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Harp
Information
History
of the Harp
The harp is one of
the oldest instruments known to
humankind, dating back to at least
3000 B.C. The ancient Egyptians
had elaborate golden harps that
were used in harp ensembles and
temple worship. During the middle
ages, itinerant European harpers
earned their living by moving from
town to town, using small harps
for self-accompanied singing,
storytelling, and as part of
instrumental consorts. The harp
had such mystical significance
that many kings or chieftans had
harpers in their employ, believing
the instrument to possess magical
powers. It was not unusual for a
harper to remain unharmed during
battles, being respected by the
enemy and considered immune from
attack. The modern orchestral harp
was not invented until the early
1800s.
Below is some information about
the types of harps that this
performer owns and uses for
performances.
The
Lever or Folk
Harp
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This
smaller, less
imposing harp, is
ideally suited for
use in museums,
boutiques, floral
gardens, small
weddings, and a
variety of
historical settings.
It employs a system
of hand-operated
levers on the
strings to change
individual pitches;
therefore, it is
best suited for
performing mostly
diatonic music.
Persons who play
this harp are called
"harpers" rather
than "harpists." The range of
a lever harp varies
from 25-36 strings,
depending on the
model and size.
(There are also very
small harps in use
of 24 strings or
fewer, known as "lap
harps.")
The photo to the
right shows a Rick
Rubarth "Merlin"
model 35-string
lever harp in brown
mahogany finish
that was
manufactured
in the USA.
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Note:
For most
engagements,
this harper uses
the smaller
lever harp
pictured above
or the chamber
harp shown
below, due to
their superior
portability,
ability to
squeeze into
limited spaces,
and less
imposing size.
The
Chamber Harp
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This
is a
smaller-size
pedal harp
that has a
system of
seven
foot-operated
pedals which
allow the harp
to change keys
or pitches
rapidly. It is
used for
situations in
which more
chromatic
capability is
needed than
can be
provided by
the lever
harp. This
harp is
perfect for
small
weddings,
garden
parties,
afternoon
teas, and
church
services.
The
photo to the right
shows a Camac "Clio"
model 44-string
chamber harp in red
mahogany finish that
was manufactured in
France.
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The
Concert Harp
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This
is the large
harp seen
playing with
orchestras, in
formal
recitals and
in big bands.
It has a
system of
seven
foot-operated
pedals which
allow the harp
to change keys
or pitches
rapidly. It is
very
impressive in
both size and
appearance and
is capable of
more volume
than most
stringed
instruments.
It is very
expensive to
own,
cumbersome to
move, and
difficult to
play well.
Today's
concert pedal
harps have 46
to 47 strings
and encompass
over six
octaves.
The photo to
the right
shows a Venus
Harps
"Protégé"
model
46-string
concert harp
in natural
maple finish
that was
manufactured
in Chicago,
USA.
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Note: This
harpist only uses the large
concert harp for orchestral
engagements or grand, formal
events such as a cathedral
wedding where the sound of the
harp must fill the hall.
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