All About Harp

Harp
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For other uses, see Harp (disambiguation).
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Harp
A medieval harp (left) and a single-action pedal harp (right)
String instrument
HornbostelSachs classification
322-5 (Composite chordophonesounded by the bare fingers)
Playing range
(modern pedal harp)[1]
Related instruments
Chang eng Lyre
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones (stringed instruments) and has its own sub category (the harps). All harps have a neck, resonator and strings. Some, known as frame harps, also have a pillar; those without the pillar are referred to as open harps. Depending on its size, which varies, a harp may be played while held in the lap or while it stands on a table, or on the floor. Harp strings may be made of nylon, gut, wire or silk. On smaller harps, like the folk harp, the core string material will typically be the same for all strings on a given harp. Larger instruments like the modern concert harp mix string materials to attain their extended ranges. A person who plays the harp is called a harpist or harper. Folk musicians often use the term "harper", whereas classical musicians use "harpist". Various types of harps are found in Africa, Europe, North and South America and in Asia. In antiquity, harps and the closely related lyres were very prominent in nearly all cultures. The harp also was predominant with medieval bards, troubadors and minnesingers throughout the Spanish Empire. Harps continued to grow in popularity due to improvements in their design and construction through the beginning of the 20th century.
Contents
[hide]
1 Etymology 2 Terminology 3 Origins 4 Structure and mechanism 5 Development and history
o o o o
5.1 Europe 5.2 Latin America 5.3 Africa 5.4 Asia
6 Modern European and American instruments
6.1 Concert harp
o o o o
6.1.1 Technique 6.1.2 Use in music
6.2 Folk, lever, and Celtic instruments 6.3 Wire-strung instruments ("clrsach") 6.4 Multi-course 6.5 Modern electric harps
7 As a symbol
o o o
7.1 Political 7.2 Corporate 7.3 Religious
8 See also
8.1 Related categories
9 References 10 Additional sources 11 External links
11.1 Celtic harp
[edit]Etymology
Harp player, Cycladic art, 2800-2700 BC.
The word harp derives from Old English hearpe, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch harp and German Harfe.[2]
[edit]Terminology
A number of non-harp-like instruments are colloquially referred to as "harps". Chordophones like the aeolian harp, (wind harp) and the autoharp (with the piano andharpsichord) are not harps, but zithers, because their strings are not perpendicular to their soundboard. Similarly, the many varieties of harp guitar and harp lute, while chordophones, belong to the lute family and are not true harps. All forms of the lyre and kithara are also not harps, but belong to the fourth family of ancient instruments under the chordophones, the lyres. The term "harp" has also been applied to many instruments which are not chordophones. The vibraphone was (and is still) sometimes referred to as the "vibraharp," though it has no strings and its sound is produced by striking metal bars. In blues music, the harmonica is often casually referred to as a "blues harp" or "harp", but it is a free reed wind instrument; not a stringed instrument, and is therefore not a true harp.
[edit]Origins
The origin of the harp goes back to Mesopotamia, The earliest harps and lyres were found in Sumer c, 3500 BCE[3] Several harps were found in burial pits and royal tombs in Ur.[4] The oldest depictions of harps without a forepillar are from 500 BCE, which was the Persian harp of Perspolis/Persia in Iran and from 400 BCE in Egypt. The Harp (Persian: Chang) flourished in Persia in many forms from its introduction, about 3000 BCE, until the 17th century. The original type was the arched harp as seen at Chogh Mi and on later third millennium seals (fig. 1a-c). Around 1900 BCE they were replaced by angular harps with vertical (fig. 2) or horizontal (fig. 3) sound boxes. By the start of the Common Era, "robust, vertical, angular harps" (fig. 2), which had become predominant in the Hellenistic world, were cherished in the Sasanian court. In the last century of the Sasanian period, angular harps were redesigned to make them as light as possible ("light, vertical, angular harps," fig. 4); while they became more elegant, they lost their structural rigidity. At the height of the Persian tradition of illustrated book production (1300 to 1600 C.E.), such light harps were still frequently depicted, although their use as musical instruments was reaching its end.[5]
Ancient Persian harps carved in stone
An ancient Egyptian harp on display in the British Museum
[edit]Structure
and mechanism
The basic structural elements and terminology of a concert harp
Harps are essentially triangular and are made primarily of wood. Modern harp strings are often nylon or gut for the strings that are the A above low G and metal for low G and down ; tuning pins are also metal components. The bottom ends of each string is fed through a small metal eyelet and tied in a knot on the inside of the sounding-board, which is the upward-facing surface of the resonating cavity (the sound box or body). The body is hollow and when a taut string is plucked, the body resonates, projecting sound both inward towards the harp player through a series of usually oval openings (whose principal purpose is to allow access to the strings and only secondarily to enhance resonance) and, much more importantly and powerfully, outward through the flexible and taut-strung sounding board. The crossbar, or neck, contains the mechanism or levers which determine the pitch alteration (sharps and flats) for each string. The upper ends of the strings are attached to pins in holes drilled through the neck at specific intervals and at specific distances from the soundboard. The longest side of the harp is called the column or pillar. In those harps which have pedals, this side is a hollow column and encloses the rods which control the pedal mechanisms. At the base of a pedal harp are seven pedals, which activate the rods when the pedals are downwardly pressed. The modern sophisticated instrument spanning 6 octaves in virtually all keys was perfected by the 19th-century French
maker Sbastien rard and because of its pedal-driven ability to play all sharps and flats of all notes within its range, it continues today as the standard style of most large professional concert grand harps. Lever harps, however, do not have pedals or rods, and the pillar's only purpose in these instruments is to hold up the neck against the great strain of the strings. Lever harps use a shortening lever (usually shaped like a capital letter L) on the neck next to each individual string which is to be activated (i.e., turned) manually to shorten the string and raise the tone a half step. A string tuned to natural may be played in sharp, but not flat. A string tuned to flat may be played in natural, but not sharp. Also, in order to change a string from one tone to another during a performance, a harp player must take one entire hand off the harp for a moment and switch the leverthis may cause an acoustic gap in a performance, as for a brief moment only one hand will be in use. Lever harps are considerably lighter in weight than pedal harps and are smaller in size and number of strings. They are also much easier to manufacture, less easily damaged, easier to repair, and far less expensive to produce and maintain. Finally, many harps are built without either pedals or levers. These harps can only play in a single key during any given performance, though any string on a harp can be tuned to a corresponding sharp or flat before a performance and then be returned to its regular tension (key) afterwards with little effort.
[edit]Development [edit]Europe
and history
A medieval European harp (the Wartburg harp) with buzzing bray pins.
Harp on a Tarsia panel by BaronHenry de Triqueti (18031874), dated 1863, photo c. 1870.
Angle harps and bow harps continue to be used to the present day. In Europe, however, there was further development.[when?] Adding a third structural member, the pillar, to support the far ends of the arch and sound box. The Triangular Frame harp is depicted in sculpture from the 8th century Pictish stones in Scotland[6][7] and in manuscripts (i.e. the Utrecht Psalter) from the early 9th century France.[8] The curve of the harp's neck is a result of the proportional shortening of the basic triangular form to keep the strings are equidistant. If the strings were proportionately distanced, the strings would be farther apart. European harps in medieval and Renaissance times usually had a bray pin fitted to make a buzzing sound when a string was plucked. By the baroqueperiod, in Italy and Spain, more strings were added to allow for chromatic notes; these were usually in a second line of strings. At the same time single-row diatonic harps continued to be played.[citation needed] The first primitive form of pedal harps were developed in the Tyrol region of Austria. Hochbrucker was the next to design an improved pedal mechanism, followed in succession by Krumpholtz, Nadermann, and the Erard company, who came up with the double mechanism. In Germany in the second half of the 17th century, diatonic single-row harps were fitted with manually turned hooks which fretted individual strings to raise their pitch by a half step. In the 18th century, a link mechanism was developed connecting these hooks with pedals, leading to the invention of the single-action pedal harp. Later, a second row of hooks was installed along the neck to allow for the double-action pedal harp, capable of raising the pitch of a string by either one or two half steps. The idea was even extended to triple-action harps, but these were never common. The double-action pedal harp remains the normal form of the instrument in the Western classical orchestra. There was a chromatic harp developed in the late 19th century that only found a small number of proponents, and was mainly taught in Belgium.[citation needed]
[edit]Latin
America
In Latin America, harps are widely but sparsely distributed, except in certain regions where the harp traditions are very strong. Such important centers include Mexico, Andes, Venezuela and Paraguay. They are derived from the Baroque harps that were brought from Spain during the colonial period.[citation needed] In Per harp is used commonly in andean music called Huayno.
Detailed features vary from place to place. Paraguayan harps and harp music have gained a worldwide reputation, with international influences alongside folk traditions. Mexican "jarocha" harp music of Veracruz has also gained some international recognition, evident in the popularity of "la bamba". In southern Mexico (Chiapas), there is a very different indigenous style of harp music. Travel between the ports of Veracruz and Venezuela afforded an opportunity for transmission of harp traditions between these areas.[citation needed] In Venezuela, there are two distinct traditions, the arpa llanera and the arpa central (or arpa mirandina). The modern Venezuelan arpa llanera has 32 strings of nylon (originally, gut). The arpa central is strung with wire in the higher register. An authoritative source in Spanish is Fernando Guerrero Briceno, El Arpa en Venezuela (The Harp in Venezuela).[citation needed] Paraguayan harps have a wide and deep soundbox which tapers to the top. Like Baroque harps, but unlike modern Western harps, they do not stand upright when unattended. The harp is Paraguay's national instrument. It has about 36 strings. Its spacing is narrower and tension lighter than that of modern Western harps. It is played with the fingernails.[citation needed]
[edit]Africa
African kora - a double-bridge-harp-lute.
A Mangbetu man playing a mangbetu harp.
There are many different kinds of harps in Africa. They do not have forepillars and are either bow harps or angle harps. As well as true harps such asMauritania's ardin. There are a number of instruments that are difficult to classify, often being labelled harp-lutes. Another term for them is spike harps. The West African kora is the most complicated and best known of these instruments. It doesn't fit into any one category, but several, and must be awkwardly classified as a "double-bridge-harp-lute." The strings run in two divided ranks making it a double harp, they do not end in a soundboard but are held in notches on a bridge making it a bridge harp, they originate from a string arm or neck and cross a bridge directly supported by a resonating chamber making it a lute too.[citation needed] Another type is simply known as an African harp.
[edit]Asia
A Sassanid era mosaic excavated at Bishapur
In Asia, there are very few harps today, though the instrument was popular in ancient times; in that continent, zithers like China's guzheng and guqin andJapan's koto predominate. However, a few harps exist, the most notable being Burma's saung-gauk, which is considered the national instrument in that country. Turkey had a nine-string harp called the eng that has also become extinct. There was an ancient Chinese harp called konghou; the name is also now used for a modern Chinese instrument which is being revived. This double bridge harp has the unusual ability to pitch bend the notes while playing. The paired strings are joined at opposite ends of freely moving short levers so that while playing, manually tensioning one of the strings raises the pitch of its linked pair.[citation needed] In the Middle East there are several forms of Harps that predate modern harps and some that are still in existence and use today. An example of this is in the Nuristan providence of Afghanistan where the Kafir Harp has been part of the musical traditional for many years.
[edit]Modern
European and American instruments
Most European-derived harps have a single row of strings with strings for each note of the C Major scale (over severaloctaves).
