+Linda Thrall I've even seen them used in Mariachi Bands--large and expensive ones. Probably due to the Irish who settled in Mexico because it was a Catholic Country.
Can't believe I never saw this before. Lovely. My experience is Latin American folk harp from Chile and some Paraguayan, self-taught sad to say, played for about 22 yrs but I haven't played now in about 15 years. Loved the section on triple harp, cross-strung and Venezuelan tradition. Brought back some memories. Thanks.
I love Catrin trying out all these various harps! My favorite part was definitely the Caniad and Paul's lesson on it. I'm glad such a great song survived.
Just fabulous: few journeys can compare with this, none more enlightening and inspiring, in revelation and stimulation- an education in an ancient instrument's life, its extraordinary, yet basic origins of apparent but deceiving simplicity and adaptability, a more complex, remarkable evolution, with such diversity, subtlety, beauty and rare survival, which all combine to show the harp is indispensable.
@@titanrodick Technically the original commenter is right, as far as national symbols are concerned, Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument as its sole national symbol. Myanmar also has a musical instrument as a symbol but not as a sole national symbol like Ireland does. Currency, flag and mythology included etc. Although Myanmar Saung is particularly beautiful and really should be used as its sole national symbol.
both my teacher and i have such an Erard harp (mine is 204 years old and her's is exactly 200 years) and i've never played on a more beautiful instrument than that.
A curious thing about "Celtic" music is the alternative written notations to standard notation that existed within a mostly oral music tradition. Aside from the binary system mentioned in this documentary at the 11 minute mark, there was another alternative written notation that Barnaby Brown mentions and explains at the end of his youtube video of Cumha Dhomhnaill Dhuaghail MhicAoidh. Sean O'Riada used to emphasise the issue of notation in some of his interviews (including a Danish tv one visible on youtube) and how it needed to be used and developed if "Celtic" music was to be develop, compositionally, and at the same time retain its own idiom. That may be a good point. Maybe it is possible for musicians or composers today to draw upon the techniques that underpinned the 'ancient' harp and pipe musics and apply them in contemporary compositions, thereby developing the idiom in an entirely fresh way.
If I was watching Celtic Woman, you may discovered Orla Fallon. She is a singer, performer, musician, entertainer and now, a harpist! Does she sing Isle of Innisfree, Ave Maria and Carrickfergus?
Lovely visual and aural documentary. I love the sound of the harp. I'm an ardent student of classical and jazz guitar yet I think the harp has such a unique flow, lacking as it does the need for fretting with one hand for example. Both hands can actuate and dampen the strings making for seemingly effortless polyphony and such magnificent arpeggios and cascades of notes and harmonies, albeit with the added complexity of pitch changing pedals on the more complex modern incarnations. A magical, timeless sound. In a perfect world, given more time, I'd want to learn the lute and harp. Thanks for this.
Absolutely enchanting! Thank you BBC (and more widely, England) for this fantastic piece of informative, engaging storytelling. PS- In my eyes and heart, the "royal harpist" has exemplified here the concept of the cross- cultural import of healing through story. Just amazing. Thank you and thank you!
Laughing out loud with the things contemporary music composers make harpists do, such as "sprechgesang" at the back of the instrument while still following the conductor! Amazing indeed!
Good documentary indeed. Although when they brought up the topic with Alan Stivell, I somehow expected they would mention Andreas Vollenweider with his unique approach and development of the sound of the electro-acoustic harp in the late seventies and early eighties...
I'm still convinced that the the greatest crossover the harp has made into popular culture is the music to The Legend of Zelda. Anyone who owns the Limited edition of Skyward Sword (with a bonus disc of orchestral Zelda music) would understand why!
I enjoyed this, especially near the end. Very similar to electronic music, which I like very much. Still learning new things about music everyday. Which is good, when you are 70...
It seems that in south america they have brought the harp right back to it's roots, and origin. Agriculture and the cows along with herding were the origin of inspiration for music. Music replicates the sounds of nature, and the land. The prayer music was also to the land and Gods that controlled it's fertility. The Harapo even sounds much closer to the Iraqi instrument found in the burial shaft. Amazing.
