Celtic Music Net

As one of the best developed bourdon instruments (instruments, which are designed by a constant sounding of a bass) the hurdy-gurdy presents a kind of combination of a string instrument with a keyboard instrument. It consists either of a lute or guitar shaped corpus, equipped with at least three strings. With the right h and a wooden wheel is moved around which causes to vibrate the strings, with the left hand they are shortened like on a clavier. The string outfit consists of at least one for the melody (chanterelle), another bourdon string a quint deeper and the snare (trompette) with which a rhythmic accentuation is achieved. The first attestation of this instrument originates from the turn of the 10th to 11th century. At that time the hurdy-gurdy was used exclusively as a start for music in the church before it was honoured as instrument by minstrels and the general public. With the invention of the polyphony the hurdy-gurdy status declined at the end of the middle ages to the lowest classes and became mainly the instrument for beggars, vagabonds, the thespians, the demimonde etc. Only towards the end of the 17th century it received a social revaluation through the aristocratic romance. Famous baroque composers like Antonio Vivaldi composed pastoral sonatas for the hurdy-gurdy. (Il Pastor Fido); Joseph Haydn wrote by order of the king of Naples several concerts and notturnos for a hurdy-gurdy developed further, the organ lyre. In the 19th century the instrument was kept alive by the socially declassed or became also an integral part of self-confident folk cultures, most perseverant and fruitful in Eastern Hungary (tekerölant) and France (vieille à roue), to be more precise in the provinces Auvergne, Berry and Limousin as well as the eastern Brittany. As a result of mass migration into cities the instrument reached  Paris towards mid of the 19th century where as a start  it set the pace conjointly with the Bagpipe (Cabrette), at first in competition, later as supplement with the modern Accordion, the Paris folklore, which later on found its commemoration in Musette and Java Waltz. France is also the centre of a strong innovation friendly Bourdon scenery which brought important impetus for all of Europe. Bands, like La Chiffonie or La Bamboche as well as hurdy gurdy players namely Gilles Chabenat, Patrick Bouffard (see Scarp) and leading all the experimentalist Valentin Clastrier made the instrument capable for the 21st century. It was used too in Italian, German and Scandinavian folk bands during the seventies. In particular in England it obtained hardly a foothold and reached later on in the civic 19th century the often ridiculed image of an instrument for peddlers and outcasts. Least of all it was spread in „Celtic“ countries, although this is willingly made subject to a popular misapprehension, that the sound of fiddle and bagpipe are something “Celtic”. In the British region the hurdy-gurdy and bagpipe prospered at first only as a curiosity in ensembles, specialized on old music. Francis Baines plays it on Ashley Hutchings historic concert album The Complete Dancing Master. The Irishman Andy Irvine who got round a lot in Europe put it for the first time decently as song accompaniment in his band Planxty. John Faulkner and . Brian McNeill (Battlefield Band) followed his example. During early eighties, however, a young Bourdon scene (see Bourdon music and Bourdon scene) set the imprint of the English music scene. Bored of the jovial Morris-Tänzen of the English tradition the scene oriented itself  most of the time with young instrument builders and musical students on Old Music and an agile French Folk Scene and Tradition as presented in the core with the annual Festival in St. Chartier. In the style of New Wave and Modern Jazz the English Band Blowzabella created something like a paradigm change in the English Folk. Their hurdy-gurdy players Cliff Stapleton and set back the instrument once more in line with its right place.. Especially the Album of Nigel Eatons Music of the Hurdy Gurdy covers the full amplitude of possible hurdy-gurdy repertoire, classical hurdy-gurdy sonatas of Vivaldi and Baton, a Bulgarian composition, sullen underground compositions, self-made and traditional Jigs, Hornpipes, Bourrées, Scottish and Laridés. A further approach in the Bourdon Music is the Album The Duellists, which unites Cliff Stapleton, Nigel Eaton and bagpipe player Chris Walshaw to a trio. The hurdy-gurdy found its way into many Bourdon bands of newer layout. The Eel Grinders, Shave The Monkey, Stocai, Turning The Red, Scarp, Citizen Camembert, Waltzer etc. Ultimate access in the turn of the millennium the hurdy-gurdy found in the hands of Phillip G. Martin (Drone’n’Bass).