Greetings all...

[Jon Lucas]

Just received my instrument (finally!) so this seemed a good time to
introduce myself to the forum. I'm a retired Master Mariner living in
a small town near Seattle. I'm especially interested in old Scottish
songs and transcribing themes from classical music and adapting them
to the HG. I've wanted a hurdy gurdy for a long time but it wasn't
practical taking it on ship board. Now I'm retired, maybe I can learn
to play the beast. BTW, I chanced to see the old movie Captains
Courageous the other day and was intrigued to see a hurdy gurdy as a
main plot device. Does anyone know of other movies which feature the
instrument as part of the story, rather than just a walk-on appearance?

[Ulrich Joosten]

Hi Lucas,

welcome to the forum! Good luck learning the "beast"!

I never saw Captain's Courageous and now I read that the hurdy-gurdy is
part of the plot. That bings me to another question: does anybody know
if this also is the case in the book by Rudyard Kipling which was the
source for the movie?

Bet wishes,
Uli

--
Ulrich Joosten
ulrich....@t-online.de
ulrich....@folker.de
www.gambrinus-folk.de

Am 07.04.11 23:18 schrieb "Jon Lucas" unter <Jon.na...@frontier.com>:

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[Jon Lucas]

I must confess I have not read the book, though I am going to now, to
find out precisely what you asked. The story revolves on the little
boy inheriting the instrument from the Portugese deckhand, so Kipling
must have used some instrument. Perhaps a concertina, if he didn't
know about hurdy gurdys.

On Apr 8, 12:05 am, Ulrich Joosten <ulrich.joos...@t-online.de> wrote:
> Hi Lucas,
>
> welcome to the forum! Good luck learning the "beast"!
>
> I never saw Captain's Courageous and now I read that the hurdy-gurdy is
> part of the plot. That bings me to another question: does anybody know
> if this also is the case in the book by Rudyard Kipling which was the
> source for the movie?
>
> Bet wishes,
> Uli
>
> --
> Ulrich Joosten

> ulrich.joos...@t-online.de
> ulrich.joos...@folker.dewww.gambrinus-folk.de
>
> Am 07.04.11 23:18 schrieb "Jon Lucas" unter <Jon.navga...@frontier.com>:

>
>
>
> >Just received my instrument (finally!) so this seemed a good time to
> >introduce myself to the forum.  I'm a retired Master Mariner living in
> >a small town near Seattle.  I'm especially interested in old Scottish
> >songs and transcribing themes from classical music and adapting them
> >to the HG.  I've wanted a hurdy gurdy for a long time but it wasn't
> >practical taking it on ship board.  Now I'm retired, maybe I can learn
> >to play the beast.  BTW, I chanced to see the old movie Captains
> >Courageous the other day and was intrigued to see a hurdy gurdy as a
> >main plot device.  Does anyone know of other movies which feature the
> >instrument as part of the story, rather than just a walk-on appearance?
>
> >--
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> - Show quoted text -

[Jon Redpath]

The best film I know of with more than just a passing bit of gurdy playing is " Jacquou le Croquant" it is in French but has subtitles. It has an excellent dance sequence in it. If I can be of any help with the Scottish songs just ask, I live 10 miles south of Edinburgh Scotland JON --- On Thu, 7/4/11, Jon Lucas <Jon.na...@frontier.com> wrote:

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[Felicia Dale]

Hi, Jon,
I've read Captains Courageous a number of times but I can't remember
the exact instrument in the book. However, it doesn't play that big a
role in the story which may be part of why I don't remember it. I
didn't care for the movie as it departed so strongly from the book
which I read first. I imagine Kipling knew about gurdies but frankly,
taking one on even a steel ship would be troublesome for everyone let
alone the instrument! I have read of a French sailor carrying one
with him on board of a sailing ship but when he took it out to play
(on land after a long sea voyage) it had essentially fallen apart due
to dampness during the trip. I've played on board of a variety of
boats from permanently moored "exhibit" ships such as the ones at
Mystic or San Francisco and on boats under sail. Neither situation
was easy despite having a very stable Volksgurdy.

Not to pry, but if you live near Seattle you aren't so far from me and
a lot of other players. Come out to the jam at the Couth Buzzard if
you get the chance! We'd love to meet you and your instrument. The
Couth Buzzard is a very nice bookstore/coffee house in Greenwood and a
great place to play.

Hope to see you there!

Felicia.

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[wsteinmayer]

On Apr 8, 2011, at 2:30:50 PM, "Jon Lucas" <Jon.na...@frontier.com> wrote:

& gt;

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Having read "Captains Courageous" once, many years ago, I had a vague memory of a "queer little stringed instrument" referred to in the text, called a 'machette'. I did a search, and that is indeed the instrument.

It's basically the ancestor of the ukulele..