Very nicely and lovingly done, kudos. But you are perpetuating a myth that I've found all over: at 8:16 you state that the triangular harp with a forepillar is first seen in Europe in the 8th or 9th century AD. This is only if you don't include Greece as part of Europe: there were triangular harps there, in the Cyclades, over four thousand years ago. cheers from a harp builder in Vienna, Scott
Heavier built instruments with higher string tension produce more volume and projection. Every instrument in the orchestra was redesigned around that need. I hope this answers you question. even the guitar is much more stoutly built than it was in times past.
wow!fantastic documentary! which is the last harp played? i truly enjoy it so so so much! I'm a classical harpist but ll like to play it too! I dind't understand the tipe....someone could hel me? Xx
My favorite organist is the late Jesse Crawford. I really like an album which I posted to TH-cam called: Jesse Crawford -Remembering- with Ann Stockton Harp Accompaniment ( posted as side 1 and side 2 separately) Jesse's mastery of the Hammond tone wheel organs expression pedal is key in this combination of organ with harp working so well together. Also have a couple of albums of harpist BIANCO: Bianco - His Harp and Orchestra - Your All Time Favorite Songs , RCA CSP-110 STEREO Bianco- Music for a Summer Evening ( I like this one best, very tranquil and he is very accomplished on his instrument, as a musician I appreciate this). Also for a nice couple minutes of beautiful HARP & TUBA watch the film- The Great Rupert (1950) JIMMY DURANTE It's at 34:00 enjoy! Great film too. Just wish there was more of the tuba and harp. Maybe someone can suggest where more might be?
Very interesting! These movies can be watched endlessly. Кэтрин Финч - британская арфистка. Родилась и живёт в Уэльсе. Ученица Элинор Беннет, Финч получила международное признание в 1999 г., выиграв Международный конкурс арфистов имени Лили Ласкин во Франции. В 2000 г. Википедия
Extremely fascinating, but maybe I shouldn't find it QUITE so funny when Finch and Sioned Williams are busy laughing their heads off at the modern stuff they have to play. :-)
Great documentary. A comment on the Ethiopian harpist: Ethiopia has a history of preserving Jewish traditions. A common orthodox Jewish prayer for the sabbath says "May the lord be praised with a 10-string harp." Interestingly, the harp shown was fitted with 10 strings. Perhaps there is a connection indeed. As a guitarist, I was fascinated to see the Spanish harp tradition - along with its connection to the guitar - gloriously featured. It was also refreshing to see an Ebow (a unique device made for electric guitars) be so boldly utilized in an avant-garde setup for the harp. Another interesting juxtoposition of the two instruments is the existance of 'harp guitars' - guitars that have what are essentially free-hanging harp strings that are used to extend the bass range of a guitar.
KUDOS LADY CATRIN FINCH! I'M A FLUTIST, AND I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS DOCUMENTARY ONTHE HARP. I LEARNED SO MUCH, AND THE WAY THIS FILM WAS PUT TOGETHER KEPT MY FULL ATTENTION! I AM CLASSICALLY TRAINED, BUT ALSO PLAY A VARIETY OF OTHER FORMS OF MUSIC. DANIEL TULL IS MY STAGE NAME ON TH-cam. THANKS AGAIN FOR PROVIDING SUCH AN ENJOYABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE! DANNY BOY
Interesting segments on the Ethiopian harp, bray harp, and triple harp, but ignores large portions of the harp tradition in Ireland and Scotland. (Scotland isn't even mentioned, although that is where all the earliest stone carvings of the triangular harp come from.) No mention of Bunting or the unique history of the clarsach or wire harp. Unsure why Venezuela is favored over Paraguay. Also ignores many of the great Scottish and Irish harpists both ancient and modern, and seems to favor only those that have a heavily classical focus from England and Wales.
