The harp is a musical instrument with strings that are stretched at an angle across its soundboard. These strings are plucked with fingers. Harps can be played while sitting or standing. Most harps are made of wood and have a triangular shape. Some harps have multiple rows of strings and include pedals.

Ancient drawings of harps have been found in Mesopotamia (now Iraq), Persia (now Iran), and Egypt. Later, harps were also found in India and China. By medieval times, harps were common in Europe. Today, harps are used in many parts of the Americas, where they appear in traditional folk music. Unique harp designs also developed in Africa. Harps are sometimes used in political symbols and appear in logos, such as in Ireland.

In the past, harp strings were made from sinew, which is tissue from animal tendons. Other materials used for strings include gut (from animal intestines), plant fibers, braided hemp, cotton, silk, nylon, and wire.

In music written for pedal harps, double flats and double sharps should be avoided as much as possible.

History

Harps have been around for a very long time in Asia, Africa, and Europe, with some as old as 3000 BCE. Harps were very popular in Europe during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, where they changed over time with new technology. They were also spread to Europe's colonies, especially in Latin America.

Some early types of harps no longer exist in the Near East and South Asia, but others are still played today in Myanmar and parts of Africa. Other types that were once used in Europe and Asia are now played by folk musicians.

The earliest harps and lyres were found in Sumer around 2500 BCE. Some harps were discovered in burial pits and royal tombs in Ur. The oldest pictures of harps without a central pillar are found in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings from the Nile Valley, dating to about 3000 BCE. These show an arched harp, which looks like a hunter’s bow, without the pillar found in modern harps. The Chang, a type of harp, was popular in Persia from about 4000 BCE until the 17th century.

Around 1900 BCE, arched harps in the Iraq-Iran region were replaced by angular harps with vertical or horizontal sound boxes. The Kinnor was an ancient instrument used by the Israelites, mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. It is often called a harp or lyre today and is linked to images on ancient coins. It is considered the "national instrument" of the Jewish people, and modern makers have created replicas based on these images.

By the start of the Common Era, "robust, vertical, angular harps" became popular in the Hellenistic world and were used in the Sasanian court. Later, these harps were redesigned to be lighter, but they became less strong. Even though they were still shown in art during the 1300–1600 CE period, their use as musical instruments was ending.

Marble statues of people playing harps are found from the Cycladic civilization, dating to 2800–2700 BCE. In the Mesolithic era, paintings in Bhimbetka show people playing harps. An arched harp made of wood and metal strings is shown on an Indus seal. Ancient Tamil writings describe harps with 14 to 17 strings, used by traveling musicians. Temple statues from around 600 BCE show the yaal harp. One Tamil text, the Kallaadam, says the first yaaḻ harp was inspired by an archer’s bow.

Another early South Asian harp was the ancient veena, which is different from the modern Indian veena (a type of lute). Some coins from the mid-4th century CE show King Samudragupta playing the veena. The ancient veena still survives in Burma as the saung harp.

Harps were popular in ancient China and nearby areas. The Chinese konghou harp is recorded as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE). A similar harp, the Gonghu, was played in ancient Korea, as early as the Goguryeo period (37 BCE–686 CE).

In Europe, harps often used a "pillar," a third part to support the ends of the harp. A triangular harp is shown on 8th-century Pictish stones in Scotland and in early 9th-century French manuscripts. The curved neck of the harp is shaped to keep the strings evenly spaced.

As European harps became more complex, musicians needed a way to change string pitches quickly. By the Baroque period, more strings were added to play chromatic notes. In the 17th century, German harps used manually turned hooks to raise string pitches. By the 18th century, pedals were added to create the single-action pedal harp.

The first pedal harps were made in Austria’s Tyrol region. Jacob Hochbrucker improved the pedal system around 1720, followed by Krumpholtz, Naderman, and the Erard company, who added a second row of hooks for more pitch changes. While some European harps became more complex, others stayed simpler and evolved into modern traditions.

In the Americas, harps are found in some areas, especially in Mexico, the Andes, Venezuela, and Paraguay. These traditions come from Spanish Baroque harps brought during colonization. Features vary by region.

The Paraguayan harp is the national instrument of Paraguay and is famous worldwide. It has about 36 strings, is played with fingernails, and has a wide, deep soundbox. It is used in traditional music.

Harps are also found in Argentina, but in Uruguay, they were mostly replaced by organs in religious music by the 18th century. Harps were historically used in Brazil, mainly in the south.

The Andean harp, also called the Peruvian or indigenous harp, is common in the Andes among Quechua and Aymara people in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. It has a large resonator box that gives bass notes a rich sound. It is used in love songs and dances like huayno. Juan Cayambe, a famous Peruvian musician, played the Andean harp.

The arpa jarocha is played while standing. In southern Mexico (Chiapas), there is a different style of indigenous harp music.

