What is a Hurdy Gurdy ???

[SarahND]

The Hurdy-Gurdy was indeed a stringed musical instrument with melodic strings and sympathetic strings. It was played...

Russell Please Why this past tense My brother makes and plays hurdy gurdies as well as lutes and is still very much in the present
Regards,
Sarah

[GTSCOT]

Thanks one and all for all the wonderfull answers. I thought this would be the best place to get definitive and colourful answers. Our small family discussion has been settled. I appreciate everyone taking the time to answer. All the best.

[Russell]

Hi Sarah

I used the past tense only in relation to the Scottish musical scene. There are some excellent luthiers in Scotland but, to the best of my knowledge, no-one still makes Hurdy-Gurdys.
I like the sound it makes and it gives a good accompaniment to the voice.
It is a bit like the Combolins the Corries used to use for Scottish music.

Russell

[nelmit]

Surely the iron hoop & stick is a gird (gurd) & cleek.

Muriel

I know it as a cleek and girdle.

Regards,
Annette

[PaulaD]

It is a bit like the Combolins the Corries used to use for Scottish music.

Russell

Oh Russell, you've brought back some very happy memories. I loved the Corries and saw them in the Caley in Edinburgh several times and also at the Albert Hall in London where they refused to sing Flower o Scotland in case it upset the English members of the audience

Paula

[davran]

Up until a year or so ago, there was a chap who played the Hurdy Gurdy in Canterbury (Kent) just outside the cathedral entrance. He was a great tourist attraction, but has now retired.

[tishgibbons]

Here in Ireland a hurdy gurdy was one of the rides at a funfair - as children we used to refer to the fair as the hurdy gurdies or the swingin' boats!!

Tish

[dizzybint]

isnt a hurdy gurdy an organ with a handle on the side and monkey on top..

[Hibee]

I remember them when they were the Corrie Folk Trio (have vague recollection of a fourth person). You used to get subjected to the "folk scene" of a Sunday, as they played in licenced hotels, and these were the only places open for a drink in Scotland, on the Sabbath.

Hibee

[Russell]

Hi Hibee

They were the Corrie Folk Four and Paddy Bell when they sang in the newly formed Paisley folk song club. My that rolls back a lot of years

Hurdy gurdies were a cross between an autoharp and a barrel organ

and Tish we used to call the big boats "Sweezie boats" across in the Lothians. You had to pull ropes to get them swinging. Cheap way of entertaining the kids. Take their pocket money then ask them to do the work

Russell