I want a hurdy-gurdy, too! Such a fascinating sound.
The instrument plays a pivotal role in the bleak ending of Schubert's song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey). Over the course of 24 songs we follow a heartbroken young poet who undergoes a harrowing journey across frozen landscapes after being exiled from home. In the final song he comes upon a penniless hurdy-gurdy player, and in the final line of the piece, the poet despondently asks him: "Strange man, shall I travel with you? Will you grind your organ to my songs?"
Schubert (of course) does such a great job evoking the sound of the hurdy-gurdy:
Really informative, thank you. It's an amazing instrument, and once heard never forgotten. I once saw a TV drama adapted from an MR James ghost story in 1973 - "Lost Hearts" . I've never forgotten the scene where one of the ghosts plays the hurdy-gurdy. There's a clip available on YouTube but it's a bit scary!
Peripheral, but this is what led me to your wonderful piece on the Hurdy-Gurdy. Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” evokes my own long-term sorrow: “Histories of ages past/Unenlightened shadows cast/Down through all eternity/The crying of humanity.”
He wrote: When in history has humanity not cried out?
I want a hurdy-gurdy, too! Such a fascinating sound.
The instrument plays a pivotal role in the bleak ending of Schubert's song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey). Over the course of 24 songs we follow a heartbroken young poet who undergoes a harrowing journey across frozen landscapes after being exiled from home. In the final song he comes upon a penniless hurdy-gurdy player, and in the final line of the piece, the poet despondently asks him: "Strange man, shall I travel with you? Will you grind your organ to my songs?"
Schubert (of course) does such a great job evoking the sound of the hurdy-gurdy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIIS-UgixGE
Wow that was powerful. Now I feel I should listen to the other 23 songs.
Really informative, thank you. It's an amazing instrument, and once heard never forgotten. I once saw a TV drama adapted from an MR James ghost story in 1973 - "Lost Hearts" . I've never forgotten the scene where one of the ghosts plays the hurdy-gurdy. There's a clip available on YouTube but it's a bit scary!
Thank you for reading. And a ghost playing a hurdy-gurdy sounds pretty spooky to me!
Jules! I just looked up that clip — I'm sure it's only a matter of time before that horrific vision visits me in my dreams! 😱
Isn't it terrifying? I saw it a very long time ago and I've never forgotten it. That's why I didn't include the link. 👻
Peripheral, but this is what led me to your wonderful piece on the Hurdy-Gurdy. Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man” evokes my own long-term sorrow: “Histories of ages past/Unenlightened shadows cast/Down through all eternity/The crying of humanity.”
He wrote: When in history has humanity not cried out?
And a missing verse that George Harrison wrote:
“When truth gets buried deep
Beneath a thousand years of sleep
Time demands a turn-around
And once again the truth is found.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHxfOZH8cew
so very cool. previously the most exposure I had was the song Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan
It is a cool instrument. Ha yea I didn’t have much exposure to it either before I started writing this.
Sounds amazing ! Is there a place to check the possibility of getting a hurdy- gurdy ? Just curious 👀
It does, I love its sound. I did come across this site while searching around. I can’t say anything on the quality though, but they look nice.
https://ancestore.eu/
Cool will check it out thanks so much
You're welcome!