-Bill

[Colin]

It is indeed a ukulele (more appropriate than a HG to take to sea methinks).

http://www.gillygaloo.net/docs/08_instr.htm#uke

It's more usually spelled with only one T. The machette being reserved for the big knife used to chop you way through a jungle.

 

Colin Hill 

[Jon Lucas]

Hi Felicia
Yes, I just skimmed Captains Courageous on the Gutenberg website, and
there is this slight mention of it: "Manuel drew out a tiny guitar-
like thing with metal strings which he called a machette." Hollywood
turned it into a hurdy gurdy and killed off Manuel (Spencer Tracey) so
the boy could inherit it at the end, which didn't happen in the book.
There are several scenes of Spencer Tracey playing the HG; don't know
who was really playing it. Well, that's Hollywood! I have searched
'machette' without success; don't know what Kipling had in mind.
Yes I know about the Couth Buzzard and have been meaning to go. I
look forward to seeing you there.

> > found athttp://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm.  To reduce  

> > spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the  

[Miles]

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=3820229

im not sure about the book but i recently read this in the auction
site listing.
its the actual HG from the captains courageous movie. astonishingly
small amount for the actual HG
considering its feature in the movie.

[Judith Lindenau]

It can be "easily restored" ! (I don't THINK so....)

Judith

Sent from my iPad

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[Miles]

https://picasaweb.google.com/mmibeck/ViolinRepairViolinPicturesBeforeAndAfterRepair#

[Miles]

it could be repaired----i have repaired violins in much worse shape.

its a matter of grain matching spruce---using
hide glue and how much time you want to put into it to make it
playable.

On Apr 8, 8:14 pm, Judith Lindenau <gertiecran...@gmail.com> wrote:
> It can be "easily restored" !  (I don't THINK so....)
>
> Judith
>
> Sent from my iPad
>

> On Apr 8, 2011, at 9:00 PM, Miles <mmib...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=3820229
>
> > im not sure about the book but i recently read this in the auction
> > site listing.
> > its the actual HG from the captains courageous movie. astonishingly
> > small amount for the actual HG
> > considering its feature in the movie.
>
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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>

> > The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found athttp://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm.  To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.

[Judith Lindenau]

The key is in the word 'easily', I think....

j
Judith Lindenau JWL Consulting and Coaching www.judithlindenau.com
231-715-1416

[Felicia Dale]

Thanks, Bill!  Now I have to go read the book again myself.

Felicia.

On Apr 8, 2011, at 4:37 PM, wsteinmayer wrote:

Having read "Captains Courageous" once, many years ago, I had a vague memory of a "queer little stringed instrument" referred to in the text, called a 'machette'. I did a search, and that is indeed the instrument.

It's basically the ancestor of the ukulele..

-Bill

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[Felicia Dale]

I surely wouldn't bother with it even if I could put it back together
again. Poor thing. I imagine some Spencer Tracy buff will buy it and
put it in a glass case. I wonder who built it? That head stock is
like American Primitive art, almost African in look...

Felicia.

> found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce

[Felicia Dale]

Hi, Jon-
I look forward to meeting you some time. Do come up and say hello and
tell me who you are if you come to one of our gigs.

Take care,
Felicia.

> found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce

[Colin]

One did come up for sale (a reported on this list, I think) some years ago
BUT it was a publicity prop (not a working HG) and was, if I recall
correctly, solid.

Colin Hill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Judith Lindenau" <gertie...@gmail.com>
To: <hurdy...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: "hurdygurdy" <hurdy...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 09, 2011 2:14 AM
Subject: Re: [HG-new] Re: Greetings all...

>

[Ulrich Joosten]

Hi everybody, gosh, my little question did generate a vivid discussion.
Well, very intersting it is. I think I have to research if there is a
German version of that story, and it is good to know that there is an
online version abvailable on the Gutenberg site. Now I'm curious. I love
Kipling, but did never come along the story.
And, of course. if the instrument in the book actually were a gurdy I
would have remembered it. So thanks to everybody for the input.
Another question arises: how come Hollywood producers in the 30s to 40 did
know about such obscure instruments like a hurdy-gurdy? Fanfan wasn't that
success, was it?

Well, interesting topics to discuss anyway.

Have a nice weekend,
your's,
Uli

--
Ulrich Joosten
ulrich....@t-online.de
ulrich....@folker.de
www.gambrinus-folk.de

Am 09.04.11 02:36 schrieb "Jon Lucas" unter <Jon.na...@frontier.com>:

>at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts

[Patricia Lipscomb]

>>>
>>> On Apr 7, 2011, at 2:18 PM, Jon Lucas wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> I'm especially interested in old Scottish
>>>> songs and transcribing themes from classical music and adapting them
>>>> to the HG.

I would LOVE to hear what you find of old Scottish tunes that sit well on a HG and classical themes you transcribe. Please keep us all posted.

