Customer Reviews

Delcimore

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I may be biased since I spent a weekend at a folk string-a-long with David Schnaufer as one of my instructors but I grabed this CD that weekend and as time went on got a few others of his. He shows us how very versital the dulcimer is and that it is not restricted to just mountain folk music. He plays along with an orchestra, swing, blues, some jassy tunes, etc. It was a pleasure hearing him in person and I can relive his performance and teaching through his CD. I do recomend this recording to anyone who loves music!

David Schanufer does things with the lap dulcimer that will make you wonder why you haven't heard the instrument used in more settings. The tracks on this disc range from the ultra-traditional (like "Bonaparte's Retreat," played on the mountain music box with a simple drone and the sound of cicadas in the background) to classical (Bach's "Minuet in G"), to jazz (Charles Mingus' "Self-Portrait in Three Colors") to . . . well, there's a lot here.

Particularly interesting is the recording of "Blackberry Winter," to my knowledge the first piece written for dulcimer and orchestra. The piece is not a great work, but it makes good use of folk materials and is an interesting showcase for Schnaufer. Another surprise is the voice of Cyndi Lauper on the Schnaufer original "Twilight Eyes." Shnaufer's influence has led to Lauper becoming the world's most famous novice dulcimist.

My favorite tracks are the more traditional ones, like "Cold Frosty Morning," and "Train on the Mountain/Barlow Knife/Sandy River Belle." These settings are perfect for Schnaufer's mix of technical mastery and hard-core musicianship. Having said that, I often hit the "Repeat Track" button after listening to David's rendition of "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)."