Harpists are aided in telling which strings they are playing because all F strings are black or blue and all C strings are red, and the wire strings are silver or bronze if C or F. The instrument rests between the knees of the harpist and along their right shoulder. The Welsh triple harp and early Irish and Scottish harps, however, are traditionally placed on the left shoulder. The first four fingers of each hand are used to pluck the strings; the little fingers are too short and cannot reach the correct position without distorting the position of the other fingers, although on some folk harps with light tension, closely spaced strings, they may occasionally be used. The fifth finger may also have been used on earlier, more lightly strung modern harps: Madame de Genlis, for example, in her Mthode, published in Paris in the early nineteenth century, promotes the use of all five fingers,[9] while Roslyn Rensch suggests that Mlle de Gunes, the harpist for whom Mozart wrote his Concerto for Flute and Harp, might occasionally have used all five fingers when playing the harp.[10] In more modern music, the fifth finger is used very rarely, for example in simultaneous cluster chords, such as in Daniel Kessner's Sonatina.[11] Plucking with varying degrees of force creates dynamics. Depending on finger position on the string, different tones can be produced: a full sound in the middle of the string, and a nasal, guitar-like sound at the very bottom of the string. Tone is also affected by the skin of the harpist, how much oil and moisture it contains, and the amount of thickening by callous formation and its surface texture.
[edit]Concert
harp
Main article: Pedal harp The concert harp is large and technically modern, designed for classical music and played solo, as part of chamber ensembles, and in symphony orchestras as well as in popular commercial music. It typically has six and a half octaves (47 strings), weighs about 80 pounds (36 kg; 5.7 st), is approximately 1.85 metres (6 ft 1 in) high, has a depth of 1 metre (3 ft 3 in), and is 55 centimetres (22 in) wide at the bass end of the soundboard. The notes range from three octaves below middle C to three and a half octaves above, usually ending on G. Using octave designations, the range is C1 to G7. At least one manufacturer gives the harp a 48th string, a high A.
Tudor Tulok - Glissando Imprecision for 2 Harps
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The concert harp is a pedal harp. Pedal harps use the mechanical action of pedals to change the pitches of the strings. There are seven pedals, each affecting the tuning of all strings of one pitch-class, and each pedal is attached to a rod or cable within the column of the harp, which then connects with a mechanism within the neck. When a pedal is moved with the foot, small discs at the top of the harp rotate. The discs are studded with two pegs that pinch the string as they turn, shortening the vibrating length of the string. The pedal has three positions. In the top position no pegs are in contact with the string and all notes are flat; thus the harp's native tuning is to the scale of C-flat major.
The tip of a string is shown in blue. Points in contact with the string are shown in red. Points not in contact with the string are in green.
In the middle position the top wheel pinches the string, resulting in a natural, giving the scale of C major if all pedals are set in the middle position. In the bottom position another wheel is turned, shortening the string again to create a sharp, giving the scale of C-sharp major if all pedals are set in the bottom position. Many other scales, both diatonic and synthetic, can be obtained by adjusting the pedals differently from each other; also, many chords in traditional harmony can be obtained by adjusting pedals so that some notes are enharmonic equivalents of others, and this is central to harp technique. In each position the pedal can be secured in a notch so that the foot does not have to keep holding it in the correct position. Three strings on the pedal harp have no pedal tuning mechanism: the two lowest strings (contrabass C and D) and the highest string (G).[12] These strings are normally tuned to C, D and G natural respectively. However, they can be manually tuned to sharp or flat through scordatura prior to performance. This can be indicated by verbal statements at the beginning of a composition, for example, "Tune Low C to C flat", or "If necessary, tune high G to G sharp".[13] This mechanism is called the double-action pedal system, probably invented by Sbastien rard in 1810. Earlier pedal harps had a single-action mechanism that allowed strings to play sharpened notes. The tension of the strings on the sound board is roughly equal to 10 kN (a ton-force) or 2,000 pounds. The lowest strings are made of copper or silver-over-silk over steel, the lower-middle strings of gut (from sheep or cows) and the upper-middle or highest of either gut or nylon.
[edit]Technique
Harpist Elaine Christy plays with both hands approaching the strings from either side of the harp; foot pedals (not shown) can change the pitch of specific strings by a half step.
The pedal harp is played with the fingertips, with force from the hand and arm, and ultimately the upper body. The fingertips are drawn in to meet the palm of the hand, thus releasing the string from whatever pressure was placed upon it by the fingers. The fingers are naturally curved or rounded as they touch the strings, and the thumb is gently curved as the tip rises to the string as an arc from its base; this is called plucking. There are differing schools of technique for playing the pedal harp. The largest are the various French schools, and there are specific Russian schools, Viennese and other schools from differing regions of Europe. One is called the Attl technique after Kajetan Attl, in which apparently only the uppermost parts of the fingers move and the hand is largely still. There is a St. Petersburg school (more than one) in Russia in which the thumbs are moved in a circular fashion rather than in and out toward the hand. The differences between the French schools lie in the posture of the arms, the shape of the hand and the musical aesthetics. The traditional French schooling allows for the right arm to be lightly rested against the harp using the wrist to sometimes bring the hand only away from the string. The left arm moves more freely. Finger technique and control are the emphasis of the technical approach, with extensive use of exercises and etudes to develop this. Two very influential 20th-century teachers of this approach were Henriette Renie and Marcel Grandjany, who both studied with Alphonse Hasselmans. The other major French school is the Salzedo school, developed by Carlos Salzedo, who also studied with Alphonse Hasselmans at the Paris Conservatoire. Salzedo's technique generally calls for the arms to be held horizontally[14] and emphasises the role of aesthetic hand and arm gestures after the string has been plucked: "Each of the thirty-seven tone colors and effects of the harp calls for a gesture corresponding to its sonorous meaning."[15]
[edit]Use in music
The harp found its early orchestral use in concerti by many baroque and classical composers (Handel, J. C. Bach, Mozart, Albrechtsberger, Schenck, Dussek, Spohr) and in the opera houses of London, Paris and Berlin and most other capitals. It began to be used in symphonic music by Hector Berlioz but he found performances frustrating in such countries as Germany where few harps and sufficiently proficient harpists were to be found. Franz Liszt was seminal in finding uses for the harp in his orchestral music, and
Mendelssohn and Schubert used it in theatrical music or oratorios. The French and Russian Romantic composer particularly expanded its symphonic use. In opera, the Italian composers used it regularly, and Puccini was a particular master of its expressive and coloristic use. Debussy can be said to have put the harp on the map in his many works that use one or more harps. Tchaikovsky also was of great influence, followed by Rimsky-Korsakov, Richard Strauss and Wagner. The greatest influence on use of the harp has always been the availability of fine harps and skilled players, and the great increase of them in the U.S. of the 20th century resulted in its spread into popular music. The first harpist known to play jazz was Casper Reardon, a pioneer in the world of "hot" music. Dorothy Ashby (sampled by hip-hop artists) and Alice Coltrane are other jazz harpists.
Harpist performing
Many passages for solo harp can be found in 19th century ballet music, particularly in scores for the ballets staged for the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, where the harpist Albert Zabel played in the orchestra. In ballet, the harp was utilized to a great extent in order to embellish the dancing of the ballerina. Elaborate cadenzas were composed by Tchaikovsky for his ballets The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty; as well asAlexander Glazunov for his score for the ballet Raymonda. In particular, the scores of Riccardo Drigo contained many pieces for harp in such works asLe Talisman (1889), Le Rveil de Flore (1894) and Les Millions d'Arlequin (1900). Cesare Pugni wrote extensively for the harp as wellhis ballet oline, ou La Dryade included music written for harp to accompany the ballerina's numerous variations and enhance the atmosphere of the ballet's many fantastical scenes. Ludwig Minkus was celebrated for his harp cadenzas, most notably the Variation de la Reine du jour from his ballet La Nuit et le Jour (1881), the elaborate entr'acte composed for Albert Zabel from his ballet Roxana (1878), and numerous passages found in his score for the ballet La Bayadre, which in some passages were used to represent a veena which was used on stage as a prop. French ballet composers such as Delibes, Gounod, and Massenet made use of the harp in their music.
There is a prominent harp part in "She's Leaving Home" by The Beatles in their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the 1970s, a harp was common in popular music, and can be heard in such hits as Cher's "Dark Lady", the intro of "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves", and "Boogie Nights" byHeatwave. Most often this was played by Los Angeles studio harpist Gayle Levant, who has played on hundreds of recordings. Irish band Clannadfeatured the harp heavily in their music during the 1970s and 1980s. In current pop music, the harp appears relatively rarely. Joanna Newsom, Dee Carstensen, Darian Scatton, Habiba Doorenbos, and Jessa Callen of The Callen Sisters have separately established images as harp-playing singer-songwriters with signature harp and vocal sounds. Canadian singersongwriter Sarah McLachlan plays the harp in her 2006 holiday album, Wintersong. In Hong Kong, a notable example of harp in pop music is the song "Tin Shui Walled City" () performed by Hacken Lee with harp played by Korean harpist Jung Kwak (Harpist K). Harp use has recently expanded in the "alternative" music world of commercial popular music. A pedal harpist, Ricky Rasura, is a member of the "symphonic pop" band, The Polyphonic Spree. Also, Bjrk sometimes features acoustic and electric harp in her work, often played by Zeena Parkins. Philadelphia based Indie Pop Band Br'er uses a pedal harp as the foundation for their cinematic live sets. Art in America was the first known rock band featuring a pedal harp to appear on a major record label, and released only one record, in 1983. The pedal harp was also present in the Michael Kamen and Metallica concert and album, S&M, as part of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra. R&B singer Maxwell featured harpist Gloria Agostini in 1997 on his cover of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work". On his 7th solo album Finding Forever, Hip- Hop artist Common features harpist Brandee Younger on the introductory track, followed by a Dorothy Ashby samplefrom her 1969 recording of By the Time I Get to Phoenix. Some Celtic-pop crossover bands and artists such as Clannad and Loreena McKennitt include folk harps, following Alan Stivell's work. Recently Florence Welch has begun to incorporate harps into her songs, notably on "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)". The Webb Sisters from UK use different size harps in almost all their material during live performances. Sierra Casady, of the freak-folk group CocoRosie plays harp on several of their songs. Aside from its use in music, the harp occasionally appears in the Marx Brothers' movies when Harpo plays it. Sometimes entire scenes focus on his harp-playing.
[edit]Folk,
lever, and Celtic instruments
New Salem Village re-enactorsplaying Celtic harps
The Celtic harp, the instrument of thebards
The folk harp or Celtic harp is small to medium-sized and usually designed for traditional music; it can be played solo or with small groups. It is prominent in Welsh, Breton, Irish, Scottish and other Celtic cultures within traditional or folk music and as a social and political symbol. Often the folk harp is played by beginners who wish to move on to the pedal harp at a later stage, or by musicians who simply prefer the smaller size or different sounds. Alan Stivell, with his father Jord Cochevelou (who recreated the Breton Celtic harp), were at the origin of the revival of the Celtic harp (in the 1970s).[16]
The folk or lever harp ranges in size from two octaves to six octaves, and may use levers or blades to change pitch. The most common size has 34 strings: Two octaves below middle C and two and a half above (ending on A), although folk or lever harps can usually be found with anywhere from 19 to 40 strings. The strings are generally made of nylon, gut, carbon fiber or fluorocarbon, or wrapped metal, and are plucked with the fingers using a similar technique to the pedal harp. Folk harps with levers installed have a lever close to the top of each string; when it is engaged, it shortens the string so its pitch is raised a semitone, resulting in a sharped note if the string was a natural, or a natural note if the string was a flat. Lever harps are often tuned to the key C or E-flat. Using the E-flat scheme, the major keys of E-flat, B-flat, F, C, G, D, A, and E can be reached by changing lever positions, rather than re-tuning any strings. Many smaller folk harps are tuned in C or F, and may have no levers, or levers on the F and C strings only, allowing a narrower range of keys. Blades and hooks perform almost the same function as levers, but use a different mechanism. The most common type of lever is either the Camac or Truitt lever although Loveland levers are still used by some makers. One of the attendant problems with lever harps is the potential loss of quality when the levers are used. The Teifi semi tone developed by Allan Shiers is a development from traditional mechanisms and nips up the string with two forks similarly to a concert harp. The semi tone is double locking for a full clear sound and does not wear the string. It is machined from solid brass and hardened steel and is adjustable by an eccentric roller to suit any gauge of string. In addition, the whole unit can be moved up or down to affect perfect pitch and string alignment. The lever arms are coloured for ease of note recognition and two sizes are made to suit treble, mid and bass. Alan Stivell is a well-known crossover and Celtic harpist. He first recorded an EP record, "Musique Galique," in 1959, then an LP in 1964 called "Telenn Geltiek " (available in CD). Following these, he has released 21 other albums including his harps, from 1970 until now (the last one is "Explore" - 2006- ). He also recorded some albums especially dedicated to the harp: the famous Renaissance of the Celtic Harp (1972), "Harpes du Nouvel Age" (1985), and "Beyond Words" (2002). He helped to promote developments in Electro-acoustic and Electric harps.[16] Another innovator in this field is the German harpistRdiger Oppermann, who has also brought together harpists from all over the world to German music festivals and owns a private library of folk-music harps from every continent. The Swiss popular musician Andreas Vollenweider also plays electro-acoustic harps. Other Celtic harpists include Tristan Le Govic.
[edit]Wire-strung
Main article: Clrsach
instruments ("clrsach")
The Gaelic triangular, wire-strung harp has always been known by the feminine term cruit but by 1204 was certainly known by the masculine term 'clr' (board) and, by the 14th century, by the feminine form of 'clr', i.e., 'clirseach/clrsach'. (Gd.)
The origins of the Gaelic triangular harp go back at least to the first millennium. There are several stone carvings of triangular harps from the 10th century, many of which have simple triangular shapes, generally with straight pillars, straight string arms or necks, and soundboxes. There is stone carving evidence that the lyre and/or perhaps a non-triangular harp were present in Ireland[citation needed] during the first millennium. Evidence for the triangular harp in PictishScotland dates from the 9th century.[17]
The harpist on the Monifeith Pictish stone, Scotland, 700 - 900 CE
Maedoc book-cover, Ireland, c. 1000 CE
The clrsach or harp was the most popular musical instrument in later medieval Scotland and Ireland and Gaelic poets portrayed their Pictish counterparts as very much like themselves.[18] Scotland, because of her affinity and intercourse [with Ireland], tries to imitate Ireland in music and strives in emulation. Ireland uses and delights in two instruments only, the harp namely, and the tympanum. Scotland uses three, the harp, the tympanum and the crowd. In the opinion, however, of many, Scotland has by now not only caught up on Ireland, her instructor, but already far outdistances her and excels her in musical skill. Therefore, [Irish] people now look to that country as the fountain of the art. Gerald of Wales[19]
The Scottish medieval clrsach'Queen Mary harp' Clrsach na Banrigh Miri, (c.1400) [20] now in the Museum of Scotland, is a one of only three surviving medieval Gaelic harps.
The clrsach or harp played by the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland between the 11th and 19th centuries was certainly wire-strung. The Irish Maedoc book shrinedates from the 11th century, and clearly shows a harper with a triangular framed harp including a "T-Section" in the pillar. The Irish word lamhchrann came into use at an unknown date to indicate this pillar which would have supplied the bracing to withstand the tension of a wire-strung harp. The Irish and Highland Harps by Robert Bruce Armstrong is an excellent book describing these ancient harps. There is historical evidence that the types of wire used in these harps are iron, brass, silver, and gold. Three pre-16th century examples survive today; the Brian Boru Harp in Trinity College, Dublin, and theQueen Mary and Lamont Harps, both in Scotland. One of the largest and most complete collections of 17th century harp music is the work of Turlough O'Carolan, a blind, itinerant Irish harper and composer. At least 220 of his compositions survive to this day. Since the 1970s, the tradition has been revived. Alan Stivell's Renaissance de la Harpe Celtique (perhaps the best-seller harp album in the world), using mainly the bronze strung harp, and his tours, have brought the instrument into the ears and the love of many people.[16] Ann Heymann has revived the ancient tradition and technique by playing the instrument as well as studying Bunting's original manuscripts in the library of Queens University, Belfast. Katie Targett-Adams (KT-A) is currently leading the modern day crossover movement for the clarsach, performing to mainstream audiences across the globe, notably China. Other high profile players include Patrick Ball, Cynthia Cathcart, Alison Kinnaird, Bill Taylor, Siobhn Armstrong and others. As performers have become interested in the instrument, harp makers ("luthiers") such as Jay Witcher, David Kortier, Ardival Harps, Jol Herrou and others have begun building wire-strung harps. The traditional wire materials are used, however iron has been replaced by steel and the modern phosphor bronze has been added to the list. The phosphor bronze and brass are most commonly used. Steel tends to be very abrasive to the nails. Silver and gold are used to get high density materials into the bass courses of high
quality clrsachs to greatly improve their tone quality. In the period, no sharping devices were used. Harpers had to re-tune strings to change keys. This practice is reflected by most of the modern luthiers, yet some allow provisions for either levers or blades.
[edit]Multi-course
A multi-course harp is a harp with more than one row of strings. A harp with only one row of strings is called a single-course harp.
Double harp
Cross-strung harp
A double-strung harp consists of two rows of diatonic strings one on either side of the neck. These strings may run parallel to each other or may converge so the bottom ends of the strings are very close together. Either way, the strings that are next to each other are tuned to the same note. Double-strung harps often have levers either on every string or on the most commonly sharped strings, for example C and F. Having two sets of strings allows the harpist's left and right hands to occupy the same range of notes without having both hands attempt to play the same string at the same time. It also allows for special effects such as repeating a note very quickly without stopping the sound from the previous note.
A triple harp features three rows of parallel strings, two outer rows of diatonic strings, and a center row of chromatic strings. To play a sharp, the harpist reaches in between the strings in either outer row and plucks the center row string. Like the double-strung harp, the two outer rows of strings are tuned the same, but the triple-strung harp has no levers. This harp originated in Italy in the 16th century as a low headed instrument, and towards the end of 17th century it arrived in Wales where it developed a high head and larger size. It established itself as part of Welsh tradition and became known as the Welsh harp (telyn deires, "three-row harp"). The traditional design has all of the strings strung from the left side of the neck, but modern neck designs have the two outer rows of strings strung from opposite sides of the neck to greatly reduce the tendency for the neck to roll over to the left. The cross-strung harp consists of one row of diatonically tuned strings and another row of chromatic notes. These strings cross approximately in the middle of the string without touching. Traditionally the diatonic row runs from the right (as seen by someone sitting at the harp) side of the neck to the left side of the sound board. The chromatic row runs from the left of the neck to the right of the sound board. The diatonic row has the normal string coloration for a harp, but the chromatic row may be black. The chromatic row is not a full set of strings. It is missing the strings between the Es and Fs in the diatonic row and between the Bs and Cs in the diatonic row. In this respect it is much like a piano. The diatonic row corresponds to the white keys and the chromatic row to the black keys. Playing each string in succession results in a complete chromatic scale. An alternate form of the cross-strung, the 6-plus-6 or isomorphic cross-strung, has 6 strings on each side of the cross instead of 5 on one and 7 on the other. This configuration is less intuitive to someone coming from a piano/organ background, but more intuitive to someone with a guitar/violin or other chromatic or whole-tone instrument background because it utilizes a chromatic scale or wholetone scale. This configuration gives the entire octave in only 6 strings per side, making more efficient use of the size of the instrument.
[edit]Modern
electric harps
The Gravikord
Amplified (electro-acoustic) hollow body and solid body electric lever harps are produced by many harpmakers at this time, such as Lyon and Healy Harps out of Chicago, Salvi Harps out of Italy, and Camac Harps out of France. They generally use individual piezo-electric transducers one per string often in combination with small internal microphones to produce a direct output mixed electrical signal. Hollow body instruments can also be played acoustically, while solid body instruments must be amplified. In the late 20th century instrument builder and American musician Robert Grawi created an electric double harp-lute based on theWest African kora but strung and tuned differently. The gravikord is a light ergonomically designed instrument made of modern materials mostly stainless steel tubing. It is a double harp that has 24 strings evenly divided in two ranks arrayed on a free standing "Vee" shaped bridge made of synthetic material including an integral piezo-electric sensor. The tuning of the gravikord is an extended version of the "G" major / "E" minor tuning system of the Hugh Tracey kalimba while its overall physical structure is derived from the African kora. It was created to enable easier playing of complex African cross rhythms on an African derived modern electro-acoustic harp.[21] The laser harp is not a stringed instrument at all, but is a harp-shaped electronic instrument that has laser beams where harps have strings. The laser beams that are configured like harp strings do not produce any sound themselves but act as triggers for electronic synthesized sounds. These can also be programed to trigger other theatrical affects in sync with performances such as lighting, video loops, sound effects, etc. For some events they can be made in extended forms without a frame at all, but only a long parallel rank of laser beams yet are still called laser harps. Some contemporary players of these modern electric harps, especially solid body and minimalist design instruments, have been able to add the advantage of movement on stage into their musical performance.
With these light strong instruments and modern wireless amplification these musicians can easily play standing up, move, and even incorporate dance on stage while playing their electric harps.
[edit]As
a symbol
[edit]Political
Flag of Leinster
The harp has been used as a political symbol of Ireland for centuries. Its origin is lost in the mists of time, but from the evidence of the ancient oral and written literature, it has been present in one form or another since at least the 6th century or before. According to tradition, Brian Boru, 'High King' of Ireland (d. at the Battle of Clontarf, 1014 CE) played the harp, as did many of the gentry in the country during the period of the Gaelic Lordship of Ireland (ended c. 1607 CE with the "Flight of the Earls" following the Elizabethan Wars).[citation needed] In traditional Gaelic society every clan and chief of any consequence would have a resident harp player who would compose eulogies and elegies (later known as "planxties") in honour of the leader and chief men of the clan. The harp was adopted as a symbol of the Kingdom of Ireland on the coinage from 1542, and in the Royal Standard of King James (VI of Scotland / I of England ) in 1603 and continued to feature on all English and United Kingdom Royal Standards ever since, though the styles of the harps depicted differed in some respects. It was also used on the Commonwealth Jack of Oliver Cromwell, issued in 1649 and on the Protectorate Jack issued in 1658 as well as on the Lord Protector's Standard issued on the succession of Richard Cromwell in 1658. The harp is also traditionally used on the flag of Leinster.
Pub plaque, Omagh
Nathan confronts David; bronze bas-relief by Henri de Triqueti.
Since 1922, the government of Ireland has used a similar left-facing harp, based on the Trinity College Harp in the Library of Trinity College Dublin as its state symbol. It first appeared on the Great Seal of the Irish Free State, which in turn was replaced by the coat of arms, the Irish Presidential Standard and the Presidential Seal in the 1937 Constitution of Ireland. The harp emblem is used on official state seals and documents including the Irish passport and has appeared on Irish coinage from the Middle Ages to the current Irish imprints of Euro coins. A South Asian version of a harp known in Tamil as a 'yaal' (' Lanka, whose legendary root originates from a harp player. '), is the symbol of City of Jaffna, Sri
[edit]Corporate
The harp is also used extensively as a corporate logo for both private and government organisations. For instance, the Irish drink Guinness uses a harp, facing right and less detailed than the version used on the state arms. Guinness started using the harp as an image on its labels in 1862 and registered two trademarks in London in 1876, both of which used the harp as part of the image. A simplified harp was adopted in the 1990s. Relatively new organizations also use the harp, but often modified to reflect a theme relevant to their organization, for instance; Irish airline Ryanair uses a modified harp, and the Irish State Examinations Commission uses it with an educational theme. The harp is also used as the logo for League of Ireland football team Finn Harps, who are Donegal's senior soccer club. Other organizations in Ireland use the harp, but not always prominently; these include the National University of Ireland and the associated University College Dublin, and the Gaelic Athletic Association. In Northern Ireland the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Queen's University of Belfast use the harp as part of their identity.
[edit]Religious
In the context of Christianity, heaven is sometimes symbolically depicted with saints and/or angels playing harps in it. This symbolism may derive from the account of the heavenly vision recorded in the Christian Bible in Revelation 14:2 reading: "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps." (KJV) This may be a reference to the kind of harp played, e.g., byDavid during Old Testament times. Modern orchestral music sometimes employs the ethereal sound of the modern orchestral harp to depict heaven.
An Introduction to the Harp

