clársach

The wires were attached to a massive soundbox typically carved from a single log, commonly of willow, although other woods including alder and poplar have been identified in extant harps. This harp also had a reinforced curved pillar and a substantial neck, flanked with thick brass cheek bands.

The clarsach was the primary instrument of the Gaelic courts until the introduction of the bagpipe in the 15th century and remained central to Gaelic courtly music until the mid-18th century. It also played a key role in the music of the early Celtic church.

The early harps were strung with wire, held on the left side and plucked with nails grown long. If strung in gut the harp was held on the right shoulder and plucked with the cushion of the finger. If a wire strung harper displeased his punishment was to have his finger nails cut!

Clàrsach today generally means “small harp” or “Celtic harp”, especially in Ireland and Scotland. Historically, it seems that clàrsach specifically meant a harp strung with metal strings, and harp was the name for the instrument strung with gut (or, in modern times, nylon or fluorocarbon) strings.

The clarsach is a harp strung with gut or wire and is one of Scotland's oldest instruments. The earliest images can be found on Pictish close PictishRelating to the Picts - a group of tribal peoples who lived in Northern Scotland during the Iron Age stones, dating back to the 8th Century.

It appears in stone carvings as early as the 8th century, some seven centuries before the bagpipe began to take hold in Scotland. Two of the oldest surviving Celtic harps are in the collection of the National Museum of Scotland – the 'Queen Mary' from the 15th century and the 'Lamont' from the 16th century.

The Clarsach is a performance lever harp originally commissioned by the legendary Derek Bell MBE, celebrated harpist with The Chieftains. Today it is firmly established as one of the most sought after and prized Celtic harps the world over.

34 Clarsach Strings (34)

The harp is a multi-stringed musical instrument, or chordophone, that has a resonator (or soundboard) that vibrates with the movement of the strings, producing the sound of the notes. There are several different kinds of harps: there are framed harps, open harps, and folk harps, just to name a few.

The word “harp” originates from the German, Old Norse and Anglo Saxon words meaning “to pluck.” It might have strings, but it's not a guitar! The harp is meant to be played with the first four fingers on both hands.

santoor A typical santoor has two sets of bridges, providing a range of three octaves. The Indian santoor is more rectangular and can have more strings than its Persian counterpart, which generally has 72 strings. Musical instruments very similar to the santoor are traditionally used all over the world.

Gentle, metallic, blurring, resonant, short, hard, drifting, full-sounding, rushing, clear, brilliant, glittering, flowing, dull, mellow, sharp, crystal clear, reverberating, splashing, cascading. The attack time is short and depends on the length of the string.