Novel research: old harp

[wil-weten]

If you want a harp with cracks in the wood and lots of broken strings, have the harp stand before a window where the sun can shine directly on the harp. It even gets worse when there are quick and large differences in the temperature of day and night. I don’t know whether the air humidity can be very low in the proximity of the ocean, but an air humidity lower than 40% could cause cracks in the wood and the gut strings would be very much dried out and brittle if they’re not broken.

[jsmoir]

Mary, just remember. Historical veracity in a fiction novel only matters to those whose job it is to know those things- which usually can be overlooked by the fans! The mystique of the Harp, and the books written about it, was one of the reasons I decided to study harp back in the day (about the 1970’s)- that, and having been in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism, in SO Cal. back then). Of course, it only took me close to fifty years to achieve that dream….lol.

In the books I read, you could have the protagonist ‘suddenly find’ an old harp, that merely needed tuning, as long as it advances the plot! Have you read Anne McAffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern? especially the book “Masterharper of Pern?”

Here’s a link to over 70 books wherein music plays a big part….
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13040.Music_in_Fantasy_Fiction

And, of course, there’s the quintessential children’s book about music, magic, and mystery: “A string in the Harp.”
Best of luck!

[Mary Song]

It’s a good idea to place the harp in front of the window.

I know I don’t need to get everything right, I just don’t want it to be completely wrong. 🙂 Thanks for the reading suggestions. I didn’t know any of them.

[jsmoir]

Sure. Gotta love good stories.

[Biagio]

Haha yeah…it is surprising how a good story may be a trifle “off” to an informed reader, even if the work is fantasy. For instance I love J.R.R. Tolkien but Thorin’s and Elrond’s “golden harps” always make me smile at the wrong place. I mean, how much would those things have weighed???

I just tell myself that Tolkien was thinking gold strings, so that’s OK, LOL.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

The wire strings would likely not be broken, but many gut strings would be broken in half, or at the top, and dangling. Occasionally, one might break at the bottom and dangle from the top. Some string ends could be wound around the tuning pins on the neck. Strings near the top end are more likely to remain. The sounding board can definitely have vertical cracks, especially along the center strip. If it’s an antique harp, it could have horizontal cracks. There can also be ripples in the veneer, with cracks where it curves out the most. The neck can be twisted, with cracks at the treble end, and the column could have vertical cracks between strips of wood. There can also be a gap or total break between the bottom of the sounding board and the base. The feet can be gnarled from use. Scratches, divots, bangs, gouges can be anywhere on the harp. Only so much dust would accumulate, but there could certainly be many spider webs, and mouse dung. It might well groan in a draft. It could also fall over, all by itself, or with the slightest vibration or bump. If a string broke, that would be a loud snap followed by groans, and a wire string would make a loud snap and whine.

[Jessica Hummel]

Just for an idea about a seventies harp model: Mary O’Hara played on a 31 gutand metal strung Sanderson & Taylor harp with blades.

[Mary Song]

Thanks, Saul, for all the details! I really appreciate it.

Mary O’Hara was a great suggestion. Now I can find out how blades work.

[Tacye]

These had been sitting unused for a while. The first was an Ian Firth I think 1970s, the second Henry Briggs from 1931.

https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/auction/lot/lot-589—two-wooden-clarsarchs/?lot=136325&so=4&st=clarsarch&sto=0&au=&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=96&pn=1&g=1

[Mary Song]

Thanks for the pictures, Tacye. 🙂

[balfour-knight]

Tacye,

What beautiful stands those harps are on! Thanks for the photos. It is good to see some vintage harps.

Best wishes,
Balfour

[Author]

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