Innovations in the music of the Hurdy Gurdy
When people hear the name "hurdy gurdy" a musical instrument usually isn't the first thing that comes to mind. To my surprise, the hurdy gurdy definitely exists, and it's actually a really cool instrument. It consists of the body of a stringed instrument, but instead of being plucked by fingers, or stroked with a bow, the strings are vibrated with a rotating wheel. The gurdy usually has 3-6 strings. 1-2 strings produce a melody, while the others are used for drone strings. The melody strings can be used to play different notes via a number of keys that press on each of the strings. One other notable aspect of hurdy gurdies is that they usually have a "buzzing bridge" which is a string that passes over a movable bridge that engages when the wheel is accelerated quickly. This instrument originated in France and was the most popular in the European Renaissance Era. After the Renaissance, the hurdy gurdy became a commoner instrument, so I haven't found any original music from that period since no one really wanted to be associated with the instrument, but some new music that sounds like old music is Reverse Dance" by Andrey Vinogradov.
My second pick for music is Over the Hills and Far Away by Patty Gurdy. I think that this song demonstrates how people in modern times are using and playing the hurdy gurdy. People have realized that the hurdy gurdy is a very versatile instrument and that it sounds good in many different genres of music. Some people are even using the hurdy gurdy to do their own versions of metal music, such as Michalina Malisz doing her version of 5 System of A down riffs.
This is a rustic and medieval-sounding song in a minor key. I think that it shows the types of songs that were played on the hurdy gurdy in older eras. Since the hurdy gurdy had become a commoner's instrument, there was a bad association with it and the instrument became extremely scarce in many areas. In recent years however, there have been a number of different artists that have taken a liking to the strange instrument, and in modern times, the hurdy gurdy is coming into resurgence.
A more recent change that has to do with the instrument itself is that many more strings are usually attached. Instead of 3 strings, many hurdy gurdies are up to 11 anymore. The more modern instruments are also more guitar-like in construction than many of the old styles of hurdy gurdy. One of the more stylistic choices of modern hurdy gurdy playing is that people don't tend to use the drone strings as much since it doesn't fit the modern music tastes as much. However, in many of Andrey's and Patty Gurdy's works, the drone strings and the buzzing bridge are well used.
Sources:
Knudsen, Fredrik. “The Hurdy Gurdy | down the Rabbit Hole.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Apr. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv52jaxkHPw.
Gombos, Robert. “Hurdy-Gurdy: An Exquisite Blend of History and Elegance.” Jasmine Business Directory, 25 Sept. 2023, www.jasminedirectory.com/blog/hurdy-gurdy-an-exquisite-blend-of-history-and-elegance/.
Larson, Alina. “Hurdy Gurdy History.” Lark in the Morning, 27 Apr. 2017, larkinthemorning.com/blogs/articles/hurdy-gurdy-history.
Hello, thank you for sharing about the hurdy gurdy! I had heard about this instrument, but I also thought it used a bow. I think it's so cool that this kind of engineering was around back then and that it can be used for such a variety of genres now. It would be nice if you touched on where this instrument came from. What instruments were around at the time that inspired the hurdy gurdy, and was it created for a particular genre or for a different purpose?
ReplyDeleteI never expected to hear System of a Down played hurdy gurdy-style! I think Serj Tankian would really enjoy hearing the band's hits played in such a unique way! Thank you for sharing this unique instrument and helping me understand how it works. I've heard of it before but had never actually seen one or watched it being played.
ReplyDeleteYou're right that an instrument isn't necessarily the first thing I think of when I hear hurdy gurdy. It's interesting that the instrument originated in France because the name alone always made me think it was a dance that might have originated in Appalachia. I think I made the mistake of linking it to the squeezebox and thought it was a dance you'd do to that type of music. Thanks for helping me get a more clear understanding of the instrument, how it's played and how differently it can sound, depending on the musician.