"I have been helping my 11 year old daughter search for information on the harp for what seems like hours. Thank you for having such a great site. It has answered most of her questions. Yours is the only site we found with a labeled diagram of a harp on it. For that we are truly grateful. Carry on with your wonderful work, it is much appreciated."- Sandy
Everything the novice needs to know about the secrets of this mysterious instrument.
A look at the basic structure...
(Photo used by permission of Lyon & Healy. Visit their website by clicking HERE)
The harp is an ancient and widely distributed instrument, and its usage ranges from pure entertainment to solo and ensemble music. The oldest extant harp, found at Ur in Sumer, dates from ca. 2600 B.C.E. and was already an elegant and sophisticated instrument. Depictions of harps from the same period have been found in the Cyclades and in Egypt, where they existed in a variety of forms and sizes for nearly 2000 years. It is presumed that the harp moved westward from Egypt in ancient times to Greece and Italy as early as the 6th century B.C.E. The harp first appears in medieval Europe in illuminated manuscripts and carvings from the 8th to 10th century. It was very popular in Ireland, beginning in the 10th century, where it became the country's national symbol. The Irish harp has a sound box carved from a single piece of wood, a pillar that curves outward, and 30 to 36 metal strings that can be played with either the fingers or the finger nails. Our modern orchestral harp has 47 strings and evolved through a series of formats which attempted to solve the problem of chromaticism. The final version, a "double action" harp, was patented in 1810 by Sebastian Erard of Paris and enabled
the performer to alternate the pitch of each string between flat, natural, and sharp by moving a pedal between three individual positions (see illustration).
Diagram from HARPS & HARPISTS by Roslyn Rensch, reproduced by permission of Gerald Duckworth & Co Ltd. Harps and Harpists is available from Indiana University Press.
The pedals are organized in the following order, and are easily remembered by the phrase "DidColumbus Bring Enough Food Going (to) America."
The strings are lengthened and shortened (thus changing the pitch) by a complex mechanism which runs from the pedals up through the column and into the neck. There are two forked disks for each note on the outside plate that twist against the string when deployed. For example, when a pedal is moved from flat to natural, the top disk turns and pulls the note up a half-step. When the pedal is moved again from natural to sharp the note raises a second time.
Facts worth knowing...

A harpist uses only the first four fingers of each hand to play; the little finger is never in action. When the harp is tuned to the correct pitch, the pressure of the strings on the sounding board is approximately 4,400 pounds. Having no "black keys", how does the harpist find himself among the 47 strings? Every C is colored RED while every F is BLACK. These are the "landmarks". The majority of concert pedal harps around the world are made in Chicago, Illinois. The average concert grand pedal harp weighs around 80 pounds and is approximately six feet in height. For more information on the harp, consult Ted's Harp Links
Learn to play the harp from a web page? Is that possible?
Of course, having a harp teacher is the most direct route when you want to learn to play the harp with fluency and ease. Training your hands really is pretty tricky on your own. On the other hand, I believe that if you're raring to learn, you could at least use some pointers to start you off on your enchanting journey. (And by the way, if you can't find a teacher in your area, it's now possible to take lessons via Skype. Isn't technology wonderful?) No matter what else you do, there are three things I want you to do. Ready? ~ Play ~ Listen ~ Have fun! And you thought I was going to ask for something hard, didn't you? Now that you know what's most important, let's get started with these online harp lessons and begin exploring the magic of that beautiful Celtic harp you just brought home! Learn to Play the Harp 101 ~ Look at All Those Strings Where do you begin to learn to play the harp? Let's have some fun with those strings. Your Celtic harp has at least 22 strings, and possibly as many as 38. Regardless of their number, the shorter the string, the higher the sound. Later, youll discover that your harp strings are like a sideways depiction of the music staff, but for now, just pluck some strings and listen to that wonderful sound! Run your index finger from low to high, and youve just created the most famous harp sound of all, the glissando! Now run your thumb from high to low and hear the glissando going down. Don't be afraid to use some pressure--you won't break anything. Red, White and Blue Youll notice that a few of your strings are colored. Long ago, harpists had to make do without any such help (and wire-strung players still do). But on your harp (unless youre playing a South American harp), all the red strings are Cs. Play them and notice that while they get higher or lower, the tone remains the same (Remember the Do Re Mi song? "That will bring us back to Do . . ."). That means that all the blue (or black) strings are Fs. Why? Read on. Know Your Alphabet If you're not only here to learn to play the harp but also new to music, you need to begin to understand a new and intriguing language. We'll start with the alphabet. Unlike our usual alphabet, the musical alphabet does not have 26 letters to remember. There are only 7. After that, the tones repeat themselves. Find the white string exactly in the middle between a blue one and the red one above it, and call it A. Got it? Now play the white string immediately above that, saying B. Next is C (the red one, right?), then D, E, F (blue), and G. Now you will be back to a white string like the one you started on, exactly in between the blue and the red. This string is another A, one octave higher than the first one.
Spend some time naming all the strings on your harp, from bottom to top and top to bottom. Make it a game to see how fast you can do it.
How to Play Like a Baby Want to know how to use your fingers to pluck the strings in just the right way? All you have do is raise your hands and wave all your fingers together, the way a baby does. The fingers, as a unit, open and close, and the thumb stays relaxed. (Why is it that babies wave like this? Because it's much easier than moving their hands side to side). Walk around doing the baby wave, so that your hands do it unconsciously. Believe it or not, this will help you learn to play the harp! Now take your hands, as theyre waving, and rotate your wrists to the sides, as if each hand is turning a doorknob--left hand to the left, right to the right. Without changing this position, open your hands and put them on the harp. Try it! (And check the photo, below, to see how this looks). Row, Row, Row Your Harp With the baby wave shape in your right hand, put your index finger on a C string, and play it. As you pluck the string towards you, close that finger and all the others into your palm (the thumb closes over the index finger, in between knuckles). Do it again. Feel all those fingers gently closing into your palm, as if to cradle a butterfly there (don't let it go, but don't squish it!). Now knowing that you will use two Cs, the one you just played, and the one above it (we'll call that C*), using only your index finger and closing it every time, pluck these strings: C C CDE EDEFG C*C*C* GGG EEE CCC GFE DC Congratulations! You just played a song your probably recognize. And you thought it was hard to learn to play the Celtic harp! Just for fun, think of some other songs you know and see if you can find them on the harp, too. Try Mary Had a Little Lamb, or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Cut Out Some Cookies One more basic idea in learning to play the harp is called "placing." You can practice placing and closing all your fingers this way. Take one hand (either one), make your baby wave, turn your hand towards the harp strings, and put four fingers on the harp: fourth finger on C, third on D, second (index) on E, and thumb on F. Make sure that your fingers are pointing down and your thumb is pointing up, so that there is plenty of space between them (look at the picture again).
What about your pinky? Forget that one--it just isn't strong enough to help us play the harp. So you have one less finger to worry about.
Here's where the cookies come in. Practice putting all four fingers on together, like a cookie cutter. Take your hand away, and then do it again: all four fingers, on those strings, placed at exactly the same time. Got it? Now, pluck the C string with finger 4 and close it into your palm, without moving any others. Now do the same with 3. Now 2. Finally, pluck the F and close your thumb. How did that feel? Place, check your hand position, and pluck each string again. Try it with the other hand. What you've just done is the heart of Celtic harp technique. If you keep your thumbs up, place your fingers in groups, and close all your fingers (even when playing only one or two), you are well on your way to being a fabulous Celtic harp player. Here's where a harp teacher really earns her money, though, because it is extremely hard to judge and monitor your own hand position. That's also why harp teachers are famous for the mantra, "thumbs ups". And of course, your teacher can help you with learning to read music, learning to play by ear, learning to play with chords and so many other things. To find your own teacher, check out the links on My Studio page. Have fun, and happy harping!
The Classical Harp Description
Page
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A medieval harp (left) and a single-action pedal harp
String instrument
Hornbostel-Sachs classification
322-5 (Compositechordophone sounded by the bare fingers)
Developed
Antiquity
Playing range
(modern pedal harp)[1]
Related instruments
eng Konghou Lyre
The 'harp' is a stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicular to the soundboard. It is classified as a chordophone by the Harvard Dictionary of Music and only types of harps are in that class of instruments with plucked strings. All harps have a neck, resonator, and strings. Some, known as frame harps, also have a forepillar; those lacking the forepillar are referred to as open harps. Depending on its size (which varies considerably), a harp may be played while held in the lap or while it stands on the floor. Harp strings are made ofnylon, gut, wire, or silk on certain instruments. A person who plays the harp is called a harpist or harper. Folk musicians often use the term "harper", whereas classical musicians use "harpist".[citation needed] Various types of harps are found in Africa, Europe, North, andSouth America, and in Asia. In antiquity, harps and the closely related lyres were very prominent in nearly all cultures. The oldest harps found thus far have been uncovered in ruins from ancient Sumer. The harp also predominant in the hands of medieval bards, troubadors and minnesingers, as well as throughout the Spanish Empire. Harps continued to grow in popularity through improvements in their design and construction through the beginning of the 20th century. The aeolian harp (wind harp), the autoharp, and all forms of the lyre and Kithara are not harps because their strings are not perpendicular to the soundboard; they are part of the zither family of instruments along with the piano and harpsichord. In blues music, the harmonica is called a "Blues harp" or "harp", but it is afree reed wind instrument, not a stringed instrument, and is therefore not an actual harp.[citation needed] Contents
[hide]
1 Origins 2 Structure and mechanism 3 Development and history in Europe 4 Latin America 5 Africa 6 Asia 7 Modern European and American instruments o 7.1 Playing style of the European-derived instrument o 7.2 Concert harp 7.2.1 Technique 7.2.2 Use in music 7.2.3 Harp Players o 7.3 Folk, lever, and Celtic instruments 7.3.1 Electric instruments o 7.4 Wire-strung instruments ("clrsach" or "clirseach") o 7.5 Multi-course 8 As a symbol o 8.1 Political
o 8.2 Corporate 9 See also o 9.1 Related categories 10 References 11 Additional sources 12 External links o 12.1 Celtic harp
Origins
An ancient Egyptian harp on display in the British Museum.
Harps were most likely independently invented in many parts of the world in remote prehistory.[clarification needed] It is self-evident that the harp's origins may lie in the sound of a plucked hunter's bow string or the strings of a loom. A type of harp called a 'bow harp' is nothing more than a bow like a hunter's, with a resonating vessel such as a gourd fixed somewhere along its length. To allow a greater number of strings, harps were later made from two pieces of wood attached at the ends: this type is known as the 'angle harp'.[citation needed]They can also come in different colours. The oldest depictions of harps without a forepillar are from 4000 BC inEgypt[citation needed] (see Music of Egypt) and 3000 BC in Persia (seeMusic of Iran).[citation needed] Other ancient names for harps includemagadis and sambuka. The kanun is a descendant of the ancient Egyptian harp and was introduced to Europe by the Moors during the Middle Ages but is like the beforementioned Aeolian harp not a harp but a member of the zither family.[citation needed]
Structure and mechanism

