Historical Innovations: The Buzzing Bridge of the Hurdy-Gurdy

 

Angel with early hurdy-gurdy (detail from Sforza Book of Hours, Italy, ca. 1490)

Introduction & Background:

I first learned of the hurdy-gurdy a few years ago, when my dad showed me a video of one, thinking I’d like it, despite the name — he was right, and this strange medieval instrument has been on my radar ever since. The hurdy-gurdy, also known as a “wheel fiddle” or a vielle à roue in French, is a complex stringed instrument with origins in 11^th or 12^th century Europe. It consists of 1–3 melody strings, which are controlled by a keybox, and 2–4 drone strings, which continually play the same note(s). All are activated by a rosined wheel turned by a crank, rather than a normal bow (as with a violin), hence the alternate name of “wheel fiddle/violin.” As can be grasped by the number ranges for the strings, the hurdy-gurdy is still a dedicated folk instrument, with a lot of regional variation. This variation also includes the size of the wheel, and the shape of the wooden body, which can range from very boxy and rectangular to rounded, like a lute.

In researching the historical development of the hurdy-gurdy, I came across mentions of a “buzzing bridge,” or “dog,” as a feature of some versions of the instrument — and this piqued my curiosity. Usually with stringed instruments, buzzing is the sign of a mistake and to be avoided. However, around the time of the Renaissance, the “buzzing bridge” appeared as an innovative addition to an already complicated instrument; its introduction gave the hurdy-gurdy a new percussive element, which allowed players to maintain a rhythm alongside the drones and melody. This additional piece is thought to have been borrowed from another contemporary bowed string instrument, called a tromba marina, which had a single, long string and a buzzing bridge, giving it a characteristic brassy sound. The buzzing of the bridge on the hurdy-gurdy also sounds a little brassy, just like its source.

Parts of the hurdy-gurdy (with dog)

When asked to describe the sound of a hurdy-gurdy equipped with a “dog,” longtime hurdy-gurdy makers Alden and Cali Hackmann gave the accurate and amusing answer of “a cross between a fiddle and a bagpipe, with someone keeping time on a kazoo.” In line with this description, the original hurdy-gurdy would sound like this also, minus the kazoo.

As far as mechanics, Wikipedia explains it like this: “The free end of the dog [the buzzing bridge] rests on the soundboard of the hurdy-gurdy and is more or less free to vibrate. […] When the crank is struck, the hammer lifts up suddenly and vibrates against the soundboard, producing a characteristic rhythmic buzz that is used as an articulation or to provide percussive effect, especially in dance pieces.”

If, like me, you are wondering at this point why these buzzing bridges are called dogs, it’s because the French version of this innovation kind of look like dogs (chiens):

Detail of dogs (chiens)

While this was a historical development that occurred sometime in the 14^th or 15^th century, some versions of the hurdy-gurdy continue into the present without the addition of a buzzing bridge, which allows us to easily compare their sounds today. As there are many variations, I will be looking at the standard French version (with a dog), and a Russian version (without a dog).

Examples:

Before getting into the comparison, I have provided a few preliminary examples so that the differences in sound can truly be appreciated (the first 20–30 seconds of each video):

The original sound of the hurdy-gurdy (without buzzing bridge):

This piece was composed and performed by Russian hurdy-gurdist Andrey Vinogradov, who specializes in “Neo-medieval music for hurdy-gurdy.” As you can hear, while the droning could almost be characterized as “buzzy,” it is constant and the effect isn’t truly a buzzing sound, but is just the vibrations of the drone strings interacting with each other underneath the melody. It is a highly complex sound, dark and intense.

Now, here is an example of a hurdy-gurdy with the historical innovation of the buzzing bridge: Sean Folsom playing a Vielle à Roue (click on the link to listen to this one on YouTube; playback has been disallowed)

In this video, Sean Folsom of France plays a classic vielle à roue. You can immediately hear the difference that this addition makes to the sound of the hurdy-gurdy. There is now a percussive element that adds rhythmic articulation options to its play — the music is now very lively/jaunty and “catchy.” It’s very good for dance tunes, which was one of the main ways this addition was used historically.

If you don't want to click away, here’s another example that specifically showcases this feature (by instructor and player Scott Gayman, US):

The effect is even clearer in this last one, where the player Nigel Eaton (UK) demos how to activate the buzzing bridge (with no accompanying melody):

Comparison & Analysis:

With the differences established, I will briefly compare two pieces of music — one with the buzzing bridge, and one without — and give my personal impressions of them. To make a fair comparison of this feature in action, I chose two hurdy-gurdy compositions of the “dance” genre.

