Musical Fantasies and Daydreams of Grandiosity
by Rebecca Prewett

I bought a mountain dulcimer today. Kind of an unusual purchase to say the least. Why on earth...?

Sam recently went to the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) and brought back all sorts of brochures and stuff about nifty instruments, as well as three "crystal flutes": a piccolo for Joan, soprano for me, and alto for himself. Now we're busily trying to learn how to play them (not as easy as I had hoped; their being side-blown provides a daunting challenge) in the hopes that we can someday astound family and friends with beautiful trios. For some time now, I've had an urge to begin collecting primitive and folk instruments of different types. We have that pentatonic children's lyre, and I've had my eye on various things in some of the catalogs I get. Since poring over some of the stuff Sam brought me from NAMM, I've discovered even more instruments than I ever knew existed.

But it's the mountain dulcimers from Folkcraft that captured my attention. I've had my eyes on that instrument for awhile. Wouldn't it be nifty? With the books I picked out, I could be playing all sorts of music on the dulcimer: from the middle ages, Renaissance and baroque periods, original, contemporary, traditional, hymns, etc. I could accompany "school" sing-a-longs as well as introduce Matthew to different musical styles and an instrument he could learn to play when he's older.

In the meantime, I think I'll have Matthew play his chimes again and maybe teach him a few more simple songs. Of course I'll have to do something about Miriam, who will no doubt attempt to grab the mallets and insist, "Mimi's turn! Mimi's turn!" Maybe I can lure her into playing the bongo or one of our other rhythm instruments. At any rate, I want to start doing something more interesting musically in school.

My dream is also to weave more music into the fabric of our family life. Seymour has dusted off his trumpet at Matthew's request and played a few nights recently. I envision little concerts in the evenings and on Sunday afternoons. I picture everyone schlepping along instruments to family gatherings. Imagine the flute trios, dulcimer and whatever music, our own family style emerging as we mix electronic keyboards and various instruments...

So I went to a music store to learn a bit more about mountain dulcimers. Nifty things...I actually got to play one! The amazing thing about them is that you can pick one up and instantly sound like you almost know what you're doing. The one I played had a spruce soundboard, "extra" fret, and was physically deep, providing a rich, full sound.

I became less enchanted with the idea of building one from a kit. I truly think, despite what some of the catalogs claim, that it is beyond me. Seymour could whip one together quite easily, no doubt; however, has has so little time and I would probably drive him nuts, hanging over his shoulder and nervously insisting that he read the instruction a thousand times. Plus, I'd be secretly afraid that he'd try to make "improvements", forgetting that he was assembling a musical instrument rather than a piece of furniture: "I have a much better piece of wood I could use here" or "I can make it much sturdier if I just..." or "What cheap hardware! I'm sure this old junk my Dad got from the swap meet will work much better." Then I'd end up with some sort of bizarre pseudo-dulcimer with extra stuff on it for durability--an instrument that would be indestructible but hideous sounding!

So I set my sights on a traditional hourglass model from Folkcraft, which they claim responds easily to the intricacies and different musical textures required by finger style play; provides great single note definition and volume. The one I ordered is made of solid northern cherry, which will give it a bright, clear sound...and looks beautiful.

Now we'll see--which will arrive first: the baby or the dulcimer? I imagine playing soft songs and lullabies to the baby...

You know, we could start a tradition! An instrument for each baby! When Matthew way tiny, I bought the pentatonic lyre with money Grandma gave as a gift. Miriam, alas, got no instrument, but maybe we can make up for it later. This baby will "get" the dulcimer. Maybe to celebrate the next one, we'll get a hammered dulcimer or a folk harp. It's not like we'll force each child to play "that" instrument, or that we'll even give them the instrument at a certain age. It's more like adding to the family ensemble as a way of celebrating each child.

A nifty tradition, I think. The older kids will not only eagerly anticipate the birth of the latest Prewett, but they'll be exited about a new family instrument. During the pregnancy, we'll all pore over catalogs, visit music stores, etc. as we make our selection.

We'll set up some guidelines, such as:

1. The instrument must be pleasing in sound an not be something that will get on everyone's nerves; (e.g., no drum sets with which to torture parents).
2. It must be relatively simple to learn to play. (Skip the oboe)
3. More than one family member should be able to benefit from it (a good reason for it to be simple to play)
4. It should somehow "fit in" with the instruments we already have, encouraging group play.
5. It should be "interesting"--either because of its history, ethnicity, uniqueness, playing possibilities, musical styles, etc.,--but it shouldn't be so bizarre as to be limiting
6. It should be affordable (forget the grand piano or harpsichord)

There are all kinds of possibilities to explore...the aforementioned hammered dulcimer and folk harp, and a range of things like an autoharp, zither, psaltery, lyre, and array of different recorders and flutes, panpipes, an ocarina or two or three, various nifty percussion instruments, especially those that are tonal, etc.

