuned in fifths (C-G-D-A) and all four strings are keyed. It has a range of three and a half octaves, from C below middle C.

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OUD

The OUD (tracks 8 and 15) is an Arabic, fretless lute shaped instrument, plucked with a plectrum.

PERCUSSION
A variety of percussion instruments can be heard on the CD. The CAHON (tracks 1,12,15) is a large box with a hole in the back, originally from Peru and played by slapping the front face while sitting on it. The LEG BELLS (tracks 1,5,8,12,14,14) heard on the CD are from India and are a set of small metal bells braided onto a woven band which is tied around the leg. The TABOR (track 10) is a two headed military drum which is hung round the neck and played with a stick.