Hurdy-gurdy with wheel

The hurdy-gurdy with wheel is a String instrument rubbed by a wheel out of wooden instead of a bow. The wheel is turned with a Manivelle, while the left hand of the Musicien plays the melody on a keyboard.

Operation

Two cord S, called chantarelles, pass by the keyboard; their length of vibration is changed by the action of the keys called " sautereau x".

the sautereau is an element of the keyboard of the hurdy-gurdy with wheel which includes/understands sliding tubes for each note. The sautereaux ones are fixed on each stem by group of two (two cords in chantarelles) and allow, like the finger of the violonist, to determine the part of vibrating cord. After support on the stem of the keyboard, this one is rejected by the vibration of the cords, thus making move back the pair of sautereaux.

A variable number of cords, passing out of the keyboard, emit each one a sound, thus forming a continuous agreement: they are the bumblebees (large bumblebee, small bumblebee, fly and cord of dog or trumpet). Below the bumblebees sometimes cords sympathetic nerve S are which give to the tone a softer character.

Among the bumblebees, a particular cord gives this original characteristic of the hurdy-gurdy which is of being able Rythme R a melody. This cord does not pass on a rest fixes, but puts back on a small piece of wood called the “dog”, itself maintained on the Sounding board by the pressure of the cord. When this cord vibrates sufficiently, the piece of wood vibrates then on the table, and grésillement generates a sound comparable with one. The instrumentalist produces this vibration by a striking of the crank, which one calls Détaché or “Coup of wrist”.

History

The hurdy-gurdy with wheel appears as of the Moyen-âge. One finds of them many representations carved (capital X of church) or painted, for example by Jerome Bosch. Initially instrument of court for which Bâton and Vivaldi wrote some pages, the hurdy-gurdy was détrônée by the Piano-forte and its use was then rather reserved for the Mendiant S. At the end of the 17th century, the aspect of the hurdy-gurdy is still simple and rustic, of an about square form. It is only at the end of the century that a Luthier of Versailles starts to mount mechanisms of hurdy-gurdy on bodies of Guitare or of Luth. That gives to the instruments a softer tone and at the same time more extremely than that of the old hurdy-gurdies. During the 18th century, instruments built with much care and richly decorated make their entry at the court. The violin makers Guersan, Lambert, Louvet, Varquin and Salomont were most powerful about the middle of the century. For this period, much of works made up for this instrument, inter alia the six sonata S “It Pastor Fido” were allotted to Antonio Vivaldi.

The French revolution will cause a second deep change of the use of the hurdy-gurdy, which returns then in the field of the regional and popular instruments.

At the 19th century, it falls in disuse before the Berry, in search of identity, does not seize the instrument as well as bagpipe to make its emblems of them. The company of the Gâs of Berry , founded by Jean Baffier in 1888, solidifies this reputation. At the 20th century, in the Sixties and Seventies, the movement “folk” adapts it again and the groups known as “folk” are constituted.

Since, the instrument is in constant evolution: it is electrified and the hurdy-gurdy electroacoustic appears; what makes today the joy of musicians like Marc Anthony or Gilles Chabenat, accustomed of this type of instrument. Others, like Patrick Bouffard, prefer to continue to explore the hurdy-gurdy in its simplicity while rather making vary the mixtures of musical styles. And then there are the large Masters of today whose control of the instrument, of a precision out of the commun run, is extraordinary: let us quote Valentine Clastrier. But the evolution of the hurdy-gurdy, is not without bonds with the geniuses of yesterday such as Gilbert Malochet (1859-1945), the legendary Gaston Guillemain (1870-1965) and Gaston Rivière (1909-2004) whose professors were the two precedents. It is necessary to also mention illustrates it André Dubois, last survivor of this tradition, whose Méthode of hurdy-gurdy always refers. Today, the instrument continues to evolve/move: one always refines and still the quality of the hurdy-gurdy and the violin makers are in search of a pure and precise sound. The interest for the hurdy-gurdy grew, but the major defect of our time is that the hurdy-gurdy electroacoustic médiatiquement takes the step on the acoustic hurdy-gurdy, which involves sometimes the disillusion of the beginners: it is the great viellistic topical question.

The training of the hurdy-gurdy is since the years 1970 possible in certain academies with Master-bell ringers like Jacky Aucouturier with Chateauroux, which founds there the first class of hurdy-gurdy of France at the end of the years 1970, or Jean-François “Maxou” Heintzen in the Bourbonnais.

The Conservatoire national of area of Limoges also saw the creation of the first department of traditional music of France, in 1987.

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