Harps are roughly triangular and are usually made primarily of wood. The lower ends of the strings are fastened to the inside of the sounding-board, which is the outer surface of the resonating cavity. The body is hollow and resonates, projecting sound both toward the player through openings, and outward through the highly flexible sounding board. The crossbar, or neck, contains the mechanism or levers which determine the pitch alteration (sharps and flats) for each string. The upper ends of the strings are attached to pins in holes drilled through the neck. The longest side, the column, encloses the rods controlling the mechanism of a pedal harp. At the base are seven pedals, which activate the rods when they are downwardly pressed. The modern sophisticated instrument spanning 6 octaves in virtually all keys was perfected by the 19th-century French maker Sbastien rard.[citation needed] Lever harps do not have pedals or rods. Instead they use a shortening lever on the neck for each individual string which must be activated manually in order to shorten the string and raise the tone a half step. Thus, a string tuned to natural may be played in sharp, but not flat. A string tuned to flat may be played in natural, but not sharp. Lever harps are considerably lighter in weight than pedal harps and are smaller in size and number of
strings. Lever harps are popular for playing folk music and are most commonly called folk harps.[citation needed] The harp lute or dital harp adapts the lever tuning system to a fretted instrument in the lute or guitar family.[citation needed]
Development and history in Europe
A medieval European harp (the Wartburg harp) with buzzing bray pins.
Angle harps and bow harps continue to be used up to the present day. In Europe, however, a further development took place[when?]: adding a third structural member, the pillar, to support the far ends of the arch and sound box. The 'Triangular Frame harp' is depicted in manuscripts and sculpture from about the 8th century AD, especially in North-West Europe, although specific nationalistic claims to the invention of the triangular frame harp cannot be substantiated.[citation needed] The graceful curve of the harp's neck is a result of the proportional shortening of the basic triangular form so that the strings are equidistant. If the strings were proportionately distanced, the strings would be farther and farther apart. European harps in medieval and Renaissance times usually had a bray pin fitted to make a buzzing sound when a string was plucked. By thebaroque period, in Italy and Spain, more strings were added to allow for chromatic notes; these were usually in a second line of strings. At the same time[when?] single-row diatonic harps continued to be played.[citation needed] The first primitive form of pedal harps were developed in the Tyrol region of Austria. Hochbrucker was the next to design an improved pedal mechanism, followed in succession by Krumpholtz, Nadermann, and the Erard company, who came up with the double mechanism. In Germany in the second half of the 17th century, diatonic singlerow harps were fitted with manually turned hooks which fretted individual strings to raise their pitch by a half step. In the 18th century, a link mechanism was developed connecting these hooks with pedals, leading to the invention of the single-action pedal harp. Later, a second row of hooks was installed along the neck to allow for the doubleaction pedal harp, capable of raising the pitch of a string by either one or two half steps. The idea was even extended to triple-action harps, but these were never common. The double-action pedal harp remains the normal form of the instrument in the Western classical orchestra. There was a chromatic harp developed in the late 19th century that only found a small number of proponents, and was mainly taught in Belgium. [citation needed]
Latin America
In Latin America, harps are widely but sparsely distributed, except in certain regions where the harp traditions are very strong. Such important centers include Mexico, Andes, Colombia, Venezuela, andParaguay. They are derived from the Baroque harps that were brought from Spain during the colonial period.[citation needed] Detailed features vary from place to place. Paraguayan harps and harp music have gained a worldwide reputation, with international influences alongside folk traditions. Mexican "jarocha" harp music of Veracruz has also gained some international recognition, evident in the popularity of "la bamba". In southern Mexico (Chiapas), there is a very different indigenous style of harp music. Travel between the ports of Veracruz and Venezuela afforded an opportunity for transmission of harp traditions between these areas.[citation needed] In Venezuela, there are two distinct traditions, the arpa llanera and the arpa central (or arpa mirandina). The modern Venezuelan arpa llanera has 32 strings of nylon (originally, gut). The arpa central is strung with wire in the higher register. An authoritative source in Spanish is Fernando Guerrero Briceno, El Arpa en Venezuela (The Harp in Venezuela).[citation needed] The style of music and the manner of construction are differentiated from one region to another.[clarification needed][citation needed] Paraguayan harps have a wide and deep soundbox which tapers to the top. Like Baroque harps, but unlike modern Western harps, they do not stand upright when unattended. The harp is Paraguay's national instrument. It has about 36 strings. Its spacing is narrower and tension lighter than that of modern Western harps. It is played mostly with the fingernails.[citation needed]
Africa
There are many different kinds of harp in Africa. They do not have forepillars and so are either bow harps or angle harps. As well as true harps such as Mauritania's ardin, there are a number of instruments that are difficult to classify, often being labelled harp-lutes. Another term for them is spike harps. The West Africankora is the best known. The strings run from a string arm to a 'spike' and the resonating chamber is attached to the base of the spike.[citation needed]
Asia
Persian mosaic, Sassanian era, excavated at Bishapur depicting player and a harp. Artifact is kept at The Louvre.
In Asia, there are very few harps today, though the instrument was popular in ancient times; in that continent, zithers such as China'sguzheng and guqin and Japan's koto predominate. However, a few harps exist, the most notable being Burma's saung-gauk, which is considered the national instrument in that country. There was an ancient Chinese harp called konghou; the name is used for a modern Chinese instrument which is being revived. Turkey had a nine-string harp called the eng that has also fallen out of use.[citation needed]
Modern European and American instruments

