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Who plays Hummelchen?

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Maarten van Damme

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Apr 20, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/20/97
to

Hi all,

Who plays a bagpipe called Hummelchen (H"ummelchen)?

I visited a bagpipe maker, Paul Beekhuizen in The Hague, The
Netherlands, who makes among other (baroque) bagpipes, the
"Hummelchen". It had a nice 'gurgling' sound not unlike the
Northumbrian. It was explained that the hummelchen has two drones in
one stock, is mouth-blown and has a simple conical chanter. You play
it like a recorder. The Dudey (three drones in one stock) and
Northumbrian seem to be close family of this bagpipe.

My questions:
1. Who used to play this (type of) instrument in its heydays?
2. What kind of music can you play with it and what kind of music was
played with it? Mr. Beekhuizen gave me the impression is was not a
folk instrument but a 'burger' (upper-middle class) instrument. He
showed me sheet music which were variations on psalms!
3. Who does play this instrument today? Could you please contact me. I
have so many questions on practical matters that might not interest
the newsgroup.

Thanks,


Maarten van Damme
mvd...@xs4all.nl

Martin Hungerford

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Apr 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/21/97
to

no help on the "who plays" question but look out for the flemish bagpipe
book. I forget the actual name but the book is refered to as "the
Snotnose Book", after one of the tunes. Try Jon Swayne (ex Blowzabella)
for more.

Martin

Stephan Erber

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Apr 21, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/21/97
to

Maarten van Damme wrote:
> =

> Hi all,
> =

> Who plays a bagpipe called Hummelchen (H"ummelchen)?

> =

> I visited a bagpipe maker, Paul Beekhuizen in The Hague, The
> Netherlands, who makes among other (baroque) bagpipes, the
> "Hummelchen". It had a nice 'gurgling' sound not unlike the
> Northumbrian. It was explained that the hummelchen has two drones in
> one stock, is mouth-blown and has a simple conical chanter. You play
> it like a recorder. The Dudey (three drones in one stock) and
> Northumbrian seem to be close family of this bagpipe.

> =

> My questions:
> 1. Who used to play this (type of) instrument in its heydays?

Much information about this instrument, as described by Michael
Praetorius, can be obtained from Thorsten Stoye's Website
http://www.shop.de/priv/hp/1618/b

> 2. What kind of music can you play with it and what kind of music was
> played with it? Mr. Beekhuizen gave me the impression is was not a
> folk instrument but a 'burger' (upper-middle class) instrument. He
> showed me sheet music which were variations on psalms!

This is probably correct. On the other hand, the written music of this
time (we are talking about the 16th century) is not assigned to
a certain instrument. There is much more liberty in choosing the
proper instrument than nowadays. You can play the same piece of
music on recorders, viols, crimhorns, shawms or bagpipes, as you
like (and the instrument is capable of the music).

> 3. Who does play this instrument today? Could you please contact me. I
> have so many questions on practical matters that might not interest
> the newsgroup.

> =


There is a crowd of people playing the H=FCmmelchen in Germany. Some
information in German you can find on my website:
http://www.isd-pm.de/~stephan/pipes.html
If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask me.

Regards
Stephan

-------------------------------------------------------------
ISD Projektmanagement GmbH Tel:49/(0)871/92303-0
Stephan Erber Fax:49/(0)871/92303-30
Systemadministrator e-mail:
Altstadt 361 stepha...@isd-pm.de

D-84028 Landshut =

-------------------------------------------------------------

Troy Sagrillo

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Apr 22, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/22/97
to

Martin Hungerford wrote:

> no help on the "who plays" question but look out for the flemish bagpipe
> book. I forget the actual name but the book is refered to as "the
> Snotnose Book", after one of the tunes. Try Jon Swayne (ex Blowzabella)
> for more.

The book is called "Pijpersboek (Pipersbook) by Mart Heijmans (published
by Muziekuigeverij van Teesling; Nijmegen). In addition to doedelzak
tunes, the book is also intended for draailier (hurdy-gurdy) players.

Troy Sagrillo

Thomas Sauer

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Apr 23, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/23/97
to

: Maarten van Damme wrote:
: >
: > Hi all,
: >
: > Who plays a bagpipe called Hummelchen (H"ummelchen)?
: >

I, for example and a friend of mine who evenhas one made by Paul Beekhuizen.

: > I visited a bagpipe maker, Paul Beekhuizen in The Hague, The


: > Netherlands, who makes among other (baroque) bagpipes, the
: > "Hummelchen".

The Huemmelchen is from Renaissance and has been described and depicted in
Praetorius `De Organographia' which is one volume of the `Syntagma Musicum'.
(NB: Stephan, I still owe you the ISBN of the reprint ... :-)
The more baroque instrument is the musette (also depicted in Praetorius'
book) which is bellows blown which Paul also makes and masters. I once heard
him play it on a meeting in Lissberg (Germany, organized by hurdy-gurdy maker
Kurt Reichmann) and it's wonderful, however very quiet.

: > It had a nice 'gurgling' sound not unlike the


: > Northumbrian. It was explained that the hummelchen has two drones in
: > one stock, is mouth-blown and has a simple conical chanter. You play
: > it like a recorder.

Ahm, of course it has a bag ... Usually, the fingering of a Huemmelchen is
open, that's what's similar to a recorder. The similarity to NSP is that, to
my knowledge both are quite small and have a cylindrical (!!!) bore in
the chanter which gives a nice soft sound ...

: > The Dudey (three drones in one stock) and


: > Northumbrian seem to be close family of this bagpipe.

: >
: > My questions:


: > 1. Who used to play this (type of) instrument in its heydays?

A lot of people. Don't ask for names, but on meetings you'll probably see a
lot of people playing this instrument.

: > 2. What kind of music can you play with it and what kind of music was


: > played with it? Mr. Beekhuizen gave me the impression is was not a
: > folk instrument but a 'burger' (upper-middle class) instrument. He
: > showed me sheet music which were variations on psalms!

You can take Praetorius' other volume of the `Syntagma', the famous
`Terpsichore' which contains a lot of dances, many of the playable on the
Huemmelchen (the scale of the instrument has also been recorded by
Praetorius).

: > 3. Who does play this instrument today? Could you please contact me. I


: > have so many questions on practical matters that might not interest
: > the newsgroup.

: >

Me, for example. Feel free to mail ...

: > Thanks,
: >
: > Maarten van Damme
: > mvd...@xs4all.nl
:

You're welcome (seriously),
Thomas
--

Dr. Thomas Sauer Tel +49 9131 852457
Mathematical Institute Fax +49 9131 852684
University Erlangen--Nuremberg
Bismarckstr. 1 1/2
D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Young man, in mathematics you don't understand things, you just get used
to them. -- John von Neumann (1903-1957)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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