Hurdy Gurdy
It is amazing how one can live with a viewpoint formed under a wrong premise early in life. This is not a serious post, but I loved the Donovan song Hurdy Gurdy Man when I was a youngster (all 7 years old me) and someone told me that 'a hurdy gurdy man is a jester or clown who plays the fiddle'.
Listen to the tune whilst I correct my misinformed perception therafter.
Hurdy Gurdy Man - Donovan
Well, last week I was walking around the Science and Technology museum in Milan, Italy when I entered the musical instrument lab and came across this weird looking instrument ....
![Imgur](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i.imgur.com/VYrAwCK.jpg)
Well this particular instrument is a Hurdy Gurdy. So off to that magnificent resource Wikipedia I went to learn more. The hurdy gurdy is generally believed to have evolved from the fiddle in either Europe or the Middle East in the 11th Century, The actual mechanism is far too complex for me to paraphrase so shall just share directly off the website
The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand crank-turned, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents—small wedges, typically made of wood—against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible.
Source
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Have a close look at the intricate carvings all over the wooden components clearly the craftsman took pride in his creation.
I am happy I discovered this interestin instrument, now next task is to find some hurdy gurdy compositions to listen to. I wonder if Youtube is up to it.
Thanks for reading and I hope to share some of our Italy trip with my followers over the next few days.
Thank you
Errrrr, my turn to thank you {smile}
Appreciate the support, resteemed!! 😏
sure buds ....
You’re welcome.
Oi Mike, I am going to pause my votes for you for a couple of days to rebuild my voting power. Making more than two posts a day depletes the value of the votes as there are about 15 people I support with 100% voting power. I will reinstate again on Saturday evening.
this is really great.
Hey @themagus! you're right, it's an awesome instrument - i'm also too clumsy for such a thing... drums are better lol.
If you're still searching, there is a women in youtube Patty Gurdy. She has awesome songs and covers with her Hurdy Gurdy and also talks about the instrument :) I know her from the band she's playing in: Storm Seeker.
And then we have Anna Murphy from Switzerland. She played in the band Eluveitie and has now her own project Cellar Darling - maybe you like it.
Sorry for writing that much but i'm happy to be able to provide you some examples :)
Fantastic ...I did go listen to Patty Gurdy... That MUST be an assumed name ... she is mega awesome.
The taste of your youth song is amazing. I love the sound of the music they play. And I am also grateful that you have introduced this very unique musical instrument to us. I can not wait to see a post about your trip with my friends. That would be fun. Good luck always for you @themagus.
Thanks my friend.... It was really enjoyable and made me believe I could become a traveller..... but just not by air. I hate flying!!
Yes really great instroument .
Nice information you share it
Cool. I always wondered what hurdy gurdy meant. Donovan is very underrated. I find that very interesting that it’s an instrument. Donovan was such a great artist. My favorite Donovan songs are the Atlantis song and colors.
Wow cool, I like your post freinds
a good post about the Italian music instrument and I have read it and have seen how the shape of his instrument is very beautiful and full of unique ukurin dengen carving of his form is good until his voice was no less interesting dengen musical instruments from india
Thank you @danur for stopping by my blog!! It is indeed an very interesting instrument.
music is good for us to listen to my friend .. and this very good video my friend .. please help me so my friend @themagus