String Family. You heard that right: the harp belongs to the string family. Why is it called that? Only because these instruments are played by plucking, strumming, or running a bow over multiple strings. But as for the harp, it is played by plucking on the strings present inside the upright triangular frame.
The unique thing about it is that every string holds its own note, that too in chronological order. From short to long, the note goes from a high pitch to a low one. The harp is meant to be played with the first four fingers on both hands.
The sound a harp produces is almost dreamy and magical, though for a musician to keep track of the instruments and the notes is quite complicated since it has forty-seven strings and seven pedals. Modern harps are made in two main varieties: the lever harp and the pedal harp. They are both similar in design, but the pedal harp is slightly larger and has special pedals allowing the harpist to change the tuning while performing. The lever harp, often referred to as a folk or Celtic harp, is more suitable for folk and classical music.
The walls of many ancient Egyptian tombs have paintings of people playing the harp which were quite a reflection of their culture but also the depiction of how the harp was known to be famous. It’s not just orchestras. The harp can also be heard in classical, folk, country, jazz, and African music, just to name a few.
Over time improvements have been made to the way that the pedals and the hooks work to alter the pitch that the harp can produce and give harpists more flexibility in the tuning of their instrument and the pitches they can produce, until we get to today’s concert harp.
Its history goes back to 3,000 BCE in Ancient Egypt, making it one of the oldest instruments; however, it appeared to be different from what it is now. It was much smaller in size, with fewer strings and no pedals at all. It was played frequently in the temples of Egypt to begin with, but then soon went down to the courts of medieval Europe and now finally reached the concert halls in the current times.
People have redesigned and invented the harp in different ways, but the essential appeal, i.e, the graceful form and the enchanting sound, has not been lost during these times. While the elemental nature of the harp has been constant, there have been various alterations in the way the strings produce noise, the notes, improvements in the materials, and the mechanism of the pedals have severely evolved.
History: An Ancient Global Legacy & The Mechanics of the Pedal Frame
The few illustrations of crude harps are seen in ancient Egyptian tomb wall paintings. These early harps are believed to have originated in Asia and consisted of a hollow sound box which was connected to a straight string arm at an angle, although the strings were made up of hair or any plant material which were linked in between the sound box and the string arm. The sound box amplifies the sound the harp could produce.
Most of the early harps were popular in Ancient Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, where the music was a key part of their daily life. However, the popularity of the harp in Irish, Scottish, and Welsh national was diverse over the time periods, but it remains a perpetual symbol in their culture. These instruments were known as clarsachs or Celtic harps. Celtic harps were played held against the left shoulder and plucked with the fingernails. Their music was said to strengthen morale and instill national pride.
As we know, the design of the harp evolved over centuries; one of the most noticeable developments was the inclusion of a pillar during the Middle Ages. The strings of the harp were made of different materials now, such as brass and copper; thus, to give support to the added matter, a pillar was needed. Although there are very few remaining in existence, art from that time indicates they utilized about ten or eleven strings. Soon in the seventeenth century, metal hooks were provided for the harpist to adjust the tuning of each string.
Later in the years, the harp was quite popular in the music industry for entertainment and whatnot, so the need to increase the pitch was noticed; hence, a new key feature was introduced in the existing harps, which was a series of pedals. The resulting difference became known as a Single Action Harp. This harp was confirmed to be popular amongst the people in Europe between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They became quite decorative as designers added lavish, gliding, and elaborately carved wood. Longer strings produce lower pitched notes, as the vibrations made by plucking the string have further to travel along the string, and shorter strings produce higher pitched notes.
And by the nineteenth century, there was an increasing demand for modern music, which meant that there had to be another change to be included. During 1810, Sébastien Érard developed the Double Action Harp, where it was possible to play the harp in all keys for the first time. This was thus made an industry standard, which has lasted from the twentieth century till now. Strings on a harp are all different lengths and tensions (so how tightly it is secured between the neck and body of the harp), and the strings will be of varying thickness. All of these things will have an effect on the pitch of the note the string can produce; a thicker string will vibrate more slowly when plucked producing a lower pitched note.
Pedal harps were developed in the 18th century in response to changing musical styles demanding a full chromatic (12-note) octave. The average pedal harp is around six feet tall and weighs up to seventy-five pounds. The strings on the harp are somehow equivalent to the white keys on a piano. A harpist can only access the seven pitches per octave. But to access more pitches, the musician must use the pedals to adjust further. The pedal harp provides quick access to the maximum number of chromatic pitches without interfering with the hands. The middle pedals are E and B, which are the first two flats in key signatures. The next two pedals are F and C, which are the first two sharps in key signatures. The last three pedals, G, A, and D, are the middle accidentals in both sharp and flat key signatures.
In the late 16th Century, early 17th Century, harps with 3 rows of strings appeared in Italy. Harpists found that by using these instruments they could play music with fast, repeated notes could be played much more easily, and the sound they could produce was a much larger, louder sound.
Different Periods of the Harp Era
Baroque Period and Romantic Period
The design of the harp went through a rebirth in prominence and popularity during this period, which was around 1600-1700’s. Since it was both an aristocratic and a folk instrument, the invention of the single-action pedal was highly helpful. Baroque harpists started using quick, lively parts and decorations in their music because the instrument could do more new things. The very famous harp concerto in Bb composed by Handel is from this period of time.
The Romantic period stretched from 1830-1900’s. Many harpists would write solo symphonies that showcased the master capability of the harp. This was embraced for its singing tone and ability to add harmonic richness, establishing an enduring position in the orchestra that continues to this day.
20th and 21st Centrury
The changes in culture and society throughout the world also changed the way the harp was played. Many trends like the revival of Celtic folklore, the introduction of jazz and film tunes led to the development of electric harps as well. Important harp works by modernist composers like Debussy and Ravel.
The harp is still an important part of contemporary film scores and TV soundtracks. Pop artists regularly use the harp in live shows and recordings, and the tradition of world music, from Latin America to Africa, is alive and well. Electric harps are now being used in rock, metal, and electronic music as well. Today, modern composers are writing intriguing new harp music, while performers commission experimental works and push the boundaries with unconventional custom instruments like the laser harp. Today’s top professional harpists are virtuosos who play in a variety of styles. The harp has come back into fashion as a versatile and creative instrument.
The harp still casts a spell on audiences and inspires artists with its haunting harmonies and ethereal beauty. This ancient instrument has been seamlessly integrated into cutting-edge music. After millennia, the harp’s magic is still enchanting. Musicians worldwide are still discovering ways to harness its magic. The world’s largest harp ensemble consists of 420 harpists.
By: Gia Angel Shore
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