I envision us as happy homeschoolers with a slew of kids. Our family room (currently nonexistent) would be a music room as well, with the piano, perhaps a folk harp sitting in one corner, the dulcimer hanging on the wall along with maybe a zither or mandolin, shelves displaying other instruments and music books, music stands here or there or in a closet, a little stereo with an interesting collection of tapes, pictures on the walls of instruments or "musical themes"...

Frequent visitors will bring their instruments, teach the children about them, and play for and with us. We'll get together with Sam and Joan for jam sessions--and recording sessions.

Soon we'll "release" our first tape. Various homeschooling vendors might be persuaded to carry it. The older kids will start composing stuff with Sam. They might take some piano and theory lessons, and one or two of them might clamor for an electric keyboard. Their cousins, as they get older, will join them in their musical adventures.

After a while, we'll have several tapes under our belts. Our instrument collection will have grown (we won't just wait for babies!) to the point where the older kids will start coming up with home business ideas to finance all this instrument purchasing. We'll go into the music business full time--our tapes, other tapes, instruments, music books, etc.--even hand crafting our own instruments and giving lessons. We'll compose original worship songs and play in churches. We'll play in schools, giving background info on each instrument. The demand for our music will grow.

Eventually we will appear on the Johnny Carson Show. As a result of that, some record label will "sign" us. We'll go on tour. Our unique style will catch on and suddenly everyone will be rushing out to buy dulcimers, zithers, etc.

At some point our style of music--by now widely imitated--will become so popular as to eclipse rock music. Parents will be externally grateful to us for introducing music the whole family can enjoy. Teenagers will stop rebelling. Revival will sweep the land.

And imagine--all because I ordered a mountain dulcimer today!

Hhhhhm.....could I possibly have gotten just a teeny bit carried away?

Obviously, revival hasn't swept the land. The only recordings that exist of our music are a homemade videotape or two and whatever cassette tapes the children have made in fun.

But we do have, besides my mountain dulcimer, a folk harp, a bowed psaltery, a number of recorders, some melody bells, and various other instrumental goodies.

The mountain dulcimer did arrive before the baby. After an initial mishap with a string, I began to learn how to play it:

I just spent about one and a half to two hours playing my beloved dulcimer. The time flew! My "basic strum" is coming along rather well for someone with no sense of rhythm....I'm working on some songs to play for the extended family (in order to torture them) including "Got Tell Aunt Rhodie"--which seems to be a legal requirement for dulcimer beginners.

Eventually, however, life happened and kinda got in the way of music. Children also happened and we discovered that births of new babies are best celebrated by paying the midwife and/or doctor and buying necessities, rather than buying new musical instruments. Long--very long--stretches of time would pass before I'd get out my dulcimer and start all over again.

But then God providentially provided a harp teacher for Miriam and we were thrust back into the world of music. And I dusted off my dulcimer dreams, as well as my dulcimer, and we began tentatively making music as a family.

Some things in my long-ago fantasy came true. We are happy homeschoolers with a "slew of kids". But it's our living room that's the music room. We have an old, unplayable guitar hanging as a decoration on the wall, rather than a mandolin. I gave up on ever learning to play the crystal flute and have put it on display along with other decorations and pictures on a music theme.

We did end up with some of the instruments I'd daydreamed about way back when.

Recently, after our concertizing for our relatives, we even finally had a wonderful jam session with my brother Sam and his wife Joan, as well as with my mother. What fun!

We're hooked on this music stuff now. Benji wishes his hands were bigger so he could learn the alto recorder. He woke me up this morning asking when he could have his first official lesson on the soprano recorder. Jesse, the baby, knows enough to stick the right end of the recorder in his mouth should he get one in his clutches. (He seems surprised that sucking on it doesn't produce music.) We're planning our family Easter program and learning new music. I'm looking at instrument catalogs again and wondering what, besides recorders, the younger children will end up wanting to play as they get older.

But if revival ever does sweep the land, I know it won't be because of our bumbling attempts at making music as a family. But maybe...just maybe...if your family makes a joyful noise to the Lord together...and so does the next family...and the next family...and the next...well, we know that "God inhabits the praise of His people"!

copyright 1998 by Rebecca Prewett

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