The interview

Hello Rolf, thank you for joining us today, How are you?

Yes, thank you for having me, I am well.

It’s good to hear that Rolf, I would like to get started with the interview if that’s alright?

Of course! Hahaha, Let’s see what questions you have for me.

Thank you, Rolf, As you may know, we will be doing interviews on medieval musical instruments, so I would like to ask you what in your opinion is a hurdy-gurdy?

We’re having an interview about musical instruments. Oh…well if you insist…I suppose it sounds like a strange instrument that sounds like something with a crank.

I take it you’re not that familiar with that instrument, Very well. Let us proceed. Have you ever played a hurdy-gurdy, and if so was it easy to use?

No, I have never played a hurdy-gurdy, and it looks very hard to use Also Georgia I will be honest with you I do not believe I am truly equipped to use a hurdy-gurdy.

I don’t suppose you would like to go into further details on that matter Rolf?

I would rather not, thank you Georgia.

Fantastic, then we shall proceed to the next question. Do you know any history of the hurdy-gurdy?

I am not very knowledgeable of what exactly a hurdy-gurdy is to be quite honest.

A hurdy-gurdy is a musical instrument that produces sound by turning a hand crank, it also has a keyboard with small tangents that can be pressed against the strings to change their pitch
 

Yes, that does sound quite like a hurdy-gurdy Georgia.
 

Of course, dear Rolf, let us go on to the next question. Since the name hurdy gurdy sounds a bit humourous, do you know any good jokes about the hurdy gurdy?
 

Hahaha…I have a really good one here for you Georgia, so what does a hurdy-gurdist spend their time doing with a hurdy-gurdy?
 

I am not so sure I know this one Rolf, what does a hurdy gurdist spend their time doing?
 

They spend eighty percent of the time tuning it and twenty percent of the time playing it out of tune!
 

That is quite humorous indeed, I shall use that one in the future…Perhaps while drinking tea.
 

The best ones always do don’t they?
 

Of course Rolf, now onto the next question. What do you think the hurdy-gurdy is related to most in relation to musical instruments?
 

I would say it is closely related to the violin because of how the hand crank wheel rubs against the strings but also it reminds me of the piano from the keys on it.
 

as we're nearing the end of the interview

Fantastic observation Rolf, I only have one more question for you tonight. And For my final question, if you were to give the hurdy-gurdy another name what would you name it?
 

I would name it a crank board, because of the crank and because of the keys on it. So I would call it…A crank board.
 

That is truly fascinating, I certainly would have never come up with that name for something that seems so…Complicated to play. Well, that’s all the time we have today for our interview. Thank you again Rolf and for taking the time to join me here today.
 

This is the end of today's interview

Georgia Clearless