About the Hymnal
The Dulcimer Hymnal began with a simple goal: to provide mountain dulcimer players with the same depth and musical quality found in traditional piano and organ hymnals.
While many mountain dulcimer arrangements focus primarily on melody, these arrangements were created to preserve the richness of the original hymn settings. Each piece is carefully arranged to retain the original melodies, harmonies, chord progressions, and keyboard-style chord inversions as closely as possible while adapting them naturally for the mountain dulcimer.
All arrangements are written for the standard DAD mountain dulcimer tuning and are designed for both solo playing and ensemble settings. Whether used for worship, personal devotion, or simply enjoying the beauty of traditional hymns, these arrangements are intended to bring the timeless music of the church to a beloved Appalachian instrument.
About the Arranger
Benjamin Esh is a music ministry graduate of Judson University, where he studied guitar performance with a vocal emphasis. His musical background includes performance, worship leadership, arranging, and teaching.
Throughout his ministry, Benjamin has served in a variety of worship leadership roles, including Contemporary Music Director at Immanuel Baptist Church, Director of Music at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Elgin, Illinois, Director of Music at The International Community Evangelical Free Church (ICEFC), and Director of Music at First Baptist Church of Wheaton, Illinois.
After purchasing his first mountain dulcimer, Benjamin quickly began incorporating the instrument into church music settings, arranging both traditional and modern hymns for worship groups, ensembles, and personal performance. His experience as a worship leader and musician shaped his desire to create dulcimer arrangements that maintain the musical depth and beauty of the original hymn settings.
Today, Benjamin focuses on his family and continuing his work as a music arranger, creating new mountain dulcimer arrangements and expanding The Dulcimer Hymnal. His goal remains the same: to make high-quality hymn arrangements accessible to dulcimer players of all experience levels.
As part of a cultural exchange through Judson University, Benjamin had the opportunity to perform music in China, sharing music across cultures and experiencing the universal language of musical expression.