| The Strange Life of the Hurdy Gurdy |
The hurdy-gurdy is a string instrument that produces sound similar to a bagpipe.
The continuous sound is produced by the action of a rotating wheel, turned by a
hand crank, rubbing against strings, just as violin strings are sounded by a bow being
drawn across them. Some think that the instrument was imported from France by
the Ukrainian Cossacks who took part in The Thirty Years War, but others think it
originated in the northern part of Iberia some time prior to the eleventh century
A.D., and still others have said it originated with the Moors.
The continuous sound is produced by the action of a rotating wheel, turned by a
hand crank, rubbing against strings, just as violin strings are sounded by a bow being
drawn across them. Some think that the instrument was imported from France by
the Ukrainian Cossacks who took part in The Thirty Years War, but others think it
originated in the northern part of Iberia some time prior to the eleventh century
A.D., and still others have said it originated with the Moors.
An English decree from 1651 that travelling musicians had proper licenses stated: "The hurdy-
gurdyists, both men and women should be removed completely so that we no longer need to see their
vulgar and disorderly talk and gestures which the travelling musicians delight in cultivating together
with other impertinances." It fell from popularity then re-emerged as a novelty among the nobility in
the 17th and 18th centuries, and older guitars and lutes were sometimes rebuilt into hurdy-gurdies.
Haydn wrote 2 concerti for the hurdy-gurdy, Mozart included it a piece or two and Schubert's hinted
at it in "Der Leiermann."
gurdyists, both men and women should be removed completely so that we no longer need to see their
vulgar and disorderly talk and gestures which the travelling musicians delight in cultivating together
with other impertinances." It fell from popularity then re-emerged as a novelty among the nobility in
the 17th and 18th centuries, and older guitars and lutes were sometimes rebuilt into hurdy-gurdies.
Haydn wrote 2 concerti for the hurdy-gurdy, Mozart included it a piece or two and Schubert's hinted
at it in "Der Leiermann."
Then, there was the other definition of a Hurdy Gurdy. Poor Hessian farmers in
the 1820s made wooden brooms and fly-whisks during the winter to sell in
summer at nearby markets, and the sales expanded into other German cities and
town and eventually even to France and England.
the 1820s made wooden brooms and fly-whisks during the winter to sell in
summer at nearby markets, and the sales expanded into other German cities and
town and eventually even to France and England.
They found that their wares sold better if they brought along dancing girls who
played the Hurdy Gurdy. This gave birth to a sort of 19th century "pimp" who
would talk the parents of these young girls into letting them travel with him and
entertain in dance halls on the promise they would send a fair portion of their
earnings home. The poverty-struck parents agreed, and the "Hurdy-Gurdy girls"
and "Hessian Broom Girls" ended up all over the globe. Many travelled out to
gold-rush California or Alaska, while others ended up in the Australia mining
regions. By 1865, laws were passed in Germany to prevent the practise of
enticing young girls into what was considered a debauch life, and the practise, at
least in public, died out.
played the Hurdy Gurdy. This gave birth to a sort of 19th century "pimp" who
would talk the parents of these young girls into letting them travel with him and
entertain in dance halls on the promise they would send a fair portion of their
earnings home. The poverty-struck parents agreed, and the "Hurdy-Gurdy girls"
and "Hessian Broom Girls" ended up all over the globe. Many travelled out to
gold-rush California or Alaska, while others ended up in the Australia mining
regions. By 1865, laws were passed in Germany to prevent the practise of
enticing young girls into what was considered a debauch life, and the practise, at
least in public, died out.
The dance hall women provided entertainment and companionship for men, especially in the far west
which at the time had a predominantly male population, in some areas over 90%. Arrayed in
scandalous calf length skirts, they wore kid boots that often sported tassels, and stockings held up by
garters. Their shirts were low cut and showed cleavage and they also wore make-up and often dyed
their hair. The Hurdy Gurdy girls are an interesting part of the history of the American old west.
which at the time had a predominantly male population, in some areas over 90%. Arrayed in
scandalous calf length skirts, they wore kid boots that often sported tassels, and stockings held up by
garters. Their shirts were low cut and showed cleavage and they also wore make-up and often dyed
their hair. The Hurdy Gurdy girls are an interesting part of the history of the American old west.
Bonnie are the hurdies, O!
The German hurdy-gurdies, O!
The daftest hour that ere I spent,
Was dancin' wi' the hurdies, O!