Harps arrived in Venezuela with Spanish colonists. Two main traditions exist: the arpa llanera (of the plains) and the arpa central (of the central region). By the 2020s, three types of harps are common in Venezuela:

• The traditional llanera harp, made of cedar with 32 strings (originally gut, now nylon), used in joropo music.
• The arpa central, with wire strings in the higher range.
• The Venezuelan electric harp.

Many types of harps are found in Africa, mostly not of the three-sided frame-harp type.

Modern European and American harps

The concert harp is a modern instrument known for its use of pedals, which are foot-controlled levers that change the pitch of strings. This allows the harp to play all musical notes, making it suitable for classical music. The pedal harp has seven pedals, each controlling the tuning of strings for one musical note. From left to right, the pedals are labeled D, C, B on the left side and E, F, G, A on the right. Pedals were first added in 1697 by Jakob Hochbrucker of Bavaria. In 1811, Sébastien Erard improved the system to a "double action" design, allowing pedals to move in two directions.

Adding pedals expanded the harp's use, helping it join classical orchestras starting in the 19th century. Earlier, the harp was rarely used in classical music, appearing only a few times in works by composers like Mozart and Beethoven. César Franck’s use of the harp in his Symphony in D minor (1888) was called "revolutionary," even though the harp had been used in orchestras before. In the 20th century, the pedal harp appeared in films, jazz, and pop music. For example, it was featured in a 1967 Beatles song and works by Björk. In the 1980s, Swiss harpist Andreas Vollenweider introduced the concert harp to new audiences through his music.

Modern harps include mid-sized models with nylon strings and optional levers but no pedals. These harps range from two to six octaves and are played with fingers, using techniques similar to those for orchestral harps. Though they resemble historical European harps, they are often called "Celtic harps" due to their revival in Ireland and Scotland or "folk harps" because of their use in non-classical music. They are also called "lever harps" to distinguish them from pedal harps.

The modern Celtic harp began appearing in Ireland in the early 19th century, after the last traditional harpers died. This broke the connection between older Gaelic harping traditions and the later revival of Celtic harping. John Egan, a harp maker in Dublin, created a small harp with gut strings and a simplified lever system, inspired by the historical Irish harp. A similar harp was also made in Scotland during the 1890s. In the mid-20th century, Jord Cochevelou developed a version called the "Breton Celtic harp." His son, Alan Stivell, became a leading figure in Celtic harping.

A multi-course harp has more than one row of strings, unlike the more common "single course" harp. On a double-harp, two rows of strings run parallel on either side of the neck, usually both diatonic (with levers for chromatic notes) and containing identical notes.

The triple harp originated in Italy in the 16th century and was later used in Wales, where it became known as the Welsh harp ("telyn deires," meaning "three-row harp"). It has two outer rows of diatonic strings (like a double-harp) and a third row in the middle for chromatic notes. The strings are spaced so the harpist can reach the inner row to play chromatic notes.

Some harps use extra strings instead of pedals or levers to play chromatic notes. The Welsh triple harp, cross-strung harp, and inline chromatic harp are examples. The cross-strung harp has one row of diatonic strings and a second row of chromatic strings arranged in an "X" shape. This design allows the left and right hands to play different rows. It was first recorded in Spain and Portugal in the 17th century as the "arpa de dos órdenes" ("two-row harp").

The inline chromatic harp is a single-course harp with all 12 chromatic notes in one row. These harps have been made since at least 1902, when Karl Weigel of Hanover patented a model.

Amplified electric lever harps, including hollow body and solid body models, are made by companies like Lyon & Healy, Salvi, and Camac. They use piezo-electric sensors on each string, often combined with microphones, to create an electrical signal. Hollow body harps can be played acoustically, while solid body harps require amplification.

The Gravikord, created in the late 20th century, is a modern electric double harp made from stainless steel. It was inspired by the traditional West African kora.

Structure and mechanism

Harps have three main parts: a neck, a resonator, and strings. Frame harps and triangular harps have a pillar at the long end to support the strings. Open harps, such as arch harps and bow harps, do not have a pillar.

Harps are usually shaped like triangles and are mostly made of wood. Strings are often made of gut or wire, but modern harps use nylon or metal instead. Some harps use catgut, nylon, metal, or a mix of these materials. Each string is attached at the top to a crossbar or neck, where a tuning peg or similar device adjusts the string’s pitch. The string runs down to the resonating body, where it is tied to a sounding board. On modern harps, the string’s hole is protected with an eyelet to prevent damage to the wood. The distance between the tuning peg and the soundboard, along with the string’s tension and weight, determines the pitch. The hollow body of the harp vibrates when a string is plucked, creating sound.

The longest side of the harp is called the column or pillar. Some older harps, like bow harps, do not have a pillar. On most harps, the pillar supports the neck against the pressure from the strings. On pedal harps, the pillar is hollow and contains rods that adjust the pitch. These rods are controlled by pedals at the base of the instrument.

Harps differ in size worldwide. Smaller harps can be played on the lap, while larger harps are heavy and rest on the floor. Pedal harps are usually larger than lever harps.

