Paul Dresher demonstrates the Hurdy Grande with a short improvisation

The Hurdy Grande was inspired by the medieval European folk instrument, the hurdy gurdy. About the size and proportions of a guitar (and often seen in paintings of folk revels by Bruegel or, in an imaginary giant form in Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights) the unique feature of the traditional hurdy gurdy is that its strings are mechanically bowed with a hand-cranked wooden wheel. However, our instrument is much larger, with a string length about 4 times that of the traditional hurdy gurdy and to free up both hands for more musically engaging tasks, it has a variable speed motor that turns the bowing wheel. This addition makes possible many unique performance techniques that allow a single (or more) performer(s) to play in a fashion similar to the piano - using both hands to create multiple independent melodies, chords and/or rhythms, something that is impossible on any traditional bowed stringed instrument. The instrument was invented and built in collaboration with Daniel Schmidt, with essential help from Matt Heckert. The prototype of the Hurdy Grande was created for my music theater work Schick Machine and this new design is used in concert works and in the hand’s on invented instrument installation work The Sound Maze.

[dubhdavidblack]

Really fascinating and enchanting work, well done indeed!

[uweeoncbmd]

Hey, this sounds amazing! This, together with your other video with the metal ring, are really amazing sound objects.

[timmungenast]

I love this amazing instrument and how you play it! I think somewhere in Heaven, Hans Reichel is smiling.

[giuseppepisano]

I'm thinking of building a motorized hurdy gurdy as well, what sort of motor did you use and how did you make it so silent?

[PatrickPease]

terrible, or terrible demo. or maybe I'll call in love with it like I did with free jazz when I finally understood what it's about. but for now, bad

[twokoolskool]

Would have liked to hear an actual arrangement instead of just random noises...