Gary, it would be a blast to hang out with you and anyone else who wants to play gurdies! And don't you have beautiful horses??? That would be a real treat, too! When you have time, send me any contacts you think would be useful (to my pintndale address, please) and we'll see what we can do.
How wonderful you got one of Mel's Maestros. They really are lovely, aren't they? I look forward to hearing it! Take care, F. On Mar 4, 2014, at 6:39 AM, Gary Plazyk <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, Felicia! > > Yes, it's a fun event! And it was great that Mel and Ann Dorries were able > to join us this year. The next time you folks play at the Chicago Maritime > Fest, perhaps you could just come in a little early; the U of C Folk Fest is > the weekend before the Maritime Fest. You could join us for the hurdy gurdy > workshop and maybe you could even get on the concert program? Do you know > Kate Early? She's one of the officers of the U of C event, and maybe could > give you an entry? > > Please let me know the next time you're passing through - we can show each > other our new instruments. (I think I told you I had Mel build me a Maestro?) > > Hi! to William! > > Very best regards, > > -Gary P. > > On 3/3/2014 8:01 PM, Felicia Dale wrote: >> Sounds like something I would have loved to attend, Gary. >> >> I'm really pleased to see Anna Clemenger's tune Brillig included in the >> playlist- I love that tune and have been playing it for years now. >> >> F. >> >> On Feb 15, 2014, at 8:25 PM, Gary Plazyk <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> University of Chicago Folk Festival - Sat 2/15/2014 >>> Hurdy Gurdy workshop / demonstration >>> >>> Mel Dorries, Vince Nichols, and I (Gary Plazyk) presented the fourth hurdy >>> gurdy workshop / demonstration at the University of Chicago Folk Festival >>> (http://www.uofcfolk.org/ ). We had an audience of between 40 and 50 >>> people, and our one-hour program was well-received. I'll include an >>> outline of the presentation that worked for us; you are welcome to use it >>> as is or as a starting point for a program of your own. >>> >>> We began with the group playing "Are You Sleeping?" [key of C] together >>> once, then three times as a round, to get people's attention and focus them >>> on us. We then took turns talking about the following topics and then >>> playing a tune or two, alternating talking and playing. We finished with a >>> question and answer (Q & A) session, and then invited people to come up and >>> see the instruments up close. >>> >>> Description of the instrument >>> * like a mechanical violin with a keyboard >>> * wheel & crank >>> * keyboard >>> * but wait, there's more: drones >>> * but wait, there's more: sympathetic strings >>> * but wait, there's more: buzzing bridge >>> >>> More about the instrument >>> * takes a lot of fussing and adjustment (high maintenance instrument) >>> * rosin & cotton >>> * tangents >>> * problem sounds: cats fighting, musical knife sharpener >>> >>> But where's your monkey? >>> * in English, there are other instruments with the same name >>> * barrel organ (preprogrammed tunes like an ice cream truck) and monkey >>> * Jack-in-the-Box toy >>> * other cranked music boxes >>> * other languages have more descriptive names >>> * Some hurdy gurdy buskers have been known to bring along a small dog or >>> marmot (woodchuck or groundhog) >>> >>> Different designs in different cultures >>> * simple begger instrument >>> * French style >>> * Hungarian style >>> * played for dancing, played with bagpipes to lead wedding procession >>> * used in compositions by Vivaldi, Schubert, others >>> * the electric guitar of their day >>> * banned from some towns because of the noise >>> >>> The sad story of the Hurdy Gurdy girls >>> * German girls recruited to entertain with hurdy gurdy at sales shows >>> * girls shipped to California in Gold Rush era (1850s) >>> * saloons in American west in 1800s called "hurdy gurdy houses" (Twain), >>> although some dispute as to which "hurdy gurdy" was meant >>> * unsavory reputation >>> >>> Hurdy gurdy sightings >>> * Spencer Tracy in the 1937 film Captains Courageous >>> * Donovan's 1968 song "Hurdy Gurdy Man" - no hurdy gurdy in recording, >>> but it brought name awareness >>> * Sting at the 76th Academy Awards in 2003 >>> * Tom Hanks in the 