My niece came back from France with 2 memory cards full of pictures and video. I offered her to arrange it all on DVD with my Roxio program. I am working on this project since 4 months now, finally ... not all of the time, but I will be very happy to finish it. This will be his Christmas gift.She stayed at a friend in the countryside of Burgundy, and I found on her memory card an amazing video showing a guy playing a strange music instrument. He was playing folkloric music and the dynamic sound seemed to come from another era.
- What is this?
- I think it a kind of a vielle. He's Mic's friend and he plays mostly at festivals.
- I think it a kind of a vielle. He's Mic's friend and he plays mostly at festivals.
Long life to the internet.....................
I find this instrument, I must say, quite impressive in its mechanical design. Work of a luthier, the hurdy-gurdy has evolved and today it includes over 200 pieces.
It appeared in the Middle Ages, around the ninth century, after the invention of the manievelle and it's in the 12 th century that we found the first representations of this instrument, the organistrum. It was used mainly in churches and abbeys, to accompany choral music, and it was played by two people.
In the 13th century appeared an ancestor of the hurdy-gurdy, the symphonia. From a form almost square, the wheel was under the housing cover. At that time, the troubadours were using it to accompany their songs across Europe, both in village squares and in castles.
In the 13th century appeared an ancestor of the hurdy-gurdy, the symphonia. From a form almost square, the wheel was under the housing cover. At that time, the troubadours were using it to accompany their songs across Europe, both in village squares and in castles.
In the 15th century appeared the renaissance style hurdy-gurdy. The instrument began to feature in courtly amusements, Bâton, Vivaldi and Leopold Mozart, father of Wolfgang Amadeus, have composed several songs for it. And the old hurdy-gurdy was dethroned by the pianoforte. The French Revolution will cause a profound change in practice and in the century which followed the instrument enjoyed much favour in big city wine bars, and rural dance places.
In the 1970s, the "folk" movement appropriates it and groups called "celtic" are formed. Today, the instrument continues to evolve, violin makers refines it, they are looking for a pure and accurate sound and still further the quality of the hurdy-gurdy.
This instrument has a sound often compared to the bagpipes. The musician actuates a crank with his right hand, which turns a wheel that rubs on a rope "Bourdon" continuously, and a continuous sound is heard until the song stops.
From the left hand, the musician presses keys similar to the piano ones to play the melody. The keybox is located on the body, part of the instrument that makes the sound resonate. The keys are connected to a mechanism called tangents that come in contact with the strings when you press the keys.
In addition to strings, which give the melody, is added percussion! And yes, the hurdy-gurdy are also contained it's own drummer! By cranking the wheel harder, one of the drones can be made to vibrate rhythmically and a rap beat is heard .
On this smal youtube clip, listen to Arnaud Lachambre playing a folk air
"le Branle des Chevaulx" on a nice Hurdy gurdy, Renaissance style
made by Chris Allen (an U.K. violin maker).
"le Branle des Chevaulx" on a nice Hurdy gurdy, Renaissance style
made by Chris Allen (an U.K. violin maker).
Sources and some links:
Music Aloud.comOlympic Musical Instruments
Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy
Interesting thing of the day by ITotD
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Wow, what an interesting instrument. Hurdy Gurdy is an interesting name to me. I recall a song by Donovan called the Hurdy Gurdy Man and never knew what it meant, now I know. Do you recall that song? You can find reference to it by doing a search.
ReplyDeleteI purchased an antique lap top string instrument at an antique store a couple of years ago and want to learn how to use it or some other small instrument. I can never remember what the name of it is. I know it isn't a hurdy gurdy though. One of many goals in life to learn a musical instrument before I am too old and frail. Thanks so much.