Harp

Missing Infobox musical instrument / Maintenance / sound parameters example: template

The harp is one of the Chordophonen, more specifically to the plucked instruments. It is one of the oldest musical instruments of mankind and already came to about 3000 BC in Mesopotamia and Egypt before.

Among the three basic types of stringed instruments ( harps, zithers and lutes ), the harp is characterized as an instrument in which sloped pull the strings vertically ( angle harp ) or on the soundboard. The concert harp as the largest representative of its type, with about 180 cm in height and up to 40 kg Weight of the largest and heaviest orchestral instruments.

2.2.1 Modern special cases

Construction and Technology

The Harp Column quasi forms the backbone of the instrument. On top is the head, which can be artfully decorated, the bottom is the foot. From the head of the neck leading to the knee, which represents the connection to the obliquely downwardly extending body, the resonator body, which in turn ends in the foot.

The upper surface of the resonator body is the soundboard on which the suspension strip is for the strings. The tuning pegs are located in the neck of the harp, depending on the type of harp also a mechanism. This is in pedal harps on pedal rods that run either in the column or in the body, connected with the pedals in the foot.

In the simplest harp each string is responsible for only a sound. When the lever harp can be any string means of a hook, often called Halbtonklappe, as needed to provide higher tune a semitone. The pedal harp you can by pressing a pedal to increase all the same tones of the instrument by a semitone, in the double -action pedal harp by another semitone.

The term " concert harp " always refers to a double -action pedal harp ( mood C flat major ), which can be played in all keys; which are customary in the Alpine region name " Folk Harp " or " Tyrolean Folk Harp " denotes a single -action pedal harp ( mood -flat major ), in keys up to four sharps and three Bes including C major can be played with.

Harp types

Diatonic tuned harps

Simply pedal harp

In the 18th century pedal harps were designed to set the keys that are still in use today. The pedal harp strings shortening is achieved by a complex mechanism with up to 2500 components by means of pedals, so even while playing.

Originally it was a pedal arrangement in use, which offered the possibility of the sound of a string by a semitone to vote higher. According to the effort in the construction of harps there were few, often five, later seven pedals. Originally from hand to rotating hooks were later connected by train ropes with a pedal at the bottom of the sound box of the harp to produce through this pedal the semitone.

Mid to late 18th century were " Zugkrückenmechaniken " widespread: This was mechanized hooks, which expressed the strings attached to the neck on a web transverse to the string level. ( Construction company Naderman Paris). Rare was a mechanic with more rotatable hook. (From Cosineau Paris).

End of the 18th century, common in today's concert harps fork disc mechanics have been developed (from Nadermann Paris and Messrs. Erard London). Function: a rotary disk whose axis is transverse to the neck was fitted with two small pins, between which the string. If you pedal, then turn the wheel, and the two pins press the string down so that it shortens sounds a semitone higher.

The tie-rods actuated from the pedals were made exclusively by the column with a deflection in the head of the joint between column and neck. Exotic designs such as the retuning of the strings by stretching with rotating vortices of the company Cosineau turn of the century to the 19th century could not prevail. The single - pedal harps achieve a significant extension of achievable within a piece of music keys as opposed to the lever harp.

A special type of single -action pedal harp is occurring in the late 19th century Tyrolean folk harp or Tyrolean songs harp, which allows the required retuning for the typical key change Alpenländische folk music simply by pedaling. It will voted with non-operated pedals in E Flat Major, reaching the keys it to E major.

It is probably because of the curved ceiling is a further development of the " Bohemian harp ". The name is derived from the distribution area of today's Tyrol and South Tyrol. It is quite a simple design. The static parts of the neck, including the camp for the Umstimmvorrichtungen are made of wood. The arrangement of the pedals was different depending on the instrument maker.

The instruments of the harp builder Franz Bradl (1882-1963) from Brixlegg helped the still widely accepted design breakthrough. Participation was instrumental folk harpist Berta Höller (1923 - 2014) World Premiere Austria ( meaning Contemporary Quote: Since I have to make clear the wooden heads once that the pedals must be arranged as in the concert harp, so that the harp interspersed ).

