<P> The hurdy - gurdy is generally thought to have originated from fiddles in either Europe or the Middle East ( e.g. , the rebab instrument ) some time before the eleventh century A.D. The first recorded reference to fiddles in Europe was in the 9th century by the Persian geographer Ibn Khurradadhbih ( d . 911 ) describing the lira ( lūrā ) as a typical instrument within the Byzantine Empire . One of the earliest forms of the hurdy - gurdy was the organistrum , a large instrument with a guitar - shaped body and a long neck in which the keys were set ( covering one diatonic octave ) . The organistrum had a single melody string and two drone strings , which ran over a common bridge , and a relatively small wheel . Due to its size , the organistrum was played by two people , one of whom turned the crank while the other pulled the keys upward . Pulling keys upward is cumbersome , so only slow tunes could be played on the organistrum . </P>
<P> The hurdy - gurdy is generally thought to have originated from fiddles in either Europe or the Middle East ( e.g. , the rebab instrument ) some time before the eleventh century A.D. The first recorded reference to fiddles in Europe was in the 9th century by the Persian geographer Ibn Khurradadhbih ( d . 911 ) describing the lira ( lūrā ) as a typical instrument within the Byzantine Empire . One of the earliest forms of the hurdy - gurdy was the organistrum , a large instrument with a guitar - shaped body and a long neck in which the keys were set ( covering one diatonic octave ) . The organistrum had a single melody string and two drone strings , which ran over a common bridge , and a relatively small wheel . Due to its size , the organistrum was played by two people , one of whom turned the crank while the other pulled the keys upward . Pulling keys upward is cumbersome , so only slow tunes could be played on the organistrum . </P>
what is the origin of the hurdy gurdy
what is the origin of the hurdy gurdy
fiddles in either Europe or the Middle East ( e.g. , the rebab instrument ) some time before the eleventh century A.D.
fiddles in either Europe or the Middle East ( e.g. , the rebab instrument ) some time before the eleventh century A.D.