Hi Robin,

Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed the latest video I posted of us playing the 2 bourrees. We all love playing for dancers and with each other. It was a blast!

Best,

Peter

Hi Carrie,

Thanks for watching and enjoying the video of my friends and I playing the 2 bourrees for a French dance. We had a lot of fun! About 35 years ago, I considered having hurdy gurdy be the next instrument I learned (after mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, bodhran and rhythm bones). Never quite got around to it.But I still enjoy hearing it and playing with it.

Peter

Hi Patty,

So glad that you enjoyed the music for the French bourrees and the dancing of the bourree. I love French folk tunes for their almost Zen like simplicity and charm!

I also share your fascination with the hurdy gurdy. In concept and layout, it's a bit like a dulcimer and a bagpipe. They all come from a time when droning was cool and the only harmony folks felt was needed. Just like a bagpipe or a traditional dulcimer---where the melody is played noter style on one string---the hurdy gurdy has a melody string and 2 (or more) drones. Instead of one's fingers pressing the strings against frets like on a MD, though, a player presses little wooden keys which stop the strings.But wait...there's more! The hurdy gurdy, which is a bowed instrument sorta like the fiddle, has the unusual ability to make percussive "buzzing" noises. This makes it a good instrument for helping dancers to hear the beat of the music clearly.

Best,

Peter

This is delightful, Peter!

That looks like fun! I enjoyed the music and the dancing . I must say I'm fascinated by that hurdy gurdy Thanks for sharing.