For many years in the musical instrument exhibit room at the Museum of Fine
Arts in Boston, there was an incredibly, ummm "rustic" hurdy gurdy on
display. If my memory serves me well, it was either made by a
French-Canadian (or someone coming down from that region?), and was at least
100 years old, although I'm less confident about the second point. What was
particularly memorable about the instrument was its extremely crude
construction--I'm not sure the instrument was ever really playable. Does
anyone else from the Boston/New England area remember this instrument, and
if so, can they confirm, correct and/or amplify my memory of it?
Not sure if this would move your research forward, Jocelyn! But if you live
near to the MFA, and haven't seen this particular instrument, it would be
worth seeing, if the staff would retrieve it for you from wherever they keep
the collections that are not currently on display.
Nan
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 12:10 AM
Subject: RE: [HG] HG in Colonial America
> I do not know about the HG in New England , here in New France
> ,
there are only two
documented presence on HG players ,
The first in 1632 , a young boy , servant to the Jesuites was known to
play for the Indians
it is the one portrayed in the film " black robe " ( in the film the "
young boy " is Daniel Thonon
and the HG is a post 1700 lute back , well ... nice enough so far )
The other one was in Acadia , in Louisbourg the document is available
on the web and
the repro instrument at the Louisbourg museum was also made by Daniel
Thonon .
It is possible that another instrument was caried by an army officer
who took it back in 1761
but if it was never sold , stolen or mentionned in a will or a wedding
inventory , there is not
trace of it .
By the way , no bagpipe of any kind , but a pipe &tabor method was once
sold .
Henry
In Nouvelle France ( Québec )
Message Original:
-----------------
A partir de: Jocelyn Demuth [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 18:44:43 -0400
A: [email protected]
Sujet: [HG] HG in Colonial America
I live in New England and recently played the HG at a colonial craft day.
I
told the organizers that I didn't think the
HG was very big in colonial America but they didn't care. It was old, it
was cool looking at it was loud - so I played
anyway. It then dawned on me that I have absolutely no knowledge of the
history of the HG in the US. Anyone know
how the HG was used in the US? I guess some of them must have been packed
with the clothes, pots, pans and
other stuff people brougth from Europe - but anyone know anything more
than
that?
- Jocelyn
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