BTW I've just had a relapse of AMIS (Acquisition of Musical Instruments Syndrome). Just bought a Brazilian baritone ukelele (its 4 strings are a subset of the 6 strings of a guitar) and am learning simple tunes. Lots of fun, at least as much as one can have without a drone.

Trish

[Roy Trotter]

I think the instrument in the Kipling story was a rajao (possibly sp error). Whatever. It is a small  Portuguese guitar-ish instrument that has a fish-like body. The HG is strictly in the movie, and Manuel's musicianship was not prominent in the book. The loud knocks weren't part of the book anyway. You have probably observed that movies based on books usually differ in some details. Oh well...

[Augusto de Ornellas Abreu]

Is this Brazilian ukulele a "cavaquinho"?

Lots of great repertoire for that, a great deal of Brazilian traditional music uses cavaquinhos...

[Patricia Lipscomb]

Yes, it is. (And I sure hope I can learn to play some for the traditional Brazilian repertoire.)

I don't want to stray too far afield from HG but this ties to a concurrent thread. The cavaquinho evolved from the Portugese machete (one T in Portugese), or machete de braga, which apparently was Manuel was playing in the book. The ukelele appears to have evolved from the cavaqunho (or maybe just directly from the machete), which is why the cavaquinho gets called a baritone ukelele but that's not such a great name for it since the tuning is so different - like guitar and not uke. Also, unlike use, it traditionally only had steel strings, though I read that some people use a combination. I plan to experiment. 

Trish

[Leonard Williams]

A little off topic, but you might find some 16th c. Spanish pieces (Alonso
Mudarra for one) for four-course guitar. I have some in tablature that I
could send you if you're interested. Tab is easy to learn, if you don't
already know it.

Regards,
Leonard Williams

[Patricia Lipscomb]

Hi, Leonard,

Yes, I would be delighted for you to send the pieces.

I should probably jump off the list with this cavaquinho topic now but certainly welcome any further off-list thoughts from folks.

Trish

[Colin]

One other point that I think should be mentioned before we draw to an end is
that, often, the film Captains Courageous, is the first time some people
become aware of the HG. I remember some years ago, several threads asking
for the dots.
It was certainly my introduction to the instrument albeit many years ago and
notwithstanding my involvement with the "Folk revival" back in the 60's. You
just never saw one (at least I never did) anywhere despite performing in and
running Folk Clubs through the 60's to the 80's.
This often happens with "unusual" instruments. I was one of the few players
of the Northumbrian Small Pipes outside the NE of England in the 70's (and
my pipes had to be made to order by one of the very few makers back then).
Fortunately the more "obscure" instruments (the ones that make people say
"what's that") have made a marvellous surge in the last 20-30 years.

Colin Hill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Patricia Lipscomb" <lips...@gmail.com>
To: <hurdy...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2011 5:03 AM
Subject: Re: [HG-new] Re: Greetings all...

>

[Tania]

Finally found a way to get online! I've had a response sitting on my
desktop since this topic started:

On Apr 8, 2011, at 8:46 AM, Jon Lucas wrote:
> Does anyone know of other movies which feature the instrument
> as part of the story, rather than just a walk-on appearance?

Not a hugely major part, but the hurdy gurdy player in the animated
film version of The Polar Express played an important thematic role.
If "important" is an appropriate word for such a production. I don't
remember him being in the book at all, nor can I recall whether any
actual (or convincing artificial) gurdy playing was used in the film.

Oh, and since this is my first posting on the forum: Hello, my name is
Tania, and I play the hurdy gurdy.
I'd worked WITH several wonderful players over the many years I've
been a full-time performer and, as a compulsive multi-instrumentalist,
I always wanted one on general principle. At the September 2010 Over
The Water gathering I got immersed, thoroughly hooked, and more
specific about wanting a hurdy gurdy, rather than just wanting another
unusual instrument. My husband / enabler gave me an Olympic
Instruments "Chinook" for an early solnukkamas present - early enough
that I allowed myself to be talked into using it on a few numbers in
our winter holiday concerts. The deal was that, with Felicia Dale in
the ensemble, I could stick to simple parts and let her do all the
work of making it sound fancy.

Now I'm on my own with it in southeast Ireland. If there are any other
hurdy gurdy players anywhere near Kilkenny, please let me know so we
can start a local support group.

[Augusto de Ornellas Abreu]

"start a local support group"

like AA or something? I know the gurdy is pretty addictive, but are we so far down that road that we need support groups now?

lol

[Felicia Dale]

Hi, Tania- we miss you out here in Seattle! 

A support group is a great idea!  And how about a branch for the poor folks who get suckered into buying a bad gurdy and suffer the consequences?  *sigh*  I'm glad you got a good one! 

Felicia.