Hurdy-Gurdy Man

[scruffy1]

The hurdy-gurdy is another of those strange pre-Medieval musical instruments, a combination fiddle, banjo, and player piano. Google knows to say that it is called Zanfona in Spanish, and a couple are portrayed playing an early form of the hurdy-gurdy, the organistrum, on the Portico della Gloria (where else!) in the Cathedral at Santiago.

The instrument was apparently quite common in Galicia until the Renaissance and was played for bar-room entertainment, personal pleasure, as well as to accompany choral passageses in church service. I was wondering if anyone had actually seen/heard one being played there. Galicia Celebration week might be a good opportunity but I have never seen the instrument being played. It can be seen and heard here:

 

[lovingkindness]

Hi there, Scruffy1. Are you acquainted with the works of Spanish artist Alfredo Erias? His painting Musicos con Organistrum , inspired by Maestro Mateo's Portico de la Gloria, is lovely. Señor Erias is librarian & artist at the Museo das Mariñas in Betanzos (Camino Ingles).

http://www.alfredoerias.com/ click on Xente no Camiño I for paintings

Cheers,
Lovingkindness

ps yes, I have seen hurdy-gurdy players in the streets of Europe but not along the Caminos...

 

[Rachael]

I play the hurdy gurdy. It was made for me by Alden and Cali Hackmann of Olympic Musical Instruments:

www.hurdygurdy.com

If you go to the page with the different peghead designs, mine is the "medieval monogram" (that of the Virgin Mary) with the extra chanter string.

If anybody is in Anost (in the Morvan in France) in August, they have a large hurdy gurdy (vielle a roue) festival annually. There is another in Chartres, although that festival is more general to French folk music. But the hurdy gurdy is a major part of that tradition.

 

[Rachael]

Here's a good discography of bands/songs that use the hurdy gurdy, by the way:


http://hurdygurdy.com/info/disc.htm

 

[lovingkindness]

.....If anybody is in Anost (in the Morvan in France) in August, they have a large hurdy gurdy (vielle a roue) festival annually. There is another in Chartres, although that festival is more general to French folk music. But the hurdy gurdy is a major part of that tradition.

...that's tempting, Rachael. Anost is on the GR 13, 60 kms from Vezelay and a possible resting place on the way to Le Puy en Velay.

Cheers.

 

[Rachael]

I strongly considered it this year, since I'm taking that route. Instead, I'm starting my pilgrimage this next month.

If you do decide to attend, make sure you arrange for lodging early. Anost increases their population by many thousand people for the fete, and rooms (even camping pitches) can apparently be hard to find if you're too late.

It is held annually on the third weekend of August, so hopefully I can attend in future. One of my many teachers (Patrick Bouffard) plays each year.

 

[scruffy1]

Quite amazing, what started out as a peculiar stone representations on the Portico della Gloria suddenly has "sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them" (Ezek. 37:8).

 

[Rachael]

Here's Patrick playing at one of the BIG hurdy gurdy conferences. This one is in Rianxo, Galicia:

 

[Rachael]

I attended this teacher concert (I was one of the many students there that week for classes) and these are two of the finest players alive at this moment: