or of the theoretical explanations is not mentioned. The afterword of this collection is of interest, since the author draws attention to the fact that the hurdy-gurdy belongs in other hands and was only brought to attention by a fad (see page 409).
Next to these two short methods are other methods which are much more detailed and which appear later, of which the best and most extensive was written by François Bouin: "La Vielleuse habile ou nouvelle Methode courte, très facile,et très sure Pour Apprendre a jouer de la Vielle. Oeuvre IIIe, Paris (1761)". [translation JW: "The able hurdy-gurdy player (femenine) or a short,very easy and sure method for learning to play the hurdy-gurdy"]. He described with great exactitude and scope the particulars of the hurdy-gurdy and how to play it, and above all took into consideration that many players had no musical education to speak of. Bouin therefore prefaced his method with a general theoretical discussion on note values, clefs, pauses, key indications, tempi, etc. After this he mentions the different types of hurdy-gurdy, the 'vielle en luth' and the 'vielle en guitare', then discusses how to hold the instrument, the position of the player's arms and hands, and then the tuning and tonal range of the hurdy-gurdy as well as the tuning of the sympathetic strings. From the fingering he comes to the wheel and its operation. In the opening remarks regarding the hurdy-gurdy Bouin says that this instrument does not suit everyone's taste [fn], but that it could,
when played well, take its place with the best of instruments. In discussing the wheel the author draws attention especially to its significance for the hurdy-gurdy: "C'est la roue qui donne l'ame à cet instrument" [fn] [translation JW: "It is the wheel that gves the hurdy-gurdy its soul"], and: "Sans le secours de la roue, la vielle ne sçauroit ni briller, ni se soutenir" [fn]. [translation JW: "Without the aid of the wheel , the hurdy-gurdy would not be able to shine or sustain itself"]. Next he speaks of the division of the wheel's revolution to correspond with the note values, and about the use of this rhythmical accentuation in the different types of pieces which are to be played on the hurdy-gurdy (see page 65); Bouin himself must have been a very good player, for he mentions several difficulties in playing which are not considered in the other methods. Thus he explains that notes of the same pitch which follow after one another and are connected by a tie are not to be articulated by a repeated movement of the finger, but by the wheel. In the case of four eighth notes of different pitches connected by a tie the notes are played with an entire revolution of the wheel without pause, and are only separated when they are to be played staccato [fn]. Pauses within a piece pose considerable difficulties, since on account of the harmonic impression the wheel cannot be turned further, and yet on account of the pause the starting position of the crank for the first note ensuing often is not correct. Therefore the last note before the pause has to be played so skillfully that the crank reaches again the correct starting point [fn]. If one wanted to increase the loudness of a sustained note, then the wheel could be turned slowly at first and then continually faster; the opposite procedure was used if the note was to be softened [fn].
These and other details which Bouin discusses prove that the most important thing to learn in playing the hurdy-gurdy was the so-called 'coup de poignet': that is, the division of the revolution of the wheel into different sections, whereby each section is introduced by a jerking motion of the hand, so that the 'trompette'
buzzes (see page 60). After these practical explanations follow various ornaments and their execution, and at the end Bouin discusses the use of cotton, rosin, and the care and preservation of the hurdy-gurdy. He advises that when the keys no longer fall back easily the player should put the hurdy-gurdy into his bed in the morning just after he has risen, and to cover it well, but never 