Other meanings of Celtic harp
Music
The Celtic harp is a traditional wire-strung harp of Ireland and Scotland, distinguished by its brass or silver strings, a curved forepillar, and a resonant soundbox carved from a single log of willow or other wood. It is also known as the cláirseach in Irish and clàrsach in Scottish Gaelic. Historically played by the Gaelic nobility, it declined in the 19th century but was revived in the 20th century through the efforts of musicians and scholars.
The Celtic harp is built with a soundbox hollowed from a single block of wood, typically willow, and a curved forepillar that gives it a distinctive silhouette. The strings are made of brass or silver, producing a bright, ringing tone that sustains longer than gut or nylon strings. The harp is played with fingernails, which pluck the strings to create a crisp, bell-like attack. The instrument's low string tension and narrow spacing allow for intricate ornamentation, a hallmark of traditional Gaelic music.
In medieval and early modern Ireland and Scotland, the Celtic harp was the instrument of the professional harper class, who were highly esteemed and often attached to noble courts. Harpers composed and performed praise poetry and laments, and their status was codified in Brehon law. The harp was also a symbol of Gaelic identity, appearing on Irish coins and heraldry. The decline of the Gaelic aristocracy in the 17th century led to the loss of patronage, and by the 19th century the tradition had nearly died out, with only a few elderly harpers remaining.
The revival of the Celtic harp began in the late 19th century with the collection of tunes and the construction of replicas based on surviving instruments, such as the famous Trinity College harp. In the 20th century, musicians like Ann Heymann and Alan Stivell brought the wire-strung harp back to public attention, and it is now played in both traditional and contemporary contexts. Modern makers craft instruments using historical techniques, and the harp is taught in institutions such as the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. The revival has also spread to other Celtic nations, including Wales and Brittany, where similar harps are used.
One lesser-known fact is that the Celtic harp was often played with the left hand on the bass and the right on the treble, but some historical sources suggest that the opposite was also practiced. The instrument was also used in Christian worship, with harpers playing in monasteries. The oldest surviving example, the Trinity College harp, dates from the 15th century and is made of oak, not willow. Additionally, the term 'Celtic harp' is sometimes used loosely to refer to the modern gut-strung lever harp, but the true wire-strung instrument has a distinct construction and sound. The harp's tuning was often based on a pentatonic scale, and players used a technique called 'the laying of the hand' to dampen strings, creating a staccato effect.
The Celtic harp is distinct from the modern orchestral pedal harp, which uses gut or nylon strings and a different mechanism.
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