Although I too, would prefer to see a "real" player to show the right technique etc (it always looks phoney if the player can't play). Mind you, maybe union problems make it difficult. (Maybe we should have a union of HG players rather than just the musicians union? <grin>) There's nothing new in this anyway. At least they are attempting a genuine instrument but I do feel there is a difference to what granny can learn in an hour and actually "playing" it. Unless there is dialogue/acting needed, what's the point? Plenty of UK musicians have been in stage productions, TV productions etc (I always look at the musicians in the background in "period" productions to see if I can name them - I often can - at least some of them) so what's the problem with one more cast member to do it justice? (Hops onto bandwagon) I am also fed up with the number of "concertina" players who have an instrument that sounds just like a 120 bass piano accordion (or, more usually, a cheaper Bastari or Lachenelle Anglo being played on-screen with an English concertina actually being dubbed in) that turn up in films ads etc. There's one on UK TV at the moment set in "France" with a "French musician" (ie beret and striped shirt) playing a button accordion (two row). Amazing how he manages the suck and blow notes together and it has all the attributes of a French accordion. Even worse are guitar players who just grip the neck and waggle fingers any old where. As long as they can do the instrument justice (get ready to write in if they don't) or maybe they are hoping for a Mr Hanks to step forward? Let's just hope there is no monkey........... Oh, and good luck to them on the possibility of an actor who plays serpent in their spare time (next to their collection of hen's teeth possibly). That just ISN'T an instrument for learning in an hour! Probably be someone off-stage with a trumpet! Colin ----- Original Message ----- From: "james vanderberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 1:28 PM Subject: Re: [HG] Hurdy-gurdy rental or purchase sought
> C'mon. The hurdy gurdy by most people's standards is a novelty. I taught my mother (who hasn't so much as seen or heard of said instrument) a song in less than an hour. And she is certainly no 'specialist', but played it remarkably well for an 88 year old. > > James > > > JULIE BARKER <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > To avoid the instrument being brought into disrepute suggest a hire price equivalent to the cost of a player. If musically challenged actors use the instrument in public they will simply re-inforce the age old myth that the hurdy-gurdy is not a serious musical instrument. > Sorry to sound like a member of the militant drone tendancy, but I happen to believe that if you want a specialist you hire a specialist. How would you feel if you went to the dentist and found out he was an actor with some "drilling skill". > Philip Martin...U.K Musicians Union Folk, Roots and Traditional Music section. > Matthew Szostak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have already received a couple of replies to this inquiry... > > I am not able to check my email on a regular basis, so if you would like to > pursue this matter, please contact Dave directly. His email and phone are > below... > > ~ Matt > > > > At 12:13 PM 6/5/2006 -0400, you wrote: > > >Howdy gang! > > > >I have been communicating with David Remedios, who works for a > >Boston-based theater group, who is looking either to buy or to rent a > >hurdy-gurdy for use in a stage production. He did not seem interested in > >hiring a hurdy-gurdy player for the production, but rather actors with > >musical ability. > > > >Since I currently have no instruments available for sale or rent, I > >offered to send his request out to the wider hurdy-gurdy world. > > > >~ Matt > > > > > > > >>The American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA will be > >>presenting a stage adaptation of Oliver Twist next > >>season that requires, among other things, a hurdy gurdy and a > >>serpent as part of its live orchestration. Information about > >>the style or range of the instruments is forthcoming, but we are > >>investigating rental or purchase possibilities for budget > >>planning reasons. > >> > >>The window of time would be 1/9/07 (start of rehearsals) to > >>4/22/07 (end of the Cambridge run). The production will also > >>have a life in NYC at the John Jay Theatre later next year. > >> > >>Please contact David Remedios, ART's Resident Sound Designer, at > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED], 617-496-2000 x8862. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > Matthew Szostak - Hurdy-Gurdies > 7 Grove Street > Camden, Maine 04843 > phone: 207-236-9576 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > website: http://www.midcoast.com/~beechhil/vielle > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com
