Irish celtic harp12/9/2023 Conversely, a pedal style uses pedals rather than levers to alter the key. The lever (folk) harp derives its name from the fact that its mechanism is organised in a way that allows the keys to be changed via the various levers that are an integral part of the instrument and that can pushed against the strings to make them shorter. The heritage of several other surviving instruments remains unclear, though it is thought that they could also have their origins in Scotland. It is thought that all three were made in Argyll, Scotland. These include the Trinity College Harp (on display at Trinity College in Dublin) and the Queen Mary Harp and the Lamont Harp (which can both be found at Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland and are excellent examples of a low-headed style crafted from hornbeam). Three out of the four most ancient instruments that have survived to the present day date from the 15th century. However, by the early 1800s it was thankfully undergoing something of a revival in Ireland. Yet by the middle 1700s the fiddle had largely supplanted the harp, which almost sounded the death knell for the instrument. During medieval times, this wire-strung instrument remained in high demand all over the Gaelic world and was intrinsic to courtly life. While the design is not wholly clear, it is thought by some to have been the precursor to the Irish ‘clairseach’ (in Scottish Gaelic ‘clarsach’) that described the triangular-shaped instrument that eventually supplanted the cruit. The very first Gaelic instrument was called a ‘cruit’. The ancestry of the harp is much discussed among experts, and no one definitive consensus has yet been reached. History of the Irish Harp Mairead Murphy of Traditional Irish Folk Group Dúnaill playing the Celtic Harp. Its history can be traced back for literally thousands of years, and it has played a pivotal role in the culture, religion, politics and society of the Celtic people. The Celtic harp is intimately associated with the Celtic culture and Irish Traditional Music from medieval times right up to the present day. Elaine Hogan performing on stage at the 2017 Doolin Folk Festival. And, of course, it is the national and very evocative emblem of Ireland, a symbol that instantly brings to mind the Emerald Isle and the wonderful Irish traditional music that is so associated with it. It is synonymous with the Celtic ruling elite, as in those days it was regarded as an instrument of high status. This large, triangular-shaped, wire-strung instrument is notoriously difficult to master, and as such is played by instrumentalists of the very highest order. It is indigenous to the following countries, where it has a name in each dialect (noted in parenthesis): Brittany (‘telenn’), Scotland (‘clarsach’), Wales (‘telyn’) and Ireland (‘clairsech’). The Celtic Harp is known by a number of names, including the Irish, the Folk, and the Lever. Emer Mallon of Connla in action on the Celtic Harp.
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