A non-player’s view of Launde

This was my first Launde weekend but not my first encounter with the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club. Several years ago, during Fleetwood Folk Festival, I went with Jane (my wife) to a hammered dulcimer workshop. Jane had wanted to try playing one for some time and used the opportunity with Jenny Coxon’s encouragement.  Over the next few years Jane often mentioned getting a dulcimer so that she could take up playing, but was reluctant to spend several hundred pounds on what might turn out to be a whim. After some secret research I decided to surprise her by making one for her birthday. Unfortunately the parts were delayed in customs and then on her regular evenings out of the house when I hoped to make it, I got accused of looking disappointed if she stayed in. In the end I could only give her the hammers on her birthday but she was thrilled when she realised that there would also be a hammered dulcimer to go with them. Fortunately we live not too far from Jenny Coxon and Jane started having less ons with her. My first Nonsuch meeting was as Jane’s ‘roadie’ at the York Winter Warmer earlier this year.

Many of the members that I met there also came to Launde. Jane went to Launde on her own last year and had told me about the great club atmosphere, the welcome at the beautiful old Abbey and its tranquil setting. Jane and I share a love of folk music (we met at a folk club over thirty years ago).  I really enjoyed the session on the Friday night; there were many mountain dulcimers and autoharps, a good variety of other acoustic instruments, singing and some dancing [I wasn’t dancing was I? My memory failed after the first bottle... Ed.]. On Saturday morning I took advantage of the dry weather and went for a walk for two and a half hours without seeing another soul. In the afternoon Mitzie Collins performed and gave an interesting talk on her collection of nineteenth century New York State hammered dulcimers.  Later I had a chat with Roger Frood. He gave me the benefit of some of his vast knowledge and experience of making Dove Dulcimers to help to help me get the best out of the one that I had made for Jane. That evening, in the concert, Jane performed in Roger’s beginners group and even found the courage to play solo a piece that had been planned as a duet with Jenny Coxon; it is good to hear that Tony is making a good recovery after his heart attack, he had seemed so well when we had bumped into them a few weeks earlier. The evening concert featured many different instruments as well as the dulcimers and autoharps. On Sunday morning I went with Jane to a workshop by Ian Hay on playing chords to accompany tunes depending upon the key that they were being played in. Despite musical sons, mother, father and grandfather, the musical gene seems to have bypassed me (as anyone who has had the misfortune to hear me try to sing would agree). I listened to the workshop with interest; it shone some light for me on the mysteries of key changes. We visited Oakham on Sunday afternoon, stayed an extra night at the Abbey and visited the nearby Geoff Hamilton’s Barnsdale garden on Monday. All in all I found it a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in so many ways and look forward to returning!

Peter Lark