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The Story of the Hummel (German Scheitholt). By Wilfried Ulrich. English Translation by Christa Farnon. (Materials Pertaining to the Everyday History and Folk Culture of Lower Saxony, vol. 42.) Cloppenburg: Mu - seumsdorf Cloppenburg and Nieder - säch sisches Freilichtmuseum, 2011. [180 p. No ISBN. i22.] Music examples, illustrations, appendix, bibliography, index.
Although the hummel has been around for at least 500 years, its status as a "beggar" or amateur instrument has caused its history and the instrument itself to be largely neglected. While similar types of plucked and struck stringed instruments, such as the long-necked lute and kithara, can be relatively easily traced back to antiquity, the exact origins of the hummel are less clear. Those trying to do research on the hummel will find a scant paragraph in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, and the instrument is not usually given even a cursory description in most music history textbooks. The most information one might hope to find on the hummel is on the similar, though organologically distinct, Appalachian dulcimer. Unfortunately, its early history is at best a mere footnote. Therefore, because research on the hummel is sparse, any sort of family tree needs to be pieced together through the few written accounts of the instrument. Fortunately, The Story of the Hummel by Wilfried Ulrich provides quite possibly the most comprehensive history of the instrument to date. While the title suggests a light narrative on the instrument, the book is in fact a detailed historical, organological, and structural study of the hummel. The reader will first be impressed by the abundant iconographic depictions, photos of extant instruments, ample footnotes, and brief instructions for performing hummel tablatures. The book culminates in an impressive 43-page appendix of photographs and detailed dimensions of a variety of hummels. The details provided in the appendix alone are enough reason for any library to add this book to its organology collection.
As a luthier, Wilfried Ulrich brings valuable insight into the construction and re construction of period hummels. He frequently conveys a deep understanding of how the instrument should function, and he is adept at honing in on the practical issues that might escape the average scholar. His technical knowledge of how the fingerboard relates to various...