The harps played by the Egyptians were generally in a basic arc shape, with strings stretching from one end of the crescent to the other. Unfortunately, as the arched harp is not very resilient, these strings were probably limited to a fairly low tension, hence, a very low pitch. Most particulars concerning how a harp can be played are determined by its size relative to the harpist. Egyptian harps ranged greatly in dimension and decoration. Some were larger than the harpist himself (most Ancient Egyptian harpists were male) and had to be played standing up, while others could be played sitting with the harp in the player’s lap. Some were even small and light enough to play with the entire harp’s body resting on one shoulder. Although all Egyptian harps took the basic shape of the arched harp, harps took many forms: ladle-shaped, crescent-shaped, boat-shaped, and angular. Most of those forms look like their names. For example, the boat-shaped harp has a boat-shaped soundbox, the “prow” making up the back of the harp (Rensch2 3-6). The angled harp is notably peculiar, as the soundbox is held in the position generally reserved for the back of a harp and the bar below it rests on the ground or the player’s lap.
The evolution of the tuning mechanism for Egyptian arched harps is worth mentioning. Although it is traditional for a simple instrument’s structure to progressively become more complicated, the Egyptian harp’s tuning mechanism changed from a more complicated design to a less mechanically sophisticated version. Originally, harp strings were securely fastened to the base/soundbox and then tied to unmovable knobs on the back of the harp. As each string had to be untied and retied every time it was to be tuned it was time consuming and difficult to tune with this mechanism. Eventually, the knobs were removed from the design, making tuning considerably easier. To tune the harp made in this fashion, one had merely to move the string from side to side (up or down the arc), thus changing its tension and pitch. These strings were generally made of gut and were played, most likely, using a pentatonic (five notes) scale without half tones (sharps or flats). The theoretical cultural functions of the Ancient Egyptian harp seem intuitively obvious. Harps were probably used in religious ceremonies, for entertainment during festivities, or for the personal enjoyment of Pharaoh (Sachs 92-95).
Wooden statuette of musician with an angled harp. Egypt, 750-656 BC
Detail of a wall painting at Thebes, showing musician with ladle-shaped harp
Harps have always held a special place in the Celtic culture, especially amidst the bonny green hills and glens of Ireland. The earliest record of an Irish harp’s existence is from 541 B.C. The Harper was called Craftiné and the harp was made of willow. Harpers have traditionally been surrounded with an air of mystery and have been given great respect in both Scotland and Ireland, likely because Harpers were capable of evoking profound emotional reactions in his audience. These reactions, were as follows: Geantraighe (laughter), Goltraighe (tears), and Suantraighe (sleep) (Woods 7). Irish harpers were renowned, in fact, across much of the ancient world for their unbelievable harping skill, sweet voices, and, as is to be expected of the Irish, their passionate artistic expression (Ruadh). Due to their seemingly mystical powers and their almost religious authority (Woods 7), when various groups invaded Ireland, they often targeted the harpers’ authority. They broke the harps as well as the harpists themselves in a futile effort to break the Irish spirit (Flood 92-93). This continued for so long and with such viciousness during English oppression that the playing of the Irish harp really only became publicized again in the early 1900s. However, most of the harps that are built during this relatively recent revival are actually neo-Celtic harps, strung with gut, or more recently, strung with nylon, as opposed to the traditional wire. Even as long ago as 1792, only one player at a harper’s convention continued to play on the wire strung (Ancient Celtic) harp. Fortunately, there has been a recent revival of metal-strung harps as well over the past few years(Woods 8). After much trial and error over the past two centuries; even these metal harps are regaining the original beauty of sound for which Celtic harps were known(Thor).
"Lough Derravaragh and the Children of Lir"
by Jim Fitzpatrick
Trinity College Harp, one of Ireland's national treasures
The Celtic harp’s design includes the second major evolutionary step in the development of the harp. Unlike the ancient harps of the cradle of civilization, ancient Celtic harps were what one calls “frame harps.” This means that the harp is not just an arched harp: a curve of wood with strings stretched between it. Instead, it has a forepillar, a bar joining the two ends of a curve or angle. This creates a full “frame” for the strings, ergo the name “frame harp.” Although it is not known who instrumented this change, this addition increased the structure’s capability to endure greater string tension, it allowed tones to last longer, pitch range to get higher, and volume to be greater through the use of less malleable string material (Ruadh). Celtic names for the triangular framed Celtic harp include cruit, clairseach (both Irish), clarsach (Scottish), telyn (Welsh), claasagh (Manx), telein (Cornish), and telen (Bretons). In most places, including Ireland, harps were strung with wire, which was generally silver, bronze, or steel. The Welsh alone tried a harp strung with hair, creating a rather buzzy sound (Rensch 68, 69). The strings of celtic harps numbered between 29 and 39 depending on the harp’s creator.