Crowdy-crawn facts for kids
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Frame drum |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 211.311 (Directly struck membranophone) |
| Related instruments | |
| Bodhrán | |
A crowdy-crawn is a special kind of drum. It's made from a wooden hoop covered with sheepskin. People in western Cornwall, a region in England, have used it as a percussion instrument since at least the 1880s.
This drum is quite similar to the Bodhrán, which is a traditional Irish drum. Today, some Cornish traditional music groups use the crowdy-crawn. It can be played on its own or to add rhythm to other instruments. The name "crowdy-crawn" comes from the Cornish words "croder croghen". This means "skin sieve," and sometimes people just call it a "crowd."
Contents
What is a Crowdy-crawn?
A crowdy-crawn is a type of frame drum. This means it's a drum where the drumhead (the skin) is stretched over a shallow frame or hoop. When you hit it, the skin vibrates and makes a sound. This makes it a Directly struck membranophone, which is a fancy way of saying it's a drum you hit directly.
Where Did It Come From?
The crowdy-crawn likely started as a simple farm tool. It was used for gathering or measuring grain, like corn or wheat. Imagine a tool like a sieve, which is used to separate things.
From Farm Tool to Musical Instrument
The Irish Bodhrán also came from a farm tool called a "riddle." A riddle was used to sift out rough bits from harvested grain. People would take these riddles, remove the wire mesh, and use the wooden frame. Then, they would stretch a skin over it to make a drum.
This idea of a "riddle drum" was also known in other parts of England, like Dorset and Wiltshire. Long ago, people didn't use wire riddles for grain. Instead, they used stretched sheepskins with small holes poked in them. This suggests that drums made from stretched animal skins were common in many places.
More Than Just a Drum
When it wasn't being used in the fields, the crowdy-crawn had another purpose. People in old country homes in West Cornwall used it to store small items. It was a handy place for "odd things" that didn't have a special spot.
A Multi-Purpose Item
So, the crowdy-crawn was a sieve, a storage basket, and a musical instrument! It could even be used like a tambourine for dancers. Its main job was originally to measure corn.
Today, the term "crowdy-crawn" has a new meaning too. It can describe a gathering of people for Cornish cultural activities. These gatherings might include storytelling, lace-making, quilting, or spinning.
Crowdy Crawn in Music
The name "Crowdy Crawn" is also the title of an album. It was released in 1973 by a famous Cornish singer named Brenda Wootton. She made the album with Richard Gendall.
