By: Alkelda,
on 2/27/2008
I asked the multi-talented musician Robert Resnik (who knows how to play more than 30 instruments) for recommendations on hurdy-gurdy music. Resnik pointed me to Nigel Eaton. If you've ever listened to a Loreena McKennitt album or some of Robert Plant's and Jimmy Page's music in the mid-nineties, you've probably heard Nigel Eaton. Eaton's MySpace page has free music downloads and links to videos
Jump on over to ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
whimsybooks to read her post. Come on. Everybody play!
I hand wrote thank you notes to Sharon Draper and Joan Bauer. As they are enormously successful, I don't expect they needed the boost, but they are two authors who hooked me on YA literature. There were others, and I may write more letters. I've already commented on Laurie Halse Andersons page about her incredible books, and how my students devour them. I may send a note to Joyce Sweeney, except I see her twice a year, and it's much more fun to praise her work in person. Same with Alex Flinn, Dorian Cirrone, Edward Bloor, Gaby Triana, and Laurie Friedman. Amazing Florida writers, all of them. I probably shouldn't have started listing names, because I'm sure I left someone off. I should go browse my bookshelf. Oh my gosh, I could go on and on. But I can't write them all thank you notes. See? That's why you have to play, too! We have to spread the joy! Have fun.
What an interesting looking instrument. Thanks for sharing this!
So, that's what one looks like?
HWM: You're welcome! I think it has a really cool sound.
Jules: You were expecting a barrel-organ, yes?;)
For music look into Patrick Bouffard (the best player in the world), Blowzabella, Gille Chabernaz, Le Brayauds, Matthais Loibner, and Tarif De Nuit. Most Renaissance and Medieval music will fit in the range of the instrument or transpose to fit. By the way the HG player for Loreena McKennit is Ben Grossman who is a great player in his own right from Canada.
If I read correctly you are in Seattle which is the HG Mecca of the US. Olympic Music is there as well as the Over the Water Hurdy Gurdy Festival every September.
Scott
Scott: Thanks so much! I really appreciate all of these resources. I'll amend my blog post to reflect that the HG player for Loreena McKennitt is Ben Grossman (though I did see videos of Eaton playing live for McKennitt). As I understand it, the Over the Water Hurdy Gurdy Festival is for HG players, not listeners-- is that correct?