Valaisan hammered dulcimer
Hammered dulcimer festival in Binn, Binntal Nature Park
Saved in the 20th and 21st centuries thanks to the musicians and instrument makers of the communes of Grengiols and Binn, located in the Binntal Nature Park, the Valaisan hammered dulcimer can nowadays be appreciated by a wide audience.
The Valaisan hammered dulcimer can be considered as the musical instrument of the Binntal Nature Park.
The Park contributes to the preservation and promotion of this versatile string instrument and works in close collaboration with the Binn culture association. The Binn Valley wishes to position itself with the hammered dulcimer and organizes a small quality festival around this instrument with concerts, exchange of experiences, conferences, introductory and improvisation courses. Hammered dulcimers from other regions as well as from outside of Switzerland also participate. The event takes place in autumn once a year in Binn. At the same time, the Park also documents the know-how, history and music of the Valaisan hammered dulcimer.
The Valaisan hammered dulcimer
The Valaisan hammered dulcimer has been for several centuries an important folk musical instrument. Unlike the Appenzell hammered dulcimer, which is chromatic, the Valaisan dulcimer is diatonic.
In the 20th century, the brothers Josef and Adolf Walpen from Grengiols rebuilt their grandfather's instrument, hence saving it. From 1928 they played it for almost 50 years, either as an accompaniment or solo instrument. Their four-handed playing on the same instrument became legendary.
For thirty years, the Valaisan hammered dulcimer has been manufactured exclusively by the carpenter Markus Tenisch in Binn, who has improved it significantly. Recently, the young carpenter Adrian Gundi from the Niederwald in Münster started to build dulcimers.
The Valaisan hammered dulcimer has experienced a revival in the last 10 years. It has long since ceased to be only an accompanying instrument, as it is also used as a solo instrument in folk, jazz, classical, pop and rock music.
The Upper Valais has several dulcimer formation programs and music schools, that are teaching it from now on.