Playing style of the European-derived instrument
Most European-derived harps have a single row of strings with strings for each note of the C Major scale (over several octaves). Harpists are aided in telling which strings they are playing because allF strings are black or blue and all C strings are red, and the wire strings are silver or bronze if C or F. The instrument rests between the knees of the harpist and along their right shoulder. The Welsh triple harp and early Irish and Scottish harps, however, are traditionally placed on the left shoulder (in order to have it over the heart).[citation needed] The first four fingers of each hand are used to pluck the strings; the little fingers are too short and cannot reach the correct position without distorting the position of the other fingers, although on some folk harps with light tension, closely spaced strings, they may occasionally be used. Plucking with varying degrees of force creates dynamics. Depending on finger position on the string, different tones can be produced: a full sound in the middle of the string, and a nasal, guitar-like sound at the very bottom of the string. Tone is also affected by the skin of the harpist, how much oil and moisture it contains, and the amount of thickening by callous formation and its surface texture.
Concert harp
Main article: Pedal harp The concert harp is large and technically modern, designed for classical music and played solo, as part of chamber ensembles, and in symphony orchestras as well as in popular commercial music. It typically has six and a half octaves (46 or 47 strings), weighs about 80 pounds (36 kg; 5.7 st), is approximately 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) high, has a depth of 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in), and is 55 centimetres (22 in) wide at the bass end of the soundboard. The notes range from three octaves below middle C (or the D above) to three and a half octaves above, usually ending on G. Using octave designations, the range is C1 or D1 to G7. At least one manufacturer gives the harp a 48th string, a high A.
The tip of a string is shown in blue. Points in contact with the string are shown in red. Points not in contact with the string are in green.
The concert harp is a pedal harp. Pedal harps use the mechanical action of pedals to change the pitches of the strings. There are seven pedals, each affecting the tuning of all strings of one letter-name, and each pedal is attached to a rod or cable within the
column of the harp, which then connects with a mechanism within the neck. When a pedal is moved with the foot, small discs at the top of the harp rotate. The discs are studded with two pegs that pinch the string as they turn, shortening the vibrating length of the string. The pedal has three positions. In the top position no pegs are in contact with the string and all notes are flat; thus the harp's native tuning is to the scale of Cflat major.
Double chromatic harp, ca. 1890
In the middle position the top wheel pinches the string, resulting in a natural, giving the scale of C major if all pedals are set in the middle position. In the bottom position another wheel is turned, shortening the string again to create a sharp, giving the scale of C-sharp major if all pedals are set in the bottom position. Many other scales, both diatonic and synthetic, can be obtained by adjusting the pedals differently from each other; also, many chords in traditional harmony can be obtained by adjusting pedals so that some notes are enharmonic equivalents of others, and this is central to harp technique. In each position the pedal can be secured in a notch so that the foot does not have to keep holding it in the correct position. This mechanism is called the double-action pedal system, invented bySbastien rard in 1810. Earlier pedal harps had a single-action mechanism that allowed strings to play sharpened notes. Lyon and Healy, Camac Harps, Venus Harps, and other manufacturers also make electric pedal harps. The electric harp is a concert harp with piezoelectric pickups at the base of each string and an amplifier. Electric harps can be a blend of electric and acoustic, with the option of using an amplifier or playing the harp just like a normal pedal harp, or can be entirely electric, lacking a soundbox and being mute without an amplifier. The tension of the strings on the sound board is roughly equal to 10 kN (a ton-force) or 2,000 pounds. The lowest strings are made of copper or silver-over-silk over steel, the lower-middle strings of gut (from sheep or cows) and the upper-middle or highest of nylon.
Technique
The harp is played with the fingertips, with force from the hand and arm, and ultimately the upper body. The fingertips are drawn in to meet the palm of the hand, thus releasing the string from whatever pressure was placed upon it by the fingers. The fingers are
naturally curved or rounded as they touch the strings, and the thumb is gently curved as the tip rises to the string as an arc from its base. There are differing schools of technique for playing the harp. The largest are the various French schools, and there are specific Russian schools, Viennese and other schools from differing regions of Europe. One is called the Attl technique after Kajetan Attl, in which apparently only the uppermost parts of the fingers move and the hand is largely still. There is a St. Petersburg school (more than one) in Russia in which the thumbs are moved in a circular fashion rather than in and out toward the hand. The differences between the French schools lie in the posture of the arms, the shape of the hand and the musical aesthetics. The traditional French schooling calls for the right arm to be lightly rested against the harp using the wrist to sometimes bring the hand only away from the string. The left arm moves more freely. The hands are more-or-less rounded, though the thumb is usually in a low position relative to the hand. Finger technique and control are the emphasis of the technical approach, with extensive use of exercises and etudes to develop this. Musical choices tend to be conservative, and centered in the harp music of the 19th century, a continuation, if you will, of the salon tradition of harp playing. Two very influential 20th-century teachers of this approach were Henriette Renie and Marcel Grandjany. Grandjany's pupils have sometimes added to their technique the habit of having the knuckle joints curved inward rather than outward, optionally or always, as M. Grandjany's fingers were wont to do. The other major French school is the Salzedo school, developed by Carlos Salzedo, who studied with Alphonse Hasselmans at the Paris Conservatoire. Also a virtuoso pianist, he informed his harp playing with what came naturally as a crossover from his piano training. This resulted in a more curved hand, more free movements of the arms, a more wide range of dynamics and tone colors in his playing, which was exceptionally brilliant. He emphasized brilliance and speed in playing. He was also a dedicated modernist, oriented to contemporary music and ideas, and in the forefront of the same. He was an inspiring teacher, and his students filled many important teaching, solo and orchestral positions in the United States and elsewhere. He has come to be seen as American because he was exported to America to serve Arturo Toscanini as harpist at the Metropolitan Opera, and based his later career in the U.S. He helped to design two important harps, the Style 11 and the Salzedo model of Lyon and Healy harps. As an innovative performer and composer, he was of great influence on the direction of harp music composing. His own music began in a fluent late-Romantic style, then a unique Impressionist style and a modernist style unlike any other composer. In fact, he was more imitated by composers than imitative.
Use in music
The harp found its early orchestral use in concerti by many baroque classical composers (Handel, J. C. Bach, Mozart, Albrechtsberger, Schenck, Dussek, Spohr) and in the opera houses of London, Paris and Berlin and most other capitals. It began to be used in symphonic music by Hector Berlioz but he found performances frustrating in such countries as Germany where qualified harpists and harps were few to be found. Franz Liszt was seminal in finding uses for the harp in his orchestral music, and Mendelssohn and Schubert used it in theatrical music or oratorios. The French and Russian Romantic composer particularly expanded its symphonic use. In opera, the Italian composers used it regularly, and Puccini was a particular master of its expressive and coloristic use. Debussy can be said to have put the harp on the map in his many works that use one or more harps. Tchaikovsky also was of great influence, followed by Rimsky-Korsakov, Richard Strauss and Wagner. The greatest influence on use of the harp has always been the availability of fine harps and skilled players, and the great increase of them in the U.S. of the 20th century resulted in its spread into popular music. The first harpist known to play jazz was Casper Reardon, a pioneer in the world of "hot" music. Florence Wightman was likely the first to have her own radio series of recitals on several networks in the 1930s.
Many passages for solo harp can be found in 19th century ballet music, particularly in scores for the ballets staged for the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, where the harpist Albert Zabel played in the orchestra. In ballet, the harp was utilized to a great extent in order to embellish the dancing of the ballerina. Elaborate cadenzas were composed by Tchaikovsky for his ballets The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty; as well as Alexander Glazunov for his score for the ballet Raymonda. In particular, the scores ofRiccardo Drigo contained many pieces for harp in such works as Le Talisman (1889), Le Rveil de Flore(1894) and Les Millions d'Arlequin (1900). Cesare Pugni wrote extensively for the harp as wellhis balletoline, ou La Dryade included music written for harp to accompany the ballerina's numerous variations and enhance the atmosphere of the ballet's many fantastical scenes. Ludwig Minkus was celebrated for his harp cadenzas, most notably the Variation de la Reine du jour from his ballet La Nuit et le Jour (1881), the elaborate entr'acte composed for Albert Zabel from his ballet Roxana (1878), and numerous passages found in his score for the ballet La Bayadre, which in some passages were used to represent a veena which was used on stage as a prop. The French ballet composers were no slouches in the harp department, either. Delibes made excellent use of it, as did Gounod and Massenet in their music. There is a prominent harp part in "She's Leaving Home" by The Beatles in their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the 1970s, a harp was common in popular music, and can be heard in such hits as Cher's Dark Lady and the intro of Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves. Most often this was played by Los Angeles studio harpist Gayle Levant, who has played on hundreds of recordings. In current pop music, the harp appears relatively rarely. Joanna Newsom, Dee Carstensen, Darian Scatton, Habiba Doorenbos, andJessa Callen of The Callen Sisters have separately established images as harp-playing singer-songwriters with signature harp and vocal sounds. Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan plays the harp in her 2006 holiday album, Wintersong. In Hong Kong, a notable example of harp in pop music is the song Tin Shui Walled City () performed by Hacken Lee with harp played by Korean harpist Jung Kwak (Harpist K). Harp use has recently expanded in the "alternative" music world of commercial popular music. A pedal harpist, Ricky Rasura, is a member of the "symphonic pop" band, The Polyphonic Spree. Also, Bjrksometimes features acoustic and electric harp in her work, often played by Zeena Parkins. Philadelphia based Indie Pop Band Br'er uses a pedal harp as the foundation for their cinematic live sets. Art in Americawas the first known rock band featuring a pedal harp to appear on a major record label, and released only one record, in 1983. The pedal harp was also present in the Michael Kamen and Metallica concert and album, S&M, as part of the San Francisco Symphony orchestra. R&B singer Maxwell featured harpist Gloria Agostini in 1997 on his cover of Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work". On his 7th solo album Finding Forever,HipHop artist Common features harpist Brandee Younger on the introductory track, followed by a Dorothy Ashby sample from her 1969 recording of The Windmills of Your Mind. Some Celtic-pop crossover bands and artists such as Clannad and Loreena McKennitt include folk harps, following Alan Stivell's work. RecentlyFlorence Welch has begun to incorporate harps into her songs, notably on "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)".The Webb Sisters from UK use different size harps in almost all their material during live performances. See the List of compositions for harp for the names of some notable pieces from the classical repertoire.
Harp Players
Perhaps one of the most memorable harpists of the 20th century was Harpo Marx, whose stage name was taken from his proficiency with the instrument. Alan Stivell is a well-known crossover and Celtic harpist. He first recorded an EP record, "Musique Galique," in 1959, then an LP in 1964 called "Telenn Geltiek " (available in
CD). Following these, he has released 21 other albums including his harps, from 1970 until now (the last one is "Explore" - 2006- ). He also recorded some albums especially dedicated to the harp: the famous Renaissance of the Celtic Harp (1972), "Harpes du Nouvel Age" (1985), and "Beyond Words" (2002). He helped to promote developments in Electro-acoustic and Electric harps.[2] Other famous harpists include Giuliana Albisetti, Clelia Gatti Aldrovandi, Claudia Antonelli, Lucia Bova, Sophia Corri, Ossian Ellis, Alice Giles, Felix Godefroid, Marcel Grandjany, Maria Vittoria Grossi, Alphonse Hasselmans, Ursula Holliger, Pierre Jamet, Alfredo Kastner, Johann Baptist Krumpholtz, Judy Loman,Ludovico, Maria Antonietta d'Asburgo-Lorena regina di Francia, Franois-Josef Naderman, Jean-Henry Naderman, Elias Parish Alvars, John Parry, Laura Peperara, Marie Thrse Petrini, Franz Petrini, Fabrice Pierre, Francis Pierre, Franz Poenitz, Francesco Pollini, Henriette Reni, Roslyn Rensch, Carlos Salzedo,Dorette Scheidler, Anne-Marie Steckler (M.me Krumpholtz), Luigi Maurizio Tedeschi, Marcel Tournier,Mirella Vita, Albert Heinrich Zabel, Nicanor Zabaleta, Elena Zaniboni.[3]
Harpist Joanna Newsom onstage in 2007 Folk, lever, and Celtic instruments
New Salem Village re-enactorsplaying Celtic harps
The folk harp or Celtic harp is small to medium-sized and usually designed for traditional music; it can be played solo or with small groups. It is prominent in Welsh, Breton, Irish, Scottish and other Celtic cultures within traditional or folk music and as a social and political symbol. Often the folk harp is played by beginners who wish to move on to the pedal harp at a later stage, or by musicians who simply prefer the smaller size
or different sounds. Alan Stivell, with his father Jord Cochevelou (who recreated the Breton Celtic harp), were at the origin of the revival of the Celtic harp (in the 70s). [2] The folk or lever harp ranges in size from two octaves to six octaves, and uses levers or blades to change pitch. The most common size has 34 strings: Two octaves below middle C and two and a half above (ending on A), although folk or lever harps can usually be found with anywhere from 19 to 40 strings. The strings are generally made of nylon, gut, carbon fiber or fluorocarbon, or wrapped metal, and are plucked with the fingers using a similar technique to the pedal harp. Folk harps with levers installed have a lever close to the top of each string; when it is engaged, it shortens the string so its pitch is raised a semitone, resulting in a sharped note if the string was a natural, or a natural note if the string was a flat. Lever harps are often tuned to the key C or E-flat. Using this scheme, the major keys of E-flat, B-flat, F, C, G, D, A, and E can be reached by changing lever positions, rather than re-tuning any strings. Many smaller folk harps are tuned in C or F, and may have no levers, or levers on the F and C strings only, allowing a narrower range of keys. Blades and hooks perform almost the same function as levers, but use a different mechanism. The most common type of lever is either the Camac or Truitt lever although Loveland levers are still used by some makers. One of the attendant problems with lever harps is the potential loss of quality when the levers are used. The Teifi semi tone developed by Allan Shiers is a development from traditional mechanisms and nips up the string with two forks similarly to a concert harp. The semi tone is double locking for a full clear sound and does not wear the string. It is machined from solid brass and hardened steel and is adjustable by an eccentric roller to suit any gauge of string. In addition, the whole unit can be moved up or down to affect perfect pitch and string alignment. The lever arms are coloured for ease of note recognition and two sizes are made to suit treble, mid and bass.
Electric instruments
Main article: Electric harp Amplified (electro-acoustic) and solid body electric lever harps are produced by many harpmakers at this time, such as Lyon and Healy Harps out of Chicago, Salvi Harps out of Italy, and Camac Harps out of France. The Laser harp is also not a stringed instrument; it is a harp-shaped electronic instrument with laser beams where harps have strings.
Wire-strung instruments ("clrsach" or "clirseach")
Main article: Clrsach
The harper on the Monifeith Pictish stone, Scotland, 700 - 900 AD
Maedoc book-cover, Ireland, circa 1000 AD
The Scottish medievalclrsach 'Queen Mary harp' 'Clrsach na Banrigh Miri, (c.1400)[4] now in the Museum of Scotland, is a one of only three surviving medieval Gaelic harps.
The Gaelic triangular, wire-strung harp has always been known by the feminine term cruit but by 1204 was certainly known by the masculine term 'clr' (board) and, by the 14th century, by the feminine form of 'clr', i.e., 'clirseach/clrsach'. (Gd.) Clirseach/clrsach is a compound word, feminine in gender and composed of the masculine word 'clr' (board/harp) and the feminising suffix '-search/-sach'. The suggestion that it is composed of the elements 'clr' (board) and 'shoileach' (willow) is a much less likely explanation as i) the 'clr shoileach' term is masculine in gender, taking the masculine form of the definite article, and ii) the /s/ phoneme is absent (replaced by an /h/ phoneme) and therefore the /l/ phoneme would be more likely to form part of any contraction (e.g., clirleach). The origins of the Gaelic triangular harp go back at least to the first millennium. There are several stone carvings of triangular harps from the 10th century, many of which have simple triangular shapes, generally with straight pillars, straight string arms or necks, and soundboxes. There is stone carving evidence that the lyre and/or perhaps a non-triangular harp were present in Ireland[citation needed] during the first millennium. Evidence for the triangular harp in Gaelic/Pictish Scotland dates from the 9th century.[5] The harp was the most popular musical instrument in later medieval Scotland and Ireland and Gaelic poets portrayed their Pictish counterparts as very much like themselves.[6]
Scotland, because of her affinity and intercourse [with Ireland], tries to imitate Ireland in music and strives in emulation. Ireland uses and delights in two instruments only, the harp namely, and the tympanum. Scotland uses three, the
harp, the tympanum and the crowd. In the opinion, however, of many, Scotland has by now not only caught up on Ireland, her instructor, but already far outdistances her and excels her in musical skill. Therefore, [Irish] people now look to that country as the fountain of the art.
Gerald of Wales[7] The harp played by the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland between the 11th and 19th centuries was certainly wire-strung. The Irish Maedoc Book Shrine dates from the 11th century, and clearly shows a harper with a triangular framed harp including a "T-Section" in the pillar. The Irish word lamhchrann came into use at an unknown date to indicate this pillar which would have supplied the bracing to withstand the tension of a wirestrung harp. The Irish and Highland Harps by Robert Bruce Armstrong is an excellent book describing these ancient harps. There is historical evidence that the types of wire used in these harps are iron, brass, silver, and gold. Three pre-16th century examples survive today; the Brian Boru harp in Trinity College, Dublin, and the Queen Mary and Lamont Harps, both in Scotland. One of the largest and most complete collections of 17th century harp music is the work of Turlough O'Carolan, a blind, itinerant Irish harper and composer. At least 220 of his compositions survive to this day. Since the 1970s, the tradition has been revived. Alan Stivell's Renaissance de la Harpe Celtique (perhaps the best-seller harp album in the world), using mainly the bronze strung harp, and his tours, have brought the instrument into the ears and the love of many people.[2] Ann Heymann has revived the ancient tradition and technique by playing the instrument as well as studying Bunting's original manuscripts in the library of Queens University, Belfast. Katie Targett-Adams ( KT-A) is currently leading the modern day crossover movement for the clarsach, performing to mainstream audiences across the globe, notably China. Other high profile players include Patrick Ball, Cynthia Cathcart, Alison Kinnaird, Bill Taylor, Siobhn Armstrong and others. As performers have become interested in the instrument, harp makers ("luthiers") such as Jay Witcher, David Kortier, Ardival Harps, Jol Herrou and others have begun building wire-strung harps. The traditional wire materials are used, however iron has been replaced by steel and the modern phosphor bronze has been added to the list. The phosphor bronze and brass are most commonly used. Steel tends to be very abrasive to the nails. Silver and gold are used to get high density materials into the bass courses of high quality clrsachs to greatly improve their tone quality. In the period, no sharping devices were used. Harpers had to re-tune strings to change keys. This practice is reflected by most of the modern luthiers, yet some allow provisions for either levers or blades.
Multi-course
A multi-course harp is a harp with more than one row of strings. A harp with only one row of strings is called a single-course harp.
Double harp
A double-strung harp consists of two rows of diatonic strings one on either side of the neck. These strings may run parallel to each other or may converge so the bottom ends of the strings are very close together. Either way, the strings that are next to each other are tuned to the same note. Double-strung harps often have levers either on every string or on the most commonly sharped strings, for example C and F. Having two sets of strings allows the harpist's left and right hands to occupy the same range of notes without having both hands attempt to play the same string at the same time. It also allows for special effects such as repeating a note very quickly without stopping the sound from the previous note. A triple harp features three rows of parallel strings, two outer rows of diatonicstrings, and a center row of chromatic strings. To play a sharp, the harpist reaches in between the strings in either outer row and plucks the center row string. Like the double-strung harp, the two outer rows of strings are tuned the same, but the triple-strung harp has no levers. This harp originated in Italy in the 16th century as a low headed instrument, and towards the end of 17th century it arrived in Wales where it developed a high head and larger size. It established itself as part of Welsh tradition and became known as the Welsh harp (telyn deires, "three-row harp"). The traditional design has all of the strings strung from the left side of the neck, but modern neck designs have the two outer rows of strings strung from opposite sides of the neck to greatly reduce the tendency for the neck to roll over to the left.
Cross-strung harp
The cross-strung harp consists of one row of diatonically tuned strings and another row of chromatic notes. These strings cross approximately in the middle of the string without touching. Traditionally the diatonic row runs from the right (as seen by someone
sitting at the harp) side of the neck to the left side of the sound board. The chromatic row runs from the left of the neck to the right of the sound board. The diatonic row has the normal string coloration for a harp, but the chromatic row may be black. The chromatic row is not a full set of strings. It is missing the strings between the Es and Fs in the diatonic row and between the Bs and Cs in the diatonic row. In this respect it is much like a piano. The diatonic row corresponds to the white keys and the chromatic row to the black keys. Playing each string in succession results in a complete chromatic scale. An alternate form of the cross-strung, the 6/6 or isomorphic cross-strung, has 6 strings on each side of the cross instead of 5 on one and 7 on the other. This configuration is less intuitive to someone coming from a piano/organ background, but more intuitive to someone with a guitar/violin or other chromatic or whole-tone instrument background because it utilizes a chromatic scale or wholetone scale. This configuration gives the entire octave in only 6 strings per side, making more efficient use of the size of the instrument.
As a symbol
Political
The Irish 1 coin
See also: Coat of Arms of Ireland, Coat of arms of Montserrat, Royal Standard of the United Kingdom, and Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom The harp has been used as a political symbol of Ireland for centuries. Its origin is from the time of Brian Boru, a famous 'High King' of the whole island of Ireland who played the harp. In Celtic society every clan would have a resident harp player who would write songs in honour of the leader. These were called Planxties. This evolved and would eventually be adapted as a symbol and representation of the Kingdom of Ireland from 1542. It was used to symbolize Ireland in the Royal Standard of King James VI/I of Scotland, England and Ireland in 1603 and had continued to feature on all English, Britishand United Kingdom Royal Standards ever since, though the style of harp used differed on some Royal Standards. It was also used on the Commonwealth Jack of Oliver Cromwell, issued in 1649 and on the Protectorate Jack issued in 1658 as well as on the Lord Protector's Standard issued on the succession ofRichard Cromwell in 1658. The harp is also traditionally used on the flag of Leinster. From 1922, the Irish Free State continued to use a similar harp, facing left, as its state symbol on theGreat Seal of the Irish Free State, featuring it both on the coat of arms and on the Irish Presidential Standard and Presidential Seal - as well as on various other official seals and documents. This was based on the Trinity College Harp in the Library of Trinity College Dublin, which was badly restored in the 1840s. Since it was fully rebuilt in 1961, it is seen to be wider at the base of the soundbox but this has gone unnoticed by Irish officials.[8] The harp also appears on Irish coinage from the Middle Ages to the current Irish. A South Asian version of harp known in Tamil as 'yaal', is the symbol of City of
Jaffna, Sri Lanka, whose legendary root originates from a harp player.
Corporate
The harp is also used extensively as a corporate logo both private and government organisations. For instance; Ireland's most famous drink, Guinness, also uses a harp, facing right and also less detailed than the state arms. This was the second London-registered trademark in the 1860s, but was not used until the 1870s, when it was placed on bottles of stout exported to Britain, in the hope that British consumers would associate the drink with wholesome Irish agricultural produce. It was adopted on Guinness products in Ireland from the 1890s, for a different reason; to remind supporters of the growing nationalist movement that Guinness was Irish. [9] A simplified harp was adopted in the 1990s. Relatively new organizations also use the harp, but often modified to reflect a theme relevant to their organization, for instance; Irish airline Ryanair uses a modified harp, and the Irish State Examinations Commission uses it with an educational theme. The harp is also used as the logo for League of Ireland football team Finn Harps, who are Donegal's senior soccer club. Other organizations in Ireland use the harp, but not always prominently; these include the National University of Ireland and the associated University College Dublin, and the Gaelic Athletic Association. InNorthern Ireland the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Queen's University of Belfast use the harp as part of their identity.

