Henry III gurdy plans
Graeme McCormack of Antiquated Strings has uploaded another of his fabulous hurdy-gurdy construction plans. Ideal for the home builder, or simply as a beautiful poster for your wall. He writes:
I have just finished Drawing up the Henri 111 Renaissance Hurdy Gurdy. I have modelled it on an existing instrument from Paris circa 1750. The main deviation from the original is that it can play a chromatic 2 octaves, has adjustable bridges and string lifting mechanisms. I have also changed the internal frame to use smaller wood stock. The original has solid end blocks that needed large wood stock to cut them from. There are 9 x A1 size sheets to this plan. I will add more written information as I make this gurdy.
Full size PDF versions of the plans in 9 parts available on his website here.
Short documentary from Belgian TV channel Ring TV, broadcast on 7 March 2010, showing the making of a hurdy-gurdy by the luthier Jacques De Vuyst. In Dutch.
Museum of Hurdy-Gurdy Luthiers
Website of “La Maison du Luthier, Jenzat”, a museum in Pajot’s house in Jenzat, Bournonnais devoted to the tradition of hurdy-gurdy making. In their own words:
The Maison du Luthier at Jenzat is devoted to ethnologic heritage, its purpose being to present a very specific tradition in musical instrument-making, shown in its original setting.
The Museum is housed in the former home of the instrument-maker J.-A. Pajot (1845-1920), in the neighbourhood where the hurdy-gurdy makers lived in Jenzat (“Aymard”, “Decante et Cailhe”, “Nigout”, “Pimpard Cousin”, “Pimpard Cousin fils”, “Pajot fils”, “Pajot jeune”, “Tixier”) Europe’s main centre for the making of hurdy-gurdies in the l9th and 20th centuries.
It includes a collection of hurdy-gurdies and other musical instruments ; a collection of tools used by instrument-makers ; the hurdy-gurdy workshop ; the brass instruments workshop (1934) ; a room for studying and viewing video films about making and playing the hurdy-gurdy ; an interactive terminal.
Hurdy-gurdies have been made in Jenzat since 1795.
More here.
Halsway Schottische
It appears that Nigel Eaton’s composition, Halsway Schottische (or Halsway Carol) has somewhat of a cult following. This page provides the sheet music for the tune, plus a link to some 40 different arrangements and recordings of it. What’s more, they’re looking for more! Record your version and send the link to this email!
Gurdypedia joins Facebook
Gurdypedia has launched its own Facebook page, where future updates to Gurdypedia will automatically be posted. Subscribe here.
Hurdy-gurdy hospital. Caroline Phillips, Bidaia’s resident singer and hurdy-gurdy player goes to her Luthier’s house in Perigord (vert) to get her Hurdy fixed.
There's another app for that...
Hurdy Gurdy - Remix, play and enjoy. Based on three songs from Bidaia’s last album, Duo, this app allows you to play the hurdy-gurdy by moving your iPhone or iPad and create your own mix that can be saved to MP3 format.
Hurdy-Gurdy App
It had to happen. Play the hurdy-gurdy on your iPhone. There’s an app for that…
The Hurdy-Gurdy Band
Website of “the Hurdy-Gurdy Band” - a hurdy-gurdy duo. Features a lot of nice historical images of the hurdy-gurdy - but beware the homepage of the site launches into some unrequested hurdy-gurdy playing, so you may want to turn the volume down on your computer!
What’s he building in there?
Blog following the progress of a hurdy-gurdy being constructed from scratch, from plans. More here.
Enter the Ukuwheele
Bored of your hurdy-gurdy? Try the latest in musical instruments - the Ukuwheele - a surprisingly pleasant sounding ukulele, modified with a wheel and manivelle.
Anna Murphy, hurdy-gurdy player for the Swiss folk/pagan metal band Eluveitie, talks about her instrument and demonstrates it backstage at their 4/25/10 show in NYC.
An interview with Matthias Loibner
There’s a great video interview with hurdy-gurdy virtuoso, Matthias Loibner over at interMuse - see here. Interesting description of the instrument and some fantastic playing. Well worth a watch!
Whilst you’re thinking about Loibner, there are a couple of nice videos on Vimeo of his Winterreise recording. See here and here.
British Pathé: hurdy-gurdy footage from the 1950’s
Charming 1953 news footage of the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales, featuring footage of a number of French hurdy-gurdy players accompanying dancers (about 1 minute into the clip). See here.
And more footage, this one from French Week in Jersey - the “hokey kokey of its period”. See here.
and footage from the Paris Exhibition of 1937, including hurdy-gurdy and dancers. See here.
