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history
In the western experience there have been two major trends in the styles of harp which influence the harps that are in use today. The small harp, common to England and Medieval Europe, was lightly constructed and used gut strings which were plucked by the flesh of the finger tips thus producing a tone that died away quickly. Nylon strung folk harps, modern Irish harps and concert harps stem from this tradition. On the other hand, there was the "Clairseach" of the Gaels that was a sturdily built, metal-strung harp played with fingernails. It had a bell-like sound with a long sustain. This was the harp of ancient Ireland and Scotland.
The contemporary wire strung harp is a modern version of the ancient Clairseach. Sturdily built of red oak with a decorated quarter-cut sound board, its bell-like tone is even through-out its range. As in the ancient models there are no sharping levers or hooks as they would only cause the strings to break. ![]() |
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Roger Muma, 1157 St. Anthony Rd., London, ON, Canada, N6H 2R2, Ph. (519) 649-0309. |