Hammered Dulcimer Video Gallery
Walking Song for Hammered Dulcimer
This is an arrangement of Walking Song for hammered dulcimer. It was originally composed as a solo piece for lever harp composed by my wife, Stephanie P. H. Miller. It was inspired by a walk on a windy autumn day in southwestern Virginia. The opening section in 4/4 represents walking out into an autumn forest, looking at all the colorful leaves and taking in the surrounding beauty. The second section in 6/8 introduces the wind as it comes rippling through the trees, causing the leaves to fall gracefully. The walk continues, building in intensity and wonder as the leaves dance on the breeze.
I have always loved this piece. This is one of the first songs I set out to learn when I started playing the hammered dulcimer in the fall of 2017. I performed this as one of my competition pieces when I won the 2019 Mid-East Regional Hammered Dulcimer Championship at the 45th Coschocton Dulicmer Days in Coschocton, OH. I continued developing the second half of the piece, and this arrangement is the result.
Walking Song fits well on a 15/14 hammered dulcimer.
Dreaming in the Morning - Robert G.H. Miller
Dreaming in the Morning is the first song I composed for the hammered dulcimer. It started as a melody I was hearing in my dream one morning. I was able to capture it and develop into the piece heard here. It fits on a 15/14 dulcimer with a range of D3 to B5.
The Green Room
This is my hammered dulcimer arrangement of The Green Room by Wayne Gratz. This was one of the first songs I wanted to learn to play on this instrument, and it was one of my competition pieces when I won the 2019 Mid-East Region Hammered Dulcimer Championship.
Memory from CATS
Here is my arrangement of Memory from the musical CATS by Andrew Lloyd Webber on Hammered Dulcimer! It's a beautiful song, and it's been a joy to work on this arrangement. Thank you to my teacher Karen Alley for her input and guidance. I hope you enjoy the arrangement, and the scenery!
I am playing it on a Masterworks RCE 17/17 XR-RS using hammers by Katie Moritz. This video was filmed at Smith Mountain Lake, VA on April 25, 2021.
Cello Suite No. 1: I. Prelude by J. S. Bach
This is the famous Prelude from Cello Suite No. 1 by J.S. Bach.
Cello Suite No. 1, II: Allemande by J.S. Bach
Here is the second movement from Cello Suite No. 1 In G Major by J.S. Bach. This lovely spot is located in Fall Run Park in Glenshaw, PA.
Cello Suite No. 1: III. Courante by J.S. Bach - Robert G. H. Miller
This is the Courante, the third movement from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major by J.S. Bach for the hammered dulcimer. I played this piece on my Masterworks RCE 17/17 XR-RS.
This video was recorded atop Breakneck Falls at McConnells Mill State Park in PA. I found a beautiful spot beneath the Breakneck Bridge to set up to play and the additional shots in the video were from the bottom of the falls. The fast passages in this movement reminded me of the water cascading down the rapids and over the rocks below, and I was happy to be able to pair the music and the location in the video!
Cello Suite No. 1: IV. Sarabande by J.S. Bach
This is the Sarabande, the fourth movement from Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major by J.S. Bach for the hammered dulcimer. I played this piece on my Masterworks RCE 17/17 XR-RS.
This video was recorded in a field of Lance-leaf Coreopsis at Hartwood Acres in Allegheny County, PA. The peace present in the midst of the flowers seemed like the perfect location for this reflective movement from the Cello Suite.
Quantz Minuetto in E Minor for Hammered Dulcimer
The Minuetto in E Minor by Johann Joachim Quantz was originally composed for solo flute. Here it is for hammered dulcimer, arranged by Karen Alley. I thought the spaciousness of this location matched the feel of the song. This recording was made at the Pavia Lookout at Blue Knob State Park in Bedford County, PA. I am playing here on a Masterworks RCE 17/17 XR-RS.