In Ethiopia I wonder if there are the equivalent of the guitar world's "screw counters" endlessly debating the subtle tonal effects of leather taken from different parts of the animal etc.,
last scene is hilarious! harpers normaly act with their harps like they are living persons and in the last scene it looks like that harp had failed somehow during a concert and now is punished in torture chamber:o) poor sweetie
Great thing to see. I have a harp (bray harp, actually) and am teaching myself. Orders of magnitude more challenging than a guitar or a woodwind, but much fun :)
I think the harp is the most beautiful instrument in the world I love harp music.
+Linda Thrall I've even seen them used in Mariachi Bands--large and expensive ones. Probably due to the Irish who settled in Mexico because it was a Catholic Country.
The harp in Mexico and throughout Latin America, comes from the Spanish baroque harps, introduced by the priests (Jesuits for example).
JUDY LOMAN IS AWESOM....
Angels play Harps
I made my own one and love it Its a 26 string and i named him Vincent..Hes 14 years old
It is lovely to hear the harp in its pure form with no accompaniment.
That had to be the most brilliant BBC documentary I've ever seen! Brava!
Can't believe I never saw this before. Lovely. My experience is Latin American folk harp from Chile and some Paraguayan, self-taught sad to say, played for about 22 yrs but I haven't played now in about 15 years. Loved the section on triple harp, cross-strung and Venezuelan tradition. Brought back some memories. Thanks.
I love Catrin trying out all these various harps! My favorite part was definitely the Caniad and Paul's lesson on it. I'm glad such a great song survived.
The queen of the Orchestra, the most beautiful looking & sounding instrument imho
Great documentary! This just shows the kind of quality you can expect from the BBC.
Beautiful documentary, but needs to be at least five times longer!
Just fabulous: few journeys can compare with this, none more enlightening and inspiring, in revelation and stimulation- an education in an ancient instrument's life, its extraordinary, yet basic origins of apparent but deceiving simplicity and adaptability, a more complex, remarkable evolution, with such diversity, subtlety, beauty and rare survival, which all combine to show the harp is indispensable.
If only TV could always be so excellent and informative! GREAT! And compliments to Catrin as such an amazing guide through this history.
It is on the BBC.
Ireland is the only country on Earth with a musical instrument as its' national emblem--- The Irish Celtic Harp!
Actually, Myanmar is also symbolized by a type of harp. The Burmese arched harp (looks almost swan-like).
@@titanrodick Technically the original commenter is right, as far as national symbols are concerned, Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument as its sole national symbol. Myanmar also has a musical instrument as a symbol but not as a sole national symbol like Ireland does. Currency, flag and mythology included etc. Although Myanmar Saung is particularly beautiful and really should be used as its sole national symbol.
both my teacher and i have such an Erard harp (mine is 204 years old and her's is exactly 200 years) and i've never played on a more beautiful instrument than that.
This documentary is very informative, and the harpist, IMO ... she is very talented!
Thank you for posting. I am a beginner harp player and seeing this video adds to my appreciation of the harp and the music it is capable of playing.
The Beeb just slays with brilliant docs like this one. good luck seeing anything like this on the History channel.
25:37 just wow! such a pretty tune!
true a beautiful piece so nice.
Alan Stivell, like Marc Chagall influenced me as a young man. They freed me. To understand the nuts and bolts of this I love this documentary.
A curious thing about "Celtic" music is the alternative written notations to standard notation that existed within a mostly oral music tradition. Aside from the binary system mentioned in this documentary at the 11 minute mark, there was another alternative written notation that Barnaby Brown mentions and explains at the end of his youtube video of Cumha Dhomhnaill Dhuaghail MhicAoidh. Sean O'Riada used to emphasise the issue of notation in some of his interviews (including a Danish tv one visible on youtube) and how it needed to be used and developed if "Celtic" music was to be develop, compositionally, and at the same time retain its own idiom. That may be a good point. Maybe it is possible for musicians or composers today to draw upon the techniques that underpinned the 'ancient' harp and pipe musics and apply them in contemporary compositions, thereby developing the idiom in an entirely fresh way.
The Ethiopian harp (Begena) is so soothing to and relaxing to hear.
Beautiful! I have always loved the Harp music....Blessings from South Florida!