The wire hook is no longer used by Franz Bradl were far more used by harp maker Kammel ( Schneizlreuth, Upper Bavaria ). The of the well-known folk harp farmers ( Mürnseer, Kitzbuhel, Petuschnigg, Lienz, Kroll, Zangerle, both Tyrol and Fischer, Traunstein in Upper Bavaria) still made instruments are equipped with fork disc mechanics. The design feature with the tie rods in the soundboard and deflection in the knee has been preserved in the folk harps. These harps are characterized by a clear sound and strong knees.

Halbtonmechanik of Bradl Harp

Interior of Halbtonmechanik

Double -action pedal harp

The double -action pedal harp is the harp concert in use today. She has most 47 strings ( which are tuned diatonic) and comprises a circumference of six and a half octaves. They reach a height of up to 1.80 meters. The string tension increases with the development of the concert harp still significant and requires the harpist distinct training for strength training, the corneal structure and specific techniques to relax the hand ( downward-pointing fingers pluck the strings and are articulated to relax your hand into the palm of your hand ). Through the development of the double -action pedal harp playing techniques, for example, playing a glissando on a diminished seventh chord were greatly expanded.

On May 2, 1810 Sébastien Erard received the patent for a harp with double resolution and turntable mechanics. Each of the seven pedals could now be entered not only by one step, but two stages. This increase was reduced by two semitones (one whole step ) is possible. The invention is used almost unchanged from the concert harp farmers today. 3500 copies sold led to the standardization of the harp that is strung with 46 or 47 strings.

In the 1970s, concert harp company brought models with broadened resonance ceiling in the bass on the market. The ceiling appears in the front view in the pear shape. With the double -action pedal harp pulled the instrument in the 19th century, after the Arpa Tripla ( Arpa Doppia ) of the 17th century, again as a solid tool in the " Classical Orchestra " one.

The double -action pedal harp has seven pedals typically, one for each Stammton. The pedals are connected by means of metal rods within the column of the harp with a mechanism which allows for playing the length of the vibrating portion of the strings to change, which changes the mood of the strings. Each pedal has three positions, in the initial position all the sounds have a ♭ - sign. Each tone can now increase twice by a half step.

Lever harp

A lever harp is a designated according to their Umstimmvorrichtungen harp type.

The harp is traditionally a diatonic instrument that is tuned to a key (usually E-flat major ). Presumably, with the spread of temperament and to quickly be able to change the key, were attached from the 18th century below the tuning peg hooks, with which the individual strings could be shortened and increased by increments of a semitone. At the upper end of the string, a hook or a lever is mounted, which can be actuated by hand and shortens the string. So the string can be increased by a semitone. It need not be all of the strings with hooks. Most of the key before each piece is set. However, it is also possible during the game normally with the left hand to operate the Umstimmer.

The term lever harp says nothing about the regional origin of the instrument. Hook harps are (after not well-defined source, use caution! ) Known since the 17th century and were common in art music still next to the pedal harps until well into the 19th century. The best known, however, are those instruments that were often played by Czech and Thuringia traveling musicians in the 50 years inside. These are therefore referred to as Bohemian hook harp, and again today in Franconia and Southern popular. In addition, many of the so-called Irish or Celtic harps harps hook. In conventional hook harps today, the original simple hook through Halbtonklappen ( in English " Levers " ) are replaced, the name has remained.

The current models are the Celtic harp and the Bohemian harp.

Latin American harps

The widespread in Spain Arpa Dos Ordenes was introduced by the Spaniards in Latin America in the 16th century - it was back in Europe a fashionable instrument. The instrument lost in the course of its development the pentatonic string series and today is a diatonic instrument without Umstimmvorrichtungen and strung with nylon strings. The harp is widespread in South America and harp music is part of the folklore in various Latin American countries.

