Introduction to playing the wirestrung harp is a dvd and music book containing video lessons by ann heymann, javier sainz and bill taylor, wi th arrangements for elementary, intermediate and advanced players. Exploring irish harp traditions siobhan armstrong the. The wire strung harp and the pedal harp emmanuel rivera. Wire strung harps are traditionally played with fingernails, and requires slightly different hand positioning. The harp newbies series includes three books for each level that when used together, will help those who are new to harp develop skills in music reading, technique, and music theory. There is also a recording of the 34 tunes in the book with the gaelic title. The tunes are playable on a small wirestrung clarsach with 19 strings, having a.
Bill taylor is a specialist in the performance of ancient harp music from ireland, scotland and wales. For info on wire and cross strung techniques, which have some significant differences, see below. It contains sections on harp basics, types of harps, ways to approach the harp, buying a harp, tuning, caring for the harp, some basic theory, chords, improvisation, and singing with the harp many of which arent covered in your standard method book, which tends to focus on technique, exercises and graded repertoire. The musical legacy of the wire strung harp is a broken tradition. Both include some techniques from my key techniques for harp book. The clarsach, or small harp, strung with metal strings has been the national symbol of ireland for centuries. Various forms of the harp have been around on most of the continents of the world since before written history and nothing is known about its remote origins. It is smaller than and predates the pedal harp both in size and weight, and is made in both floor and lap sizes, with a range of strings from as little as 19 up to 36 or more.
In addition, the plucked strings sustain for a long time, and musicians need to use a special technique that will dampen strings as you play. Intended for newcomers to the wire strung harp, or any harp that is longringing. The gaelic word for wire strung harp is clairseach and was used throughout ireland and scotland. Information about the early brass wire strung gaelic harp of ireland and the highlands and islands of scotland. The powerful, haunting, penetrating sound of wire strung comes alive under her deft fingers. You may also be interested to look at the book by daniel tokar and ann heymann, dialogue on historical wire for gaelic harps. And for those who love pibroch this album gives the unique opportunity to hear the classical music of the celts in what may well have been its original form on wire strung harp. It contains many beautiful tunes, and i especially like how they are grouped together by skill levelsranging from moderate to advanced. The lowtension gut strings require a very different touch from the wire strung harp and im using wire striking and damping technique to keep the sound clear. A spanish cantiga from deborah frious book, and ann heymanns coupled hands arrangement of canaries from the straloch lute book. The wire strung harp, often called the clarsach, is a unique harp strung entirely with metal, as opposed to nylon andor gut stringing. For more information on wire strung harps, cynthia cathcart has an introduction to the instrument here. I am new to the harp and harp column so a quick intro. A guest blog from colombian harper emmanuel rivera angel.
Introduction to playing the wirestrung harp is a dvd and music book containing video lessons by ann heymann, javier sainz and bill taylor, with arrangements for elementary, intermediate and advanced players. In ireland and scotland, it was a wirestrung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play, and was associated with the gaelic ruling class. Based around the tunes traditionally taught to student harpers, it included graded excercises, and many other tunes fully arranged for gaelic harp. This newest addition to the world of wire strung harp primers is a comprehensive, userfriendly guide for the beginning clarsair, or wire harp player. Its approach and selection of tunes are unique, and helped me make sense of the mystery that is the wire strung harp. About a month ago i went along to a birthday party with some friends i was staying with, and someone else at the party had brought along a wire strung lap harp.
I have a musical background, but i just started playing a lap harp, 26string. Welcome to marsharp music, an edinburghbased publisher of music for both gut and wire strung harps, run by harper karen marshalsay. How to play the jaw harp jews harp a beginners tutorial matt tastic duration. It appears on irish and british coins and coat of arms of the republic of ireland, the united. These harps have been objects of great significance, and the harpers were often granted special status. Emmanuel is studying for an ma in musiclogy and performance in maynooth university and spent time in itma researching and presenting this blog as part of his coursework. However, for those who may have a hard time finding a teacher, ive tried to include notes as to which books are more helpful. An introduction to playing the wire strung harp wire branch of the clarsach society, 2012 the wire branch dvd features instructional video demonstrations by ann heymann, javier sainz and bill taylor. Patrick byrne, most eminent of the students from the belfast harp school to have been trained on the wire strung harp, died in 1863. The nonpedal harp is commonly known as the folk, or lever, harp. Here below, is a video of glenn demonstrating the sound of this beautiful wire strung harp, with 33 bronze strings. Celtic music for folk harp is my favorite book to play from.
