occurs. The figured bass was also often used in imitation of other instruments, the tambourine for example, by being played harmonically and rhythmically scarcely or completely unchanged like a continuously repeated drone (ex. 7).
The greatest number of compositions are for two hurdy-gurdies, two musettes, or two other instruments. These compositions indicate the popularity of duos; in many of these pieces one voice follows the other in sixths or thirds (ex. 8, ex. 9). There are however a number of pieces in which one of the instruments, instead of accompanying the main voice in thirds or sixths, has more of a supporting role which is confined to the principal notes (ex. 10, ex. 11). In example 12 the main voice is executed on only one of the instruments, while the other embellishes the melody line; or both voices are equal as in a 'fugue' by
Michon (ex. 13). With the help of fast sixteenth runs or chordal breaks which one of the instruments has to play, it is often attempted to portray the character indicated by the title of the piece. Compositions of this sort has titles like "Le Tourbillon" (ex. 14) or "Lea Fureurs" (ex. 15). For two hurdy-gurdies however there were also more technically demanding pieces written, which could only be performed by skilled players.. The difficulties of these pieces lay in the rhythms which were hard to accent (ex. 16) as well as in change in rhythms (ex. 17).
Pieces intended for one hurdy-gurdy or one musette differ in no way from those written for two hurdy-gurdies or two musettes. The same thing applies to pieces in which a basso continuo is added to the melody line. Usually there is no indication given as to which line was written for which instrument (ex. 18), and the few pieces in which the composer did indicate the instruments for each voice show that the reverse arrangement would also have been possible without changing the character of the piece (ex. 19, ex. 20) In example 21 however, the two hurdy-gurdies prescribed, which accompany two equally pitched voices, could not have been exchanged for musettes, since the loud sound of two bagpipes would have drowned out the voices.
Compared to the numerous small pieces for two instruments (hurdy-gurdy or musette or hurdy-gurdy and musette) with or without general bass, the number of pieces written for more than two instruments is relatively small. There are several concerti with longer movements and in larger format by Michel Corrette . In the first five of these three movement concertos the composer used the hurdy-gurdy or musette. As in the other compositions the three melody instruments can be exchanged ; the concerti can be played on musettes, hurdy-gurdies, transverse flutes, recorders, oboes and descant viola da gamba with figured bass. The organ served as a general bass instrument. The individual voices
are handled quite simply (ex. 22): Usually two and sometimes all three melody instruments proceed in unison, whereby the leading instrument is given long solo passages (ex. 23).
A work peculiar to the instrumentation is a cantatille by Le Menu de Saint-Philibert entitled 'La Vielle' for one voice, hurdy-gurdy, or flute, violins and bass. Le Menu gives exact directions for the execution of the instrumental accompaniment and the general bass, which is supposed to be played by a harpsichord with lute stop so that a dampened tone will be produced. In the first part as well the violins are not to be bowed but plucked. The cantatille has three movements, in which a secco-recitative is flanked by two non-identical airs (exs. 24, 25, 26, 27). Except for a few places in which the soprano is accompanied by the hurdy-gurdy in thirds (ex. 28, ex. 29) the hurdy-gurdy is normally quiet when the soprano begins and is limited to two interludes.
Besides the compositions of the teacher and the virtuosi for the hurdy-gurdy there were also a great number of arrangements of other works; among these the arrangements from popular opera or ballet pieces were especially favored. But these arrangements were only seldom indicated as such by the arranger or 