Hello all, My name is Joel Hoshaw and my wife and I both play the Celtic harp - she the nylon lever harp, and I the wire-strung. Our interest in the hurdy-gurdy stems from those scenes in The Polar Express: we, like so many, previously had only associated the word incorrectly with street organs. We were fascinated by the instrument the hobo was playing, and until recently we thought maybe it was strictly a product of the screen writer's imagination. But then I read a review of the same movie in which the instrument was mentioned by name. I did the requisite Google search, and found a number of great sites that have given me more than just a casual interest in this instrument. It appears that it could easily handle the parts of Irish and Scottish tunes that pipers normally play. I joined this list so Maria and I could broaden our knowledge. I am particularly interested in obtaining CD recordings of any Irish/Scottish music that has been played on the hurdy-gurdy. Thanks for your hospitality!
Joel
