Great find, Dana! Very impressive playing and the use of the gurdy for Irish tune sets was quite fun (although a source of cognitive dissonance for an every-instrument-in-it's-proper-place stick-in-the-mud like me!). And frankly, his jig set made me want to dance a 3x?bourree to it...but it sounds like it's a terrific album.
I'm sure that there have been periodic Irish Music On The Gurdy threads that predate both of us, so I don't know my own redundancies...but O'Carolan tunes are nice on the gurdy (Roz and I should work up some of those for gurdy and hammered dulcimer one of these days), as Andy Irvine demonstrated back in the Planxty days. And it is also nice as a surrogate bagpipe with Scottish and Irish vocals, which is something our band Avocet likes to do?(check out what Roz does at the end of this clip... http://www.avocetmusic.com/clips/Sailor%20Maid.mp3). I don't recommend taking a hurdy-gurdy to a hard-core fast Irish session and playing much on it. You will start to annoy the stodgier Iroids. However, there's nothing like finding a?(or starting your own) slow Celtic session, and supplementing your gurdy playing with other, more traditionally Celtic instruments (Roz switches off on bodhran and guitar at the slow session/singing circle we run in Santa Rosa, CA, in addition to her gurdy playing on songs and the occasional Irish tune). In sessions, it's important to be respectful of the traditions and the other players' sensibilities, but it's nice to get to play some on the instrument that's your true love. There's also such a thing as starting your own French session...if that's the music you love (that's me alright), and there's at least one other person around who loves it too. Our Santa Rosa French/European session was a long time getting off the ground (it was just Roz and I for a REALLY long time) but now it seems to finally have caught fire. Next project, a French dance (wish me LOTS of luck). Mitch Gordon Guerneville, CA, US p.s. You want to see some genre-benders, check out the folkies in France...wait until well after hours at a festival and the pipers break out their whistles and even Uillean pipes, and the box players start playing (badly misnamed) Irish tunes on their G/C boxes in all the wrong keys! -----Original Message----- From: Dana R Gregory <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 3:34 pm Subject: Re: [HG] Hello and Hurdy-Gurdy plans I also love Celtic music. You must go to Neil Brooks web site and sample some of the songs on his CD entitled "Rambles Through The Park". It will blow you away! The link is www.hurdy-gurdy.org.uk --- nishan hovsepian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hello, > My name is Nishan Hovsepian > > I am an oil painter, associates degree in art, > continuing BA and masters at WSU (USA).? I love > Celtic music especially Loreena Mckennitt. I found a > book in the library where I work on building > instruments. Found section on the Hurdy-Gurdy > listened to a few examples of it and soon wanted > one.? The price tag of 2000 -7500 is a bit much when > accounting for monthly income of $400, 200 of that > can be used for whatever. I'm an artist and I'm use > to solving problems,metal casting, oil painting, > drawing, computer building etc.? I think I can build > one with my skills and the help of a few people I > know. > > I've been looking around for what I would want it > one, something worth making > plans to build one, > so far came up with these objectives to look for: > chromatic > 2 melody strings > 4 drone strings > ?with trumpet/dog > ??sympathetic strings?? > walnut wood construction is what I'm thinking > I watched this movie of a performer in NY > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLlIbMA6VFA > it seems that this would describe her instrument > > I looked at the Henry III hurdy gurty and have heard > objections to them , however I do like the body and > tuner head. (what else can I say about the thing > honestly, I paint) > its not a guitar looking body, its semi boxy not > that curved and meets objectives I was looking for, > easier to construct that curved surfaces cool > termination of strings in a triangle > > links to that HG > http://www.hurdygurdy.org/morepicshenry3paris.htm > http://www.earlymusicshop.com/front/emsframes.html > http://www.masterkit.com/rwc/products/hurdy.htm > I heard there was a link somewhere to a free copy of > it in the archives, but link didn't work > any helpful comments would be appreciated, > **plans**, where to get them, thoughts about henry > III design, what would you recommend > > thanks > ~nishan > > > > >