All About Harp

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Harp

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Harp (disambiguation).

A medieval harp (left) and a single-action pedal harp (right)

322-5 (Composite chordophonesounded by the bare fingers)

(modern pedal harp)[1]

Chang eng Lyre

1 Etymology 2 Terminology 3 Origins 4 Structure and mechanism 5 Development and history

5.1 Europe 5.2 Latin America 5.3 Africa 5.4 Asia

6 Modern European and American instruments

6.1 Concert harp

6.1.1 Technique 6.1.2 Use in music

7.1 Political 7.2 Corporate 7.3 Religious

8.1 Related categories

9 References 10 Additional sources 11 External links

11.1 Celtic harp

Harp player, Cycladic art, 2800-2700 BC.

Ancient Persian harps carved in stone

An ancient Egyptian harp on display in the British Museum

The basic structural elements and terminology of a concert harp

African kora - a double-bridge-harp-lute.

A Mangbetu man playing a mangbetu harp.

A Sassanid era mosaic excavated at Bishapur

European and American instruments

Problems listening to this file? See media help.

lever, and Celtic instruments

New Salem Village re-enactorsplaying Celtic harps

The Celtic harp, the instrument of thebards

The harpist on the Monifeith Pictish stone, Scotland, 700 - 900 CE

Maedoc book-cover, Ireland, c. 1000 CE

Pub plaque, Omagh

Nathan confronts David; bronze bas-relief by Henri de Triqueti.

An Introduction to the Harp

A look at the basic structure...

Facts worth knowing...

Learn to play the harp from a web page? Is that possible?

The Classical Harp Description

A medieval harp (left) and a single-action pedal harp

322-5 (Compositechordophone sounded by the bare fingers)

(modern pedal harp)[1]

eng Konghou Lyre

An ancient Egyptian harp on display in the British Museum.

Structure and mechanism

Development and history in Europe

Modern European and American instruments

Double chromatic harp, ca. 1890

New Salem Village re-enactorsplaying Celtic harps

Main article: Clrsach

The harper on the Monifeith Pictish stone, Scotland, 700 - 900 AD

Maedoc book-cover, Ireland, circa 1000 AD

The Irish 1 coin

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