The harp is one of the most ancient
of stringed instruments. It consists basically of a frame carrying
strings of different lengths and hence different pitches, which
are plucked. Two members make up the frame: the "Body"
which acts as the resonator; and the "Neck" which holds
the strings taut between the body and the neck. Many harps also
have a "pillar" joining neck and body to make a rigid
triangular frame.
In traditional Irish and Welsh practice the
harp is rested against the left shoulder, a practice coming from
the medieval times. The left hand then plays the treble while
the right plays mainly on the longer strings. On the Continent,
the opposite prevails with the harp being held against the right
shoulder. Most of the harps during our time are "simple"
harps having a single row of strings, tuned diatonically, without
provision for changing the pitch of any string save by re-tuning.
However, in Italy during the latter part of the sixteenth century,
means were sought to make the instrument chromatic in order to
blend the unique sonority of the harp to polyphonic ensemble music.
The result is a harp with two or three parallel rows of strings.
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