2004 film Polar express >>> >>> Modern hurdy gurdy revival >>> * refurbishing old instruments >>> * design features in new instruments >>> * modern groups incorporating hurdy gurdy >>> * annual get-togethers in states of Washington and Indiana >>> >>> >>> Accessories and props useful in the presentation: >>> * Set up a clock or cell phone with a large time display in sight on the >>> floor to keep track of the time; the U of C workshops are scheduled from >>> the top of the hour until 50 minutes after, allowing 10 minutes for one >>> group to pack up and the next group to set up. >>> * I like to bring a small portable speaker/amp (I use a Pignose), a >>> microphone stand, and a microphone for whoever is speaking; our >>> presentation room is fairly large. >>> * I made up a binder containing pictures of hurdy gurdies: photos of >>> instruments and copies of art containing hurdy gurdies. >>> * about a dozen printed copies of the Wikipedia Hurdy Gurdy article to >>> give to people that might not have Internet access >>> * business cards listing the national and Chicago hurdy gurdy group >>> mailing lists >>> >>> >>> Things I would do next time: >>> * I'd spend a little time having each presenter introduce themselves, >>> give a brief description of their instrument, and talk about when they >>> first saw a hurdy gurdy and what kind of music they play on it. >>> * I'd spend a bit of time on the history of the instrument, its >>> development from a folk instrument to a fashionable prop in the French >>> court, to its displacement by more modern instruments, to the repression of >>> street musicians in Russia in the late 1800s and near-eradication by the >>> Soviets in the 1930s (250-300 players "lirnyky" rounded up and executed). >>> * Due to unavoidable problems, several people that normally play hurdy >>> gurdy as part of a musical group were unable to attend. At past workshops, >>> we have had a variety of playing styles demonstrated accompanied by guitar, >>> banjo, penny whistle, and accordion. I think if you can arrange at least >>> some pieces to be played as part of a group, it makes the instrument seem >>> less of an historic curiosity and more of a real living instrument. >>> * I'd mention that there are many YouTube videos - just search [hurdy >>> gurdy] >>> * If video projection facilities were available, I think it might be nice >>> to have a slide show running continuously showing pictures of hurdy gurdies >>> on a screen in the background. >>> * I'd suggest stopping after 35 to 40 minutes to leave time for questions >>> and "meet the instruments". >>> * I'd state a firm "Thank you, goodbye" at 50 minutes, and say >>> conversations can be continued out in the hall or in another room, to give >>> the next group time to set up and start on time. >>> * Above all, if time is short and it's a question of talking or playing, >>> PLAY! People are primarily there to hear the instrument! >>> >>> >>> Questions we were asked: >>> * What does it sound like? (from someone coming in for the next workshop >>> while we were doing Q & A) >>> * Was there any music written specifically for the hurdy gurdy? >>> * Is there special musical notation for hurdy gurdy (drones, buzzing >>> bridge)? >>> * What wood is used on the instrument? >>> * Where can you get one? >>> * How much does a hurdy gurdy cost? >>> * Where can you learn to play one? >>> * Is it hard to play? >>> * Can you play a hurdy gurdy with other instruments? >>> * Do many people play them? >>> * Where can I hear one? >>> * How does the buzzing bridge work? >>> >>> >>> Tunes that we played (the ones I can remember): >>> * Are You Sleeping? / Frere Jacques >>> * Amazing Grace >>> * several original compositions >>> * Brillig >>> * Two An Dros ("Stomp") >>> * Elenke / Pease Bransle >>> * Cuckoo >>> * Horse's Bransle >>> * Chypre >>> >>> >>> Check with Ann Dorries (http://www.hurdygurdycrafters.com/ ) for photos of >>> the event. >>> >>> >>> -Gary Plazyk, 2/15/2014 >>> >>> -- >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "hurdygurdy" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected] >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy >>> >>> The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at >>> http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. 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