Vielle a Roue (Hurdy Gurdy), Vivaldi, Mozart, 24-bit/44.1 kHz

This is a 24-bit/44.1 kHz transcription using high-end analog equipment of an LP on Arion Records (ARN 36 297), featuring Michèle Fromenteau playing the vielle à roue, also known as the hurdy gurdy, wheel fiddle, or symphonia. This remarkable instrument bows one or more melody and drone strings with a rosined wheel that the player turns with a hand crank while fingering the melody string(s) by pressing on the keys of a keyboard using the other hand. More information and pictures can be found in the Wikipedia article Hurdy Gurdy.

The rough, complex sound of this instrument may challenge the sensibilities even of fans of shawms, crumhorns, and organ reed stops--but no survey of timbres is complete without it. The LP transcribed for this torrent is in excellent condition with hardly any tracking distortion.

I have recently uploaded several other 24-bit LP transcriptions of comparable quality, and will be doing more in the near future. You can find them by clicking on my user id.

Equipment used for A/D conversion: Lyra Helikon phono cartridge, Linn LP12/Lingo turntable, Linn Ittok tonearm, Audioquest LeoPard tonearm cable, PS Audio PS2 preamplifier, Kimber PBJ interconnect, M-Audio Audiophile USB A/D converter.

A1 - [2:37]

Anonymous (13th c.) - Danse Royale (w/ small percussion instruments)
Thoinot Arbeau (1519-1595) - Danceries: allemande and gavotte (w/ small percussion instruments)

A2 - [9:27]

Anonymous (18th c.) - Suite de Contredanses
Jean Hotteterre (?-1720) - Noce Champetre: marche and contredanse (w/ cello and harpsichord)
Esprit Philippe Chedeville (1696-1762) - Laissez Paitre vos Bêtes (w/ viol)

A3 - [6:51]

Charles Buterne (active after 1752) - Suite Pastorale (w/ harpsichord and bassoon)

B1 - [9:13]

Antonio Vivaldi (1676-1741) - Il Pastor Fido, Sonata no. 1 (w/ cello and harpsichord)

B2 - [7:06]

Michel Corrette (1709-1795) - La Servante au Bon Tabac (w/ orchestra)
J.-D. Doche (1766-1825) - Aid de Fanchon La Vielleuse
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Danse Allemande no. 3, K. 602 (w/ orchestra)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - Menuet no. 2, K. 601 (w/ orchestra)

NOTE: To the best of my knowledge, this recording is not currently available commercially. If you know otherwise, please let me know ASAP, as I do not wish any artists to be deprived of the royalties that they so richly deserve.