Special enjoys popularity this instrument in Paraguay and Venezuela. The typical Paraguayan harp has 36 strings and is about 150 cm high, the distance between the strings is about an inch. The sound apertures are located on the rear of the instrument. The Venezuelan Arpa llanera is greater, averaging about 160 cm, has 32 strings, the strings distances are 1.4 cm and the sound holes are located on the front of the instrument, on the soundboard. The Arpa llanera is also played in Colombia. The in the Andes mountains of South America, spread harp has a very broad resonance body and has 34 strings. The Peruvian harp is particularly popular in the region Ayacucho. In Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia, the harp is not unknown, but loses more and more important. In Mexico, the harp in the state of Veracruz is popular, but is there more used to monitoring and not as a solo instrument. The famous song " La Bamba " is originally a harp song.

According to the widespread use of this instrument in South America, there are many styles of music that can be played with the harp (eg the Joropo ). Venezuelan - Colombian harp music is very rhythmic and influenced by the hot climate of the tropical lowlands. Traditionally sung to (partly chant ) and the harp is accompanied by the cuatro, the maracas ( maraca ) and a bass. Paraguayan harp music is very melodic and melancholic. It is accompanied with guitar, requinto (small guitar) and sometimes with accordion. Andean music is based on the pentatonic scale of the Incas, is often moody and becomes minor-major sounds perceived by Europeans with their constant change of a slightly sad.

South American harps are plucked with the fingernails.

Chromatic tuned harps

In the 15th or 16th century in Spain and Italy emerged chromatic harps. There are now following types of chromatic harp known:

Arpa Dos Ordenes ( Spanish harp with crossed strings )
Arpa Doppia ( Italian double or Tripelharfe )
Pleyel harp
Weigel Harp
Welsh Tripelharfe

Modern special cases

The art of experimentation in Harfenbau is not extinguished, as could be seen with twelve strings in a row on the Harp Congress in Prague modern forms of Pleyelharfe and smaller chromatic harps. These models were already present in the Renaissance and Baroque on a smaller scale without ever more widely used.

In 1900, learned the chromatic harp a brief revival. Due to the increasingly chromatic expectant art music held some diatonic harp for unsatisfactory or not suitable for modern music. The best-known composer who has composed for this instrument, Claude Debussy was.

Starting from an already existing in the 19th century construction of a chromatic harp was made by the harpist Christoph Pampuch end of the 20th century a new attempt. On the basis of the Bohemian harp he developed a double row over crossed out, this handy model that offers the entire chromatic spectrum with its own technique and without error-prone mechanism. The special feature is the tuning of the instrument, while the strings of a stringed series of increasingly large in seconds to be tuned (analogous to the Salzburg dulcimer), so in two parallel whole-tone scales. Thus, this harp is one of the 6 -plus -6- instruments. The musician or the musician reaches for a triad with two strings of a plane and a string from the second level. Since 2005 there has been an annual meeting of the chromatic harp player.

History

There is evidence of harps in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia since about 3000 BC The first pictures of harps appear in Mesopotamia and in ancient Egypt around 2400 BC, coinciding with lyres. The oldest known name and a picture from this period Egyptian harpist was Hekenu. She accompanied the then obviously most famous singer Iti. From the Cycladic civilization ten marble statuettes have received with seated harp players who have emerged from about 2600 to 2200 BC.

This oldest harps were bow harps, which was succeeded in 1900 BC, a new harp guy whose neck was going on at a right or acute angle from the sound box. The number of strings could be significantly increased at the angle harps. Differences are large vertical angle harps with sometimes more than 20 strings of smaller horizontal angle harps with less than ten strings according to the play position of the resonance body. The latter have BC by the Assyrians spread to Central Asia in the 1st millennium. A well-preserved find from the Altai is in the 4th century BC dated Pazyryk - harp. The vertical angle harps Chang were in Iran until the 17th century and played in Ottoman Turkey until the early 18th century. The disadvantage of the angular harp, their low stability and poor tunability, overcame the invention of the three-sided closed frame harp, which took place in Europe around 800 AD. This includes all modern concert harps are derived.

Archeologists from Innsbruck have a 2000 year old carved angular harp reconstructed. The carved from deer antler arm of the harp is richly decorated and carries a Rhaetic inscription. In northern Europe ( in contrast to the Mediterranean) appear the first pictures of harps in Ireland around 800 AD These harps, with their characteristics ( curved neck, tapered strings arrangement ) the basic type Today the worldwide common harps.

The harp is under the name kinnor the instrument of the Hebrew King David, who casts out the evil spirits of his predecessor Saul with her. Also in various Norse sagas it appears, as in the Volsungs saga or the Beowulf.

Four of the oldest harps have been preserved in Europe: These are three Celtic harps from the 15th or 16th century. When named after the legendary Irish High King Brian Boru harp with a gebeitelten from a single stem body came as resonance wood wicker wood used. This harp can be seen in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. The Brian Boru Harp can be seen in the coat of arms of the Republic of Ireland as well as on the flag of the Irish province of Leinster, she is also depicted on the Irish Euro coins, and was about to see long on all coins of the Irish pound. Two very similar examples, the Queen Mary Harp and the Lamont Harp located in the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. A fourth harp, the so-called " Selva - harp " or " harp - Eisenach " from the end of 14./Anfang of the 15th century, can be visited at the Wartburg in Eisenach today.

In Central Europe the harp occurs as a simple lap harp on ( often referred to as arch harp). Schnarrer were widely used, the instrument sounds more vivid. The rasping sound points to use as accompaniment and rhythm instrument. The pedal harp with pedals attached to the Harfenfuß was invented in 1720 by Jacob Hochbrucker.

The following two images show details of a " Gothic " harp free harp after MI59 in the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg

Schnarrer a harp

Other forms of harp

Ancient Greek harps: Pektis, Sambyke (hammered dulcimer or harp), trigonon, psaltery ( lyre or harp), Magadis and Nablium
Kinnor, biblical harp
Ardin, Mauritanian angle harp
Ennanga, Ugandan bow harp
Saung gauk, Burmese harp sheet
Tschangi Georgian angle harp
Waji, Afghan bow harp

Among the well-known harpists include Nancy Allen, Dorothy Ashby, Sylvain Blassel, Jana Boušková, Edmar Castañeda, Sarah Christian, Osian Ellis, Catrin Finch, Martine Geliot, Marcel Georges Lucien Grandjany, Deborah Henson - Conant, Ursula Holliger, Pierre Jamet, Lily Laskine Andrew Lawrence-King, Germaine Lorenzini, Xavier de Maistre, Harpo Marx, Chantal Mathieu, Susanna Mildonian, Isabelle Moretti, Joanna Newsom, Rüdiger Oppermann, Cornelia Patzlsperger, Fabrice Pierre, Ivan Ion Roncea, Carlos Salzedo, Arianna Savall, Antonia Schreiber, Dorette Spohr, Monika Stadler, Park Stickney, Alan Stivell, Jonny Teupen, Lynn Turner, Jochen Vogel, Andreas Vollenweider and Nicanor Zabaleta.

Major manufacturers

Major manufacturers of concert harps are:

Aoyama ( Fukui, Japan)
Camac ( Mouzeil, France)
Horngacher ( Starnberg, Germany )
Lyon & Healy ( Chicago, USA)
Salvi ( Piasco, Italy)
Thurau Harp Manufactory ( Wiesbaden, Germany ).

Especially for single pedal harps ( Tyrolean folk harps ) are worth mentioning:

Finess Harp John Fischer ( Frasdorf, Germany )
Fischer (Bavaria, Germany )
Mürnseer ( Kitzbuhel, Austria )
Petutschnigg ( Lienz, Austria )
Kroell (Münster, Tyrol, Austria )
Zangerle, ( Ebbs, Tirol, Austria )

Festivals

USA International Harp Competition; Bloomington (Indiana)
World Harp Congress ( WHC ) at different locations around the world
European Harp Symposium on also changing locations
International Harp Festival, Weil am Rhein
South German Harp Festival
Celtic Days on Lake Constance
Harp meeting ( in Lauterbach / Hessen since 2006, Mosenberg 1985-2005, in Josbach 1981-84 )
Harp summer ( in Lauterbach / Hessen since 2010)
Edinburgh International Harp Festival
Somerset Folk Harp Festival, New Jersey, United States

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