Last summer we had lassies here
Frae Germany-the hurdies, O!
And troth I wot, as I'm a Scot,
They were the bonnie hurdies, O!
They left the creek wi' lots o' gold,
Danced frae oor lads sae clever, O!
blessin's on their 'sour kraut' heads,
Gif they stay awa for ever, O!
The German hurdy-gurdies, O!
The daftest hour that ere I spent,
Was dancin' wi' the hurdies, O!
Last summer we had lassies here
Frae Germany-the hurdies, O!
And troth I wot, as I'm a Scot,
They were the bonnie hurdies, O!
They left the creek wi' lots o' gold,
Danced frae oor lads sae clever, O!
blessin's on their 'sour kraut' heads,
Gif they stay awa for ever, O!
There was great joy at the arrival of the Hurdy girls. Four girls made up a typical Hurdy company,
and they were generally accompanied by a married couple, often with children of their own, who
chaperoned them at all times, plus two or more musicians who usually played an accordion. These
girls traveled on foot from camp to camp, and remained in one camp as long as they made good
money.. or married.
and they were generally accompanied by a married couple, often with children of their own, who
chaperoned them at all times, plus two or more musicians who usually played an accordion. These
girls traveled on foot from camp to camp, and remained in one camp as long as they made good
money.. or married.
Peer pressure and saloon rules tended to keep the men in line, and they generally treated the girls
respectfully and bought them gifts. On top of that, customers were sold dance tickets for 75¢ or even
a $1.00 which the girls split with the saloon owner, and the girls also made a commission from the
drinks that they sold. At certain points during the evening, the music would stop and the girls would
steer the men to the bar. The customer bought the girls tea or colored sugar water served in a shot
glass thinking it was high priced whiskey. Then the dancing would begin again, and they got to dance
with the girls for the five to fifteen alloted minutes. A girl might average 50 dances a night, which
meant a lot of money. In the Gold Rush years, dance halls spread rapidly around the mining camps.
In some mining towns, hurdy houses had balconies where a rich prospector could sit and watch the
girls below, sometimes showering his favorite dancer with gold dust. Miners also stuck gold nuggets
into the Hurdy's bosom. Except in German beer halls, where wives or daughters of the owners
worked, there was generally not a "respectable" female presence in 19th century saloons, and before
the Hurdies came, the miners had to make their own all-male amusements and often had stag dances
in the saloons, the ladies being represented by men with a white handkerchief tied about their arms.
They danced the galop, a varsouvienne, waltz, mazurka, do-si-do, or a schottische.
respectfully and bought them gifts. On top of that, customers were sold dance tickets for 75¢ or even
a $1.00 which the girls split with the saloon owner, and the girls also made a commission from the
drinks that they sold. At certain points during the evening, the music would stop and the girls would
steer the men to the bar. The customer bought the girls tea or colored sugar water served in a shot
glass thinking it was high priced whiskey. Then the dancing would begin again, and they got to dance
with the girls for the five to fifteen alloted minutes. A girl might average 50 dances a night, which
meant a lot of money. In the Gold Rush years, dance halls spread rapidly around the mining camps.
In some mining towns, hurdy houses had balconies where a rich prospector could sit and watch the
girls below, sometimes showering his favorite dancer with gold dust. Miners also stuck gold nuggets
into the Hurdy's bosom. Except in German beer halls, where wives or daughters of the owners
worked, there was generally not a "respectable" female presence in 19th century saloons, and before
the Hurdies came, the miners had to make their own all-male amusements and often had stag dances
in the saloons, the ladies being represented by men with a white handkerchief tied about their arms.
They danced the galop, a varsouvienne, waltz, mazurka, do-si-do, or a schottische.
In the 1870s, the editor of one Western newspaper called the deeply appreciated
diversions "wandering daughters from the sunny banks of the Oder, the Elbe,
and the Rhine." Most were jovial escorts, what a cowboy or miner might think
of as a drinking buddy with breasts. Saloon and dance hall women were not
generally prostitutes, however some girls slipped into it due to hardship, abuse,
drug addiction or alcoholism.
diversions "wandering daughters from the sunny banks of the Oder, the Elbe,
and the Rhine." Most were jovial escorts, what a cowboy or miner might think
of as a drinking buddy with breasts. Saloon and dance hall women were not
generally prostitutes, however some girls slipped into it due to hardship, abuse,
drug addiction or alcoholism.