This piece, “Wedding Schottische” (2021, UK), was composed by Nick Wiseman-Ellis and performed by hurdy-gurdist Steve Tyler:

This example, “Reverse Dance” (2019, RU), without the buzzing bridge, is by the same Russian instrumentalist and composer as before, Andrey Vinogradov:

Having listened to both in succession, the main elements of difference that stand out to me in these works are timbre and rhythm.

In Tyler’s performance, he almost makes the buzzing bridge sound like shakers/maracas, and he keeps a clearly distinguishable rhythm going — as described above, this is perfect for dancing. Accenting the rhythm with buzzing makes it easier to pick out, and the somewhat brassy buzz which has been added to the instrument’s sound — similar to the buzzing of bees, to my ears — adds an element of fun that is not really there in the sans-dog version of instrument (referring back to the earlier “kazoo” description, I think kazoos are intrinsically fun). It feels very lively and social. The syncopation of the buzzing percussion would also make it easier to hear over the talking and laughing of a noisy social gathering, giving it a practical appeal. Additionally, the added percussion and complication of timbre take this instrument even further in the direction of a “one-man band.” Personally, though, “brassy” is not my favorite timbre, and the buzzing bridge can start to become overpowering to me. I know a lot of people like it, but the sound of the instrument is already so complex, I start to get a headache with the added buzzing syncopation.

In contrast, the performance without a buzzing bridge is much smoother, and the rhythm more subtle, allowing the beat to pulse in a strong undercurrent. In Vinogradov’s piece, the way he makes some of the high notes ring out in the melody almost sounds like an electric violin. These notes are strident, with a beautiful rasp — and while it might be there, I don’t really hear this quality in Tyler’s performance, crowded as it is by the buzzing. The tone of this piece retains the dark intensity of the hurdy-gurdy, and, while a quick and lilting dance tune, it doesn’t quite cross over into “fun,” but almost has a somber quality. Ultimately, I think the lack of a buzzing bridge allows the complexity of the original sound of the hurdy-gurdy (the combination of drone strings and keyed melody) to really shine.

Conclusion:

To summarize, the innovative buzzing bridge or French “dog” was introduced during the Renaissance to some versions of the hurdy-gurdy, to provide a lively percussion element, and this was especially useful for dance pieces. While both versions of the instrument have their strengths, and I can appreciate the options provided by the buzzing bridge for different kinds of music, I personally find the buzzing irritating after a while (to clarify, sensorially irritating, not emotionally). I can’t really listen to “Wedding Schottische” all the way through without taking a few breaks, whereas the relatively smoother sound of the hurdy-gurdy in “Reverse Dance” generally stays within my tolerance level.

Sources:

With buzzing bridge:

 Folsom, Sean. “SEAN FOLSOM, French HURDY GURDY or ‘Vielle a Roue,’” Youtube, uploaded by HEADSUPBERKELEY, 3 Sept. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-kRHwVWTR4.

“Hurdy Gurdy part 4 my trompette ‘technique,’” Youtube, uploaded by Nigel Eaton, 13 Nov. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Thw6CsXo4.

“Hurdy Gurdy Coup technique - Chypre (Cypress),” Youtube, uploaded by Scott Gayman, 14 Sept. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPox3K4qCIE.

Wiseman, Nick. “Wedding Schottische,” Youtube, uploaded by Steve Tyler, 11 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJtn8JT9_Os.

Without buzzing bridge:

“Dark Ballad Of A Warrior. Epic Medieval Ballad. Hurdy-Gurdy Solo,” Youtube, uploaded by Andrey Vinogradov, 21 July 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dPHRxvs3KY.

“Reverse Dance. Medieval Dance. Hurdy-Gurdy Solo,” Youtube, uploaded by Andrey Vinogradov, 19 Nov. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o87BlGd18I.

References:

Rech, Adelheid. “Music in the Daily Life of Vermeer: The Hurdy-Gurdy,” essentialvermeer.com, 2022, www.essentialvermeer.com/folk_music/hurdygurdy.html.

“What Is the Weird Buzzing Sound in Hurdy-Gurdy Music?” Gurdyworld.com, 9 Aug. 2023, gurdyworld.com/gurdyblogs/trompette/.

“Hurdy-Gurdy.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurdy-gurdy.

Hackmann, Alden & Cali. “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ),” Olympic Musical Instruments, www.hurdygurdy.com, www.hurdygurdy.com/faq.htm.