World's Worse Jobs

[Hofrat]

I have been following reruns of a television series by the BBC called "World's Worse Jobs." It is an interesting series that delves into the everyday occupations of people during various periods of history. The producers and writers really researched the topic. Would any of the forum members wish to hazzard a guess as to what was the worse job during the Stuart period? Hint: It is connected to the field of music!

[susanwen]

Don't tell me, let me guess:

is it:

being the little boy who had to turn the pages (and hold the candle) for Beethoven while he played his piano concerto? : }


I suppose one of the worst jobs today is test crash dummy : }

[Hofrat]

I did say the "Stuart period" which is 100 years before Beethoven's birth. Try again!

[Peter]

Drawing the lines on manuscript paper? Cleaning organ pipes? Making gut strings?

[Hofrat]

Peter is right on. Making violin strings was designated as the world's worse job. The BBC showed the process and what it entailed. I will spare the forum members of the details. The writers pointed out that without gut strings, music would not have evolved as it did.

In Shakespeare's "Much Ado about Nothing," the bard refers to it as follows:
"Is it not strange that sheep's guts should hale souls out of men's bodies?" Of course, he was refering to the music itself and not the string making.

[ruudp]

if It's not allowed then Peter or Chris will say so...but I for one am curious as for the details....I can't imagine right now that it's such an awfull job.

[Hofrat]

The researchers and writers of the BBC series "World's Worse Jobs" did a lot of research. The jobs were demonstrated by historical experts in the field, using tools and costumes of the periods in question. And we are living in the 21st century and take for granted how things are done. We have no idea how people lived and worked in the Tudor and Stuart eras, and how little they received for doing such dirty jobs. I had no idea of the work conditions in the kitchens of Henry VIII.

I do not think that I should go into the gory details of the process of making gut strings for violins. It suffices to say that it was very unpleasant just watching the bowels being removed from a sheep and that "very fragrant material" being removed from the bowels. The important point here, as the narrator of the program said, is that the violin took a great leap forward in developement with the introduction of gut string.

[susanwen]

I understand that making hats was hazardous in those days. The mercury used in processing the felt material would accumulate until the person went crazy - "mad as a hatter."

[HaydnFan]

There was also one section of "World's Worst Jobs" that talked about the role of the castrati in music...very interesting but I already knew all of the information they gave. It is perhaps, something that the general public may not know about.

[Chaszz]

Well, gut strings are still made today and are important in authentic instrument performance, according to Rod. Does anyone know if the process is any more pleasant today than it was then?