What is the true origin of the dulcimer?
For those unfamiliar with Joni Mitchell‘s work – hard to believe there are any, but I’m assuming there are a handful – there feels like one song that represents an appropriate starting point.
Taken from her magnum opus, 1971’s Blue, ‘A Case Of You’ showcases simply everything great about Mitchell the artist, namely the lyrics. Her intimate vocals deliver a masterclass in painful honesty as well as the sort of conversational storytelling that made her stories so compelling.
This dangerous feeling of falling desperately in love with someone with the potential to hurt you is not only an astute romantic standpoint from which to write a song, but is made even more nuanced by her effortlessly visceral lyrics, like “I could drink a case of you, darling / Still, I’d be on my feet” and “Love is touching souls / Surely you touched mine, ’cause / Part of you pours out of me.”
But it’s not just the stunning lyricism that makes it the perfect place for any burgeoning Mitchell fan. No, the minimalist arrangement, built around the percussive strumming of the Appalachian dulcimer, rather than a guitar or piano, proves just how unique a musician Mitchell really is.
There’s almost a spiritual backbone that the instrument provides for the song, given its rustic and ancient feel, pairing perfectly with the whistling voice of Mitchell, but in true Mitchell style, she makes it seem so effortless when in reality, playing a dulcimer at that sort of rhythm and pace, while delivering those sorts of vocal melodies, is anything but.
But what is a dulcimer?
Ultimately, the instrument is somewhat akin to a guitar, mostly consisting of three to five strings, with a fretted folk zither that runs along a more distinct hourglass or teardrop body shape. But the major major difference is that the instrument is traditionally played flat on the lap, which in theory is supposed to make it easier to play than a traditional guitar, as it allows the left hand to focus on engaging with the fret board.
The Appalachian dulcimer – the most commonly used in contemporary music and the one used by Mitchell – has been linked to the invention of the fiddle in both Ireland and Scotland, which then migrated to Appalachia with the early settlers of the region. The genesis of that instrument was then traced back to a German lap zither called a “scheitholt”, “zitter”, or “hummer”, which traces all the way back to the 7th century.
The unique string profile of the instrument is similarly traced back to its Scottish and Irish origins. Only one or two of the strings, which are called the melody strings, are fretted, while the remaining strings are called “drones”, keeping the same note at all times. This design is influenced by the bagpipes, which similarly play a constant note or two while a melody is then played over the top. It’s this design that gives the instrument its somewhat signature ethereal soundscape that is best heard on the brilliant Joni Mitchell song.
