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LuteLute Hurdy GurdyBulgaria Wood, ebony, string, metal, bone, leather
The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument that produces sound by a hand-crank turned as a rosined wheel rubs against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to those of a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents (small wedges, typically made of wood) against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board and hollow cavity to make the vibration of the strings audible. Aside from the melody strings, multiple drone strings provide a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes. Like the bagpipe, it was widespread throughout Europe, but was associated with local traditions, mainly in Bulgaria, France and Belarus. The ancestor to the hurdy-gurdy dates back to the 12th and 13th century (Middle Ages), when it was used in churches. Today, they are used for traditional dances and even in jazz and rock music.
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