Mil Mougenot of Normandy
‘Music is in his blood. Being an artisanal luthier lifelong, his passion.’
Meet Mil Mougenot — a true Normand. He’s the Hurdy Gurdy Man, and he’s singing songs of love.
Whether busking, gospel, performing folk, medieval street music or in his most recent creative work within the Dark Country Rock group RELOAD, he is … ON.
Residing in a small town near Domfront with his wife, home is packed with instruments, many friends, and … oh … by the way … hurdy gurdies. He makes them.
In northern France (imagine that!) hurdy gurdies were used in churches before organs as far back as 1,100 a.d. Who knew?!
It did not take long for the instrument to transfer into the hands of folk musicians — and then onto the streets as the unmistakable sounds of hurdry gurdy buskers still today, waft over the cobblestone streets of France and around the world.
But back to it … what impressed me most when walking through the door of home port, was the welcome. I was 45 minutes late, given a long-standing deviation I knew nothing about that had me traipsing across foreign backroads.
He was completely nonchalant as I followed him into the house. First, we sat down for a hot mid-day meal in their cozy kitchen. The conversation revolved around the changes in the music industry; changes we’ve all been a part of, and changes a-coming.
From there, we walked downstairs and through a nondescript door into the belly of his work space.
There it all is … pieces and parts laid out as he builds off an ancient template, each finished hurdy gurdy. He’s a busy man.
His atelier spills over with smells of wax, glues and varnish, wood shavings and wood dust.
Mil has been making these ancient instruments for over 40 years.
Come to find, he is the exclusive authorized worldwide dealer of the famed Pajot hurdy gurdies.
He has three models — and get this — they are either acoustic or electro-acoustic.
On stage with an electrified hurdy gurdy? Think about it …
MOUGENOT “LE TOURNEUR”
(With flat or bended soundboard)
Model MOUGENOT “FALAISE”
(With flat or bended soundboard)
MOUGENOT “MONT SAINT MICHEL”
(With flat or bended soundboard)
He loves a good conversation.