MARTHA GILES AND ROBERT WADSWORTH: Inventio: Transcriptions for Two Hammered Dulcimers

Martha Giles and Robert Wadsworth

Inventio: Transcriptions for Two Hammered Dulcimers

© 2008 Martha Giles and Robert Wadsworth (700261237053)

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Contrapuntal Baroque music played in the classical style on a pair of folk instruments

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"On my first playing of their recording, I was struck with how different just the material is from most other recordings of dulcimer music. This is not a collection of traditional tunes but some fine selections of classical music. Next I noticed the intricate melodies and countermelodies weaving their ways around each other... I can only imagine how much time and serious study of the material it took to create this recording. Upon further listening, I was amazed at the timing of each strike of the hammers as Martha and Bob played their parts as though one person sat at a keyboard.

"One of my favorite ways to enjoy this CD is with headphones, for the listener really gets a feel for the separate parts being played, the subtle use of switching from wooden hammers to padded hammers, the use of the dampers to change the sound of the instrument and the ever-present amazing sense of timing.

"Inventio is a good collection of classical material done with sensitive artistry and an amazing sense of timing and coordination by Martha Giles and Bob Wadsworth. I applaud them on their dedication and commitment to their project, and I look forward to their next recording." - Bob Clark, Newsletter of The Hammer Heads, A Hammered Dulcimer Society of Southeastern Virginia, 6/30/08


A long-time acoustic guitar player who has also had classical training on piano, cello, and organ, Robert Wadsworth discovered the hammered dulcimer in the late 1990s and has become an avid performer and teacher. His diverse repertoire includes traditional dance tunes and instrumental arrangements of folk and pop songs as well as Baroque music. In addition to performing as a solo act, he continues to play in old-time string bands and jam sessions. Bob has composed several dozen instrumental pieces for hammered dulcimer and for acoustic finger-picking style guitar.

Martha Giles lives in Virginia Beach, where she has taught joyful music lessons to children for more than twenty years. Martha is also a professional French horn player and a member of Symphonicity and The Tidewater Winds. She is currently recording Baroque music for solo unaccompanied hammered dulcimer.

Martha and Bob met at the Williamsburg (Virginia) Quarterly Gathering of Hammered Dulcimer Players, where their mutual interest in "classical" music, and a special appreciation of Bach, stood out among players of mostly traditional tunes. Living one hundred miles apart, they decided to separately learn one duet (Bach's Two-Part Invention No. 8) to be performed together at the next Williamsburg Gathering. Encouraged by friends and colleagues, they continued to transcribe, learn, and record their favorite Baroque and Romantic pieces.


"Four hands, four hammers and one hundred fifty-six strings bring warmth and brilliant resonance to exquisite musical gems from the Baroque Era, highlighted by the remarkable Fifteen Two-Part Inventions of Johann Sebastian Bach. Musical pictures are painted by the hammered dulcimers in two final, lovely Romantic offerings." - Inventio, 2008

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  • Inventio
    author: Sid Holmes

    I was interested in Inventio because last fall a friend and I produced a hammered dulcimer (my part) and piano (my friend's part) version of Beethoven's Sonatina in C Major ( written for mandolin and piano). Although we live just 40 minutes from each other, the travel back and forth and the practice sessions were a breeze compared to what you two went through living 100 miles apart and I applaud you for such a monumental effort given the geographical challenge. I have been playing the hammered dulcimer for almost three years so I have much to learn but there was something magical in the Beethoven Sonatina in C Major that intreagued me and I just had to learn the piece and learn to integrate my parts with the piano parts. As such from your recording I could relate well to such parts as the Allegro from Telemann's Sonata in G Major. As for the Bach Inventions, I have a great deal more to learn about the "musical ideas in a logical fashion while exploring a wide variety of contrapuntal techniques" before I can appreciate what Bach intended. Thank you for broadening my horizons which will lead to being a better hammered dulcimer player. Meanwhile I am equally intreagued by the first Allegro movement of Albinoni's Concerto in B Flat Major, Opus 9 No 11 for oboe, strings and continuo. I noticed in your recording of the Bach Invention N. 14 (originally written in B-flat Major also, you had it transposed to D Major). Do you know anyone who can or has transposed the Albinoni piece to G, D or C Major for hammered dulcimer and piano? If so I would be willing to purchase this music and embark on a project similar to what has been done to the Beethoven Sonatina in C Major. Thank you for enlightening me on your highly technical accomplishments in Inventio. Sid Holmes e-mail holmessid@aol.com)

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