Written by an experienced teacher and professional harper, this book is a progressive, stepbystep instructional book for the wire strung harp. It is a tutorial for people beginning the study of the wire strung harp starting with the basics of holding the instrument, to the basic techniques for playing the clarsach, the wire strung harp of. Tips for the beginning harp player for more, check out the beginner tips section of the harp blog. The accompanying booklet presents fully notated and marked up scores of all of the video material. The true gaelic harp, the ancient national instrument of ireland and scotland, is the. It may also be called the clarsach, though this word can also refer to other small harps.
Short music sample of me playing my small clarsach, or wirestrung harp. The celtic harp is a square harp traditional to ireland and scotland. The sheet music is in pdf form, and there are audio files mp3 of each part. The irishmaedoc book shrine dates from the 11th century, and clearly shows a harper with a triangular framed harp including a tsection in the pillar or lamhchrann in irish indicating the bracing that would have been required. Feb 25, 20 this is my version of the queen mary harp. The music performed on royal portables and pedal harps was aesthetically far removed from that of the older harp in terms of timbre, technique, tuning. She also built a profile for the irish harp which broadened its appeal beyond. There is a detailed introduction to the instrument, including how to hold the harp, use and care of nails, and hand position. For wire strung, you may be all setand im sure someone with wire harp experience will join the discussion. A glossary of all techniques and abbreviations used is given. Although not exclusively so, the folk harp is usually used to play more traditional, as opposed to classicalconcerti music, either solo or in. This primer is arranged in progressive lessons, each comprising exercises and historical context of the music presented.
I showed some interest and she let me have a go at playing it. It is available from the early gaelic harp emporium, creightons collection, and others. The musical legacy of the wirestrung harp is a broken tradition. He plays gut strung medieval harps, wire strung clarsachs and renaissance buzzing bray harps. Timeline of the modern revival of the wirestrung harp. In 2012 the branch, in association with siubhal, published a series of lessons in combined book and dvd format, an introduction to playing the wire strung harp. Ann heymann secrets of the gaelic harp clairseach publications, minneapolis, 1988 secrets was the first and definitive tutor book for learning fingernail technique on the gaelic wirestrung harp. Although some of the songs require a 33string harp, i just play the lower notes an octave higher and they sound great, and it keeps my brain alert. The early irish harp was wire strung, played on the left shoulder, with the lefthand on the treble strings and the righthand on the bass strings.
Introduction to playing the wirestrung harp is a dvd and music book. This book, meticulously crafted by beth kolle and laurie riley, is filled with short exercises and excellent. If you can tame you desire to just play it through for a few days, you will have your piece under your fingers by the end of the week. The lessons are with ann heymann, javier sainze and bill taylor. Music arranged for wirestrung harps wire branch of the.
Techniques from the robert ap huw ms along with some others. Now, are you willing to put off playing through that new piece long enough to try these harp practice techniques and do it the efficient way. Egans newly invented gutstrung portable irish harp the author points out that there were, in fact, four varieties of these. The wirestrung harp, often called the clarsach, is a unique harp strung. The wirestrung clarsach exemplifies the harp tradition of ireland and the scottish highlands. The notation is clear and easy to read, and the information about each tune is interesting and helpful in getting the right feel for each song.
I showed some interest and she let me haveread more. This page also presents prices and details for paper plans for three nylon strung harps 26, 30 and 36 strings a historic wire strung harp based on the lamont, and instructions for building a bray harp based on plans available through the boston museum of fine art. A well thought out book, for those who play wire harp and have no teacher a common situation. Starting with descriptions of the instrument, the student is led on a journey into the basic damping and ringing techniques of the clarsach. In ireland and scotland, it was a wire strung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play, and was associated with the gaelic ruling class. About the wirestrung harp wire branch of the clarsach. Actually, this is not for wire strung harp, but please allow me to post here i am playing this small harp using wire techniques. Mar 12, 2011 hello, i am new to the harp and harp column so a quick intro. A digital package of score, glossary of techniques used, and mp3 recordings of the individual parts, the entire piece, and helpful comments and hints. Heymann has led the revival of sharpened fingernailbased techniques of playing the wire strung harp documented by edward bunting in the late 18th century from the playing of denis ohampsey, one of the last traditional irish wire strung harp players. A classic among wire harp books, this book was the one that helped me break through into understanding how to play the wire harp. Nov, 2019 this playlist collates probable and possible early wire strung harp repertoire performed on replica early wire strung harps and gut harps and on modern celti. This little wire strung lap harp is designed to be comfortable to be played with the finger tips andor fingernails. The sound is distinctive, often likened to the tinkling of bells, and characterized by a long sustain.
The history of the attempts to revive the playing of wire strung harps. Individual wirestrung arrangements can now be purchased here. Any method book is at its most effective when used in conjunction with lessons. Books for the wire strung harp, written by cynthia cathcart. Patrick byrne, most eminent of the students from the belfast harp school to have been trained on the wirestrung harp, died in 1863. It was pubished by siubhal in association with the wire branch of the clarsach society. Timeline of select milestones in the modern revival. The true gaelic harp, the ancient national instrument of ireland and scotland, is the wire strung harp. The wire strung harp is often called the irish or scottish harp.
Karen marshalsay uses specially composed studies, tunes and exercises, along with arrangements of traditional tunes, to examine a set of techniques which will bring colour, energy and clarity to your playing. Pathway is a tutorial for people new to the study of the wire strung harp. Wire strung harp technique harp wiki fandom powered by. Sep, 2016 a traditional gaelic song arranged for wire strung clarsach with introduction, tune only, decorated tune, 2 versions for 19string harps, 2 versions for larger harps, and 2 simple accompaniment parts. The lesson book, the tune book, and the activity book. But wire strung and nylongut are very different technique and sound. It is known as clairseach in irish and clarsach in scottish gaelic. Wire strung harp harp wiki fandom powered by wikia. I love this john denver harp song book great songs for piano and harp.
Ann heymann secrets of the gaelic harp clairseach publications, minneapolis, 1988 secrets was the first and definitive tutor book for learning fingernail technique on the gaelic wire strung harp. In his book the irish and highland harps, robert bruce armstrong described the playing technique of the highland harp the prolonged vibration of the wire strings required to be immediately damped or stopped, thus as soon as a finger pulled a string, another finger stopped the vibration and when the performer on the harp was proficient, no. I can supply you with wire strings for your harp or other instrument. I dont have much by way of nails, so my technique is not particularly good, but it. Sylvia woods book for lap harp and harpsicles harp column. The wire branch exists to explore the possibilities of the wire strung clarsach, acknowledging its historical past and developing different styles of playing which encompass both ancient and modern approaches to technique, repertoire, and the instrument itself. Here is a book we would recomend to any player or aspiring player of wire harp. If you want to read up on the background to different types of metal strings, try my stringing history page. However, for those who may have a hard time finding a teacher, ive tried to include notes as to which books are more helpful for those trying to learn on their own. As you may know, no longer he makes harps this has only 12 gut strings, but it is still good enough to play medieval tunes. You can also browse the gaelic harp links on the historical page, and check out the harp history books and wire harp technique books in the harp books section. Harps, an important book examining and cataloging the surviving wirestrung harps from. The programme explores the making of a replica of the downhill harp, as well as aspects of playing wire strung harp, and the project culminated in a grand concert where ten wire strung harpers from various countries met and performed in celebration of the 1792 gathering and its original musicians, which numbered ten irish participants and. The harp played by the gaels of scotland and ireland between the 11th and 19th centuries was certainly wire strung.
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