Lira Korbowa – the Hurdy Gurdy
As a kid, I read about what I thought was the most
amazing musical instrument—one that itinerant musician-storytellers
played in old
It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I
finally encountered an actual hurdy gurdy at a folk festival. That was a
reproduction of a nineteenth-century French instrument, and it just seemed too
fancy, too delicate to be carried about on muddy tracks like I’d read
about and even dreamed of doing…
Years later, while living in the old city of
A lira korbowa,
or Polish hurdy gurdy, like the first copy I made in
Since that time in 1997, I have made instruments replicating museum pieces (one hurdy gurdy and two proto-violins remain in the collection of the Ethnographic Museum of Krakow, Poland), copies of existing instruments, instruments designed from pictures, and others simply from my fancy.
In
its thousand-year history in
lira korbowa
The Polish/Ukrainian lira korbowa (hurdy
gurdy) tradition is that of a heavily-built instrument used exclusively for
accompanying the solo singing of epic, religious and historical ballads. These
are dark-toned, somber sounding instruments with a single row of keys to
produce a diatonic scale. As with the Appalacian dulcimer, the pitches of the
two drones are changed to create different modes.
I
was quite fortunate to be allowed to observe, measure, and photograph the
collection of musical instruments at the
vielle a roué
These
are two of my French style instruments. The guitar-shaped vielle a
roué, popular in the baroque, calls for an exceptionally large
wheel. It gives more volume and better control of the particularly made
“chien” or buzzing bridge, that gives this dance instrument a
lively bark!
These instruments are made with sturdy bracing and a
light skin, to produce a bright, loud sound for dance music. This was the
instrument of the French Baroque court, and a body of written music exists
for it. French country dance is one of the few remaining living traditions
where vielle is used.
The French folk dance tradition of hurdy gurdy is one of the few that have survived into the 20th century, and certainly is the most recognized style of hurdy gurdy construction and playing.
my own models
After experimenting with several styles and concepts, I developed my own “Stefcio” model, combining elements of Polish/Ukrainian, Hungarian, French and Bohemian museum pieces, reconstructions and modern instruments to create a compact, versatile hurdy gurdy:
the original “Stefcio”
This is my prototype, with every experiment I could think of built in to it!
“Voyageur”
A more “French” instrument, here in koa and mahogany, the “Voyageur” has a chromatic keyboard, “dog,” or buzzing string, and thin top, back and sides. Those are combined with typical features of Polish and Ukrainian “liry,” including a medium-sized, stout wheel—all in a small (52 cm long) size! The resulting instrument is similar to the violin, in that it is loud enough to play outdoors and for dancers, yet able to blend with a variety of ensembles on stage and indoors.
“Wedrowiec”
Polish for wanderer,
“Wedrowiec” keeps the simplicity of the original lira korbowa. Like
old liry, it has heavier construction, flat top and back, smallish wheel and a
diatonic keyboard. Unlike the old instruments, I’ve added a second melody
string (for tone and added volume) and optionally, I can install a buzzing
bridge.
Here’s the new, improved
Stefcio!
While
getting ready to travel to
Pretty cool, huh?