What’s a harp?
The harp is a plucked stringed instrument, which is broadly triangular in form. Every string produces one notice, and the gradation of string size from brief to lengthy corresponds to pitch from excessive to low. The soundboard runs at an nearly perpendicular angle to the airplane of the strings.
What does a harp appear to be and what number of strings does it have?
The harp is available in many various form variations and sizes. A contemporary live performance harp – utilized in orchestral music for the reason that nineteenth century – sometimes has 47 strings with seven strings per octave, giving a spread of six and a half octaves. This sort of harp has seven foot-pedals, which alter the pitches of the strings, in order that it could actually simply play works written in any key.
The longest aspect of a contemporary harp known as the column or pillar, which is used to carry up the neck in opposition to the stress of the strings. On pedal harps, the pillar is a hole column and encloses the rods which modify the pitches.
Harp strings are sometimes colored to supply a visible help when enjoying. The bottom strings are constituted of metal and the remainder of the strings are sometimes constituted of intestine.
The trendy Celtic or people harp, which appeared in Eire within the early nineteenth century, is way smaller, and arched or bow formed. It doesn’t have pedals and may be performed whereas resting on the lap. The strings are typically fabricated from wire and are performed utilizing the fingernails.
Reenactors enjoying Celtic harps on the Hill-McNeil Retailer porch, New Salem, Illinois, 2006
When was the harp invented?
Harps had been extensively used within the historic Mediterranean and Center East, and representations survive from Egypt and Mesopotamia from way back to 3,000 BCE.
The instrument unfold throughout Europe through the Center Ages and Renaissance, the place it developed into a variety of varieties and variants. It was typically depicted in Christian paintings as an instrument performed by the angels, and due to this fact developed a heavenly affiliation.
How is the harp performed?
The trendy live performance harp is performed whereas sitting on a stool. The participant makes use of the thumbs and first three fingers of every hand to pluck the strings – the little finger isn’t lengthy sufficient to be of use.
Chords on the harp are quite common, performed by plucking a number of strings without delay – however should match inside the hand span of the harpist.
What are a few of the best-known classical works for harp?
The harp has featured in quite a few classical works – in solo, chamber and orchestral settings. Well-known works embrace Mozart’s Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra; Handel’s Concerto for Harp and Orchestra; Donizetti’s harp solo from his opera Lucia di Lammermoor; the cadenza from Tchaikovsky’s ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ from his Nutcracker; and the solo from Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune.
Important picture: a live performance or pedal harp © Metropolitan Museum of Artwork
