Celtic harp: description and methods of playing

Ireland is the only country whose symbol is a musical instrument. The fact that the image of the harp is used even on national symbols emphasizes the love of the inhabitants of this country for music and their own culture. In addition, it adds recognition to the instrument itself, attracting the interest of foreigners to it.

The Irish harp is a type of frame harp that differs from the classical model in its size. This is a big plus for the Celtic instrument. It is much more comfortable to work with it than with larger counterparts. The rest of the instrument is similar to the rest of the orchestral harps and consists of a sturdy triangular frame and strings of varying lengths.

It is believed that the strings of the first harps were made of gold and silver wire. The frame of a Celtic harp is usually carved from a single piece of log. Willow, poplar and alder were used to create it. Modern products are not much different from traditional Celtic instruments.

The first harps appeared on the territory of modern Ireland a long time ago. The Celts made legends that this instrument was gifted to them by the gods to emphasize their light character and love of fun. But, as modern historians believe, the harp was brought to Ireland from Europe. The musical instrument became the symbol of Ireland in the 13th century. Even then, his image was present on the royal coat of arms. Harp musicians were considered highly respected people in those days. They recited poems for their leaders to music, inspired warriors to fight and simply raised the morale of the Celts.

The harps themselves have always tried to decorate richly. They were decorated with mosaics, mother-of-pearl and even precious metals. But the golden age of the harp came to an end after the conquest of the territories inhabited by the Celts and the British. After gaining power, they issued a large number of bans aimed at eradicating the culture of local residents. They were not allowed to wear national costumes, use traditional symbols and even use names familiar to local people.

Later, the prohibitions were softened. The image of the traditional Irish harp began to appear on local coins. But over time, they began to be much less interested in playing this musical instrument. Interest in the Irish harp began to revive only in the 50s of the last century. The instrument has found a new life. In Ireland and beyond, they began organizing annual summer schools for those who wanted to learn how to play the harp, and various themed festivals.

At the same time, a large number of different kinds of materials have appeared to help them in learning. The Irish harp is now popular with musicians. The instrument is used not only for performing folk or academic music. Even modern melodies are played on it. The most famous musician to popularize the Celtic harp was Derek Bell.

The Celtic harp is very important to the Irish people. That is why her image is used very actively. She can be seen on:

• the national flag of Ireland, where the instrument is depicted on a blue background;
• Irish euro;
• various state seals;
• the logo of the Guinness beer company;
• school uniforms and local emblems.

Anyone can now learn to play the Celtic harp. Previously, it was believed that learning to play this musical instrument should begin in childhood. But, as practice shows, you can master this skill even in adulthood. The first step is to get into a comfortable position to play. You need to sit on a chair of a suitable height and fix the harp in such a position that the short strings are closer to the person's hands, and the long ones are farther away. The instrument can be held in your lap or placed on a low table in front of you.

The next important point is the position of the hands. They should be relaxed. This will help prevent any injury. It is also very important to monitor your posture during the game. Next, you need to tune the harp. All levers must be set to neutral before starting the game. Having set up the instrument, you can proceed to the game. The sound can be produced by touching the strings with your fingers. To make it easier to play, you should cut your fingernails shorter.

In order to learn the game, you can use the help of a teacher. Now it is also possible to do it yourself with the help of a tutorial or video tutorials. Basic musical training is not required for novice harpers. In the process, there is no need to rush anywhere. You should develop your skills gradually. The training will take a couple of months. But the effort will pay off very quickly. After all, having studied the basics of playing the Celtic harp, it will be possible to perform almost any melodies on it - from classics to modern musical compositions.

In order for the harp to always be in excellent condition, it must be looked after. It's not that hard, just follow a few simple rules.

• Store the tool in a designated place. It must be protected from changes in humidity and temperature. It is best to transport the instrument from place to place in a case.
• Do not place the harp near radiators, fireplaces, or other sources of heat. On hot days, do not leave your musical instrument outside or in your car.
• Harp tuning should only be done with the levers lowered.
• You cannot change all strings at once.