Early harps had only one string per note, which limited them to playing in one key at a time. To improve their range, musicians and instrument makers developed new methods:

• Adding extra strings to cover notes that are not in the main scale (often in separate rows).
• Attaching small levers to the crossbar that raise a string’s pitch by a semitone when activated.
• Using pedals at the base of the instrument to move small pegs on the crossbar, which change the vibrating length of the string without altering its tension.

These methods allow harps to play more notes but make them more complex, heavier, and more expensive.

On lever harps, flipping a lever changes a string’s note by shortening it slightly, raising the pitch by a chromatic sharp.

On pedal harps, pressing a pedal adjusts levers on all strings of the same pitch across all octaves. For example, pressing the C pedal changes every C note to a C sharp. Most pedal harps also have a second step that activates a second set of levers. Pedal harps are a standard instrument in orchestras during the Romantic music period (around 1800–1910 CE) and in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Terminology and etymology

The word "harp" in modern English comes from the Old English word "hearpe," which is similar to the Old High German word "harpha." A person who plays a pedal harp is called a "harpist." A person who plays a folk-harp is sometimes called a "harper" or a "harpist." Both may also be called a "harp-player," and these terms are not always used strictly.

Some instruments that are not harps are sometimes called "harps" in everyday language. Stringed instruments like the aeolian harp (wind harp), the autoharp, the psaltery, the piano, and the harpsichord are not harps but are instead zithers because their strings are parallel to their soundboards. Harps have strings that rise nearly straight up from the soundboard. Instruments such as harp guitars and harp lutes are also not true harps. They are chordophones, like lutes, and belong to the lute family. Instruments like the lyre and kithara are not harps either. They are part of the fourth group of ancient chordophones, called lyres, which are closely related to zithers.

The word "harp" has also been used for some instruments that are not even stringed. The vibraphone was sometimes called the "vibraharp," but it has no strings and makes sound by striking metal bars. In blues music, the harmonica is sometimes called a "blues harp" or "harp," but it is a free reed wind instrument, not a stringed instrument. The Jew's harp is not Jewish and is not a harp. It is a plucked idiophone, not a stringed instrument. The laser harp is not a stringed instrument at all. It is an electronic instrument shaped like a harp that uses laser beams instead of strings.

As a symbol

The harp has been a political symbol of Ireland for many centuries. Its origin is unknown, but ancient writings and stories show it has been around since at least the 6th century or earlier. According to tradition, Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland (who died in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014), played the harp, as did many important people in Ireland during the time of the Gaelic Lordship of Ireland (which ended around 1607 with the Flight of the Earls after the Elizabethan Wars).

In traditional Gaelic society, every important clan and chief would have a harp player who composed songs called "planxties" to honor leaders and important people. The harp became a symbol of the Kingdom of Ireland on coins starting in 1542 and appeared on the Royal Standard of King James VI and I in 1603. It has been part of all English and United Kingdom royal standards since then, though the designs of the harps varied. The harp also appeared on the Commonwealth Jack of Oliver Cromwell in 1649, the Protectorate Jack in 1658, and the Lord Protector's Standard in 1658. The harp is also used on the flag of Leinster.

Since 1922, the government of Ireland has used a left-facing harp, based on the Trinity College Harp in Dublin, as its official symbol. This design first appeared on the Great Seal of the Irish Free State and later on the Irish coat of arms, presidential standard, and presidential seal after the 1937 Irish Constitution. The harp is used on official documents, including Irish passports, and has appeared on Irish coins from the Middle Ages to today’s euro coins.

In Sri Lanka, the South Asian Tamil harp called the yaal is the symbol of the city of Jaffna. Its story begins with a harp player. The city of Kangasala in Finland has a red, eagle-headed harp in its coat of arms.

In Christian art, heaven is sometimes shown with angels playing harps, linking the instrument to sacred and heavenly themes. The Bible mentions Jubal, the first musician and son of Lamech, as "the father of all who play" the harp and flute in Genesis 4:21. Many Jewish artworks show King David holding or playing a harp, such as a sculpture outside his tomb in Jerusalem.

The harp is also used as a logo by companies connected to Ireland. Guinness, an Irish beer company, has used a right-facing harp since 1759, while Harp Lager has done so since 1960. The Irish Independent newspaper has used a harp in its masthead since 1961. The Irish airline Ryanair, founded in 1985, includes a stylized harp in its logo.

Other Irish organizations, like the National University of Ireland, University College Dublin, and the Gaelic Athletic Association, also use the harp in their logos. In Northern Ireland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Queen’s University Belfast include the harp in their identities.

In sports, the harp appears in the emblem of the League of Ireland football team Finn Harps F.C. and Donegal’s senior soccer club. Outside Ireland, the Scottish team Hibernian F.C. uses the harp in its badge, as it was founded by Irish emigrants. Not all uses of the harp relate to Ireland, however. The Iraqi football club Al-Shorta has used a harp as its emblem since the 1990s after being nicknamed "Al-Qithara" (meaning "the harp" in Assyrian Neo-Aramaic) for its graceful playing style.