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Hey guys, I saw this video clip on Oregon Public Broadcasting, about a guy who makes ancient instruments by hand, and could not believe the great hair, around pretty serious machinery. I always wanted to know how these things were made...
Here is the link if you are interested:
http://www.opb.org/programs/artbeat/videos/view/158-George-Leverett
They make harps, hurdy gerdies, dulcimers and the like.
Check it out. It might be the first time I have seen a GUY play a full size harp as well.
-Daniel
Hey Daniel, thanks for posting that link...what a fascinating video and such a charming pair they are. Such talent...a very pleasant thing to watch.
Hope all is well in your world.
Cheers,
Max
Visit "Dusty Strings" in Seattle WA. All kinds of things made there and some beautiful harps of which they are well known for making. Difficult to play they are...........but I've seen some Longhairs play them really nice.
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That made my day Daniel. I have never seen a hurdy gurdy before but I do remember that song by Donovan fron 1968. I was a lad of 15 at the time. I loved the 60s and wished they would never end.
Scott
HURDY GURDY MAN
Donovan
Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I open my eyes to take a peep
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquillity.
'Twas then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Came singing songs of love,
Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Came singing songs of love.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity.
'Tis then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Comes singing songs of love,
Then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Comes singing songs of love.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang.
Here comes the roly poly man and he's singing songs of love,
Roly poly, roly poly, roly poly, poly he sang.
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang,
Hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, hurdy gurdy, gurdy he sang
Hey Scott,
Donovan was one of my very favorite recording artists from the era of The Summer of Love, with a kind of Beaux Artes sensibility about him, with the english accent.
What I think is cool about this clip, is that the maker admits that the Hurdy Gurdy is almost like a wooden computer, with some very intricate parts.
Glad you enjoyed.
-Daniel
High!
And, not to forget, he took a trip on the Hippie Trail to Kabul back then!
The song "Hurdy Gurdy Man" I know primarily from Steve Hillage's cover version, from the "L" album...
See you in Khyberspace!
Yadgar
Hi- thanks for writing about us. I saw one of the responses referring to Donovan and thought I would mention that I did play & sing the tune 'hurdy gurdy man' for the PBS segment, on an actual hurdy gurdy! (it seemed so 'avant garde')but alas, they edited it out for final broadcast.
By the way long hair around machinery- indeed! Most days I tie it back for work. Overall I've avoided problems problems with machinery, but glue is what always gets me- it seems about twice a week I'm cutting out some hair that I accidently glued together.
our website
Hey George, Thanks so much for your post. That WAS the one question I had when I watched the show. (I think that Oregon ArtBeat is a great program, by the way), Your hair just looked amazing, and like you are very, very used to living with long hair, no big deal. I mentioned the program to everyone at work, and many were interested in the instruments as well. Thanks for getting in touch, and you will now know how huge your following is!
Thanks,
-Daniel
That is SO cool! And I see the gentlman has found his way to MLHH to reply. I love Medieval music and instruments. He's got nice hair, and a lovely shade of blonde too.
Loreena McKennitts' song and video "The Mummers Dance" features a hurdy-gurdy. You can get a good look at about 2 min and 29 seconds into the video. Oh, and check out the nice long hair on the lute player.
Mummers Dance Video
Thanks Daniel for posting this ! And thanks Georges for having made this great video. It's very instructive. By the way, I had the opportunity to try a hurdy-gurdy with a friend of mine; it's a strange instrument, kind of "out of time", but I really love the sound.
Vivien