Karen
the intro piece is breathtaking-I had to sit there and play it about a dozen times-it
sounds like music from the heavens
If I was watching Celtic Woman, you may discovered Orla Fallon. She is a singer, performer, musician, entertainer and now, a harpist! Does she sing Isle of Innisfree, Ave Maria and Carrickfergus?
God I wish we had shows like this on North American TV,
lol @ 24:16
BBC 4 have sublime documentaries.
Unfortunately the present conservative government are trying to destroy the BBC because of a perceived bias against them.
A thousand thanks for posting this Skitler
This is beautiful. Going to my home PC and listen more. Thank you my friend.
Lovely visual and aural documentary.
I love the sound of the harp. I'm an ardent student of classical and jazz guitar yet I think the harp has such a unique flow, lacking as it does the need for fretting with one hand for example. Both hands can actuate and dampen the strings making for seemingly effortless polyphony and such magnificent arpeggios and cascades of notes and harmonies, albeit with the added complexity of pitch changing pedals on the more complex modern incarnations. A magical, timeless sound. In a perfect world, given more time, I'd want to learn the lute and harp. Thanks for this.
Absolutely enchanting!
Thank you BBC (and more widely, England) for this fantastic piece of informative, engaging storytelling.
PS- In my eyes and heart, the "royal harpist" has exemplified here the concept of the cross- cultural import of healing through story. Just amazing.
Thank you and thank you!
beautiful it's amazing it also sounds like the older dig very cool
Laughing out loud with the things contemporary music composers make harpists do, such as "sprechgesang" at the back of the instrument while still following the conductor! Amazing indeed!
13:33 Woooow! Sounds so much like a piano!!!
Now I want a harp
so beautiful. both the body and the sound
Totally awesome video. I play a Salvi too!
Thank you!
Good documentary indeed. Although when they brought up the topic with Alan Stivell, I somehow expected they would mention Andreas Vollenweider with his unique approach and development of the sound of the electro-acoustic harp in the late seventies and early eighties...
It's an hour long documentary...
Venezuela represent!!
I'm still convinced that the the greatest crossover the harp has made into popular culture is the music to The Legend of Zelda. Anyone who owns the Limited edition of Skyward Sword (with a bonus disc of orchestral Zelda music) would understand why!
+Friedrich Hueppe Have you seen/heard the Symphony of the Goddesses Concerts?
Yes!!!
what got me into older instruments was the music in Runescape
I enjoyed this, especially near the end. Very similar to electronic music, which I like very much. Still learning new things about music everyday. Which is good, when you are 70...
Great film work and priceless information Thanks for posting !
great information! Thank you!
this is so lovely
Great Documentary,about a lovely instrument
It seems that in south america they have brought the harp right back to it's roots, and origin. Agriculture and the cows along with herding were the origin of inspiration for music. Music replicates the sounds of nature, and the land. The prayer music was also to the land and Gods that controlled it's fertility. The Harapo even sounds much closer to the Iraqi instrument found in the burial shaft. Amazing.
Catrin's beautiful
This was really nice.. always loved the harp. Though surprised not a word on Andreas Vollenweider.
44:50 I love how Elinor apologises to her triple harp for hurting it!!
Very nicely and lovingly done, kudos. But you are perpetuating a myth that I've found all over: at 8:16 you state that the triangular harp with a forepillar is first seen in Europe in the 8th or 9th century AD. This is only if you don't include Greece as part of Europe: there were triangular harps there, in the Cyclades, over four thousand years ago.
cheers from a harp builder in Vienna, Scott
Scott Wallace and since Greece is very much indeed a part of Europe this is correct
Very informative documentary.
I actually like the harp playing and singing at 4:30
?
I really enjoyed this and learned so much.
She could do a trance album with that last technique
The maraca player starting at 30:40... holy crap
Heavier built instruments with higher string tension produce more volume and projection. Every instrument in the orchestra was redesigned around that need. I hope this answers you question. even the guitar is much more stoutly built than it was in times past.
Headache heals.
Magical!!!!
high quality docymentary,
A must see!
wow!fantastic documentary!
which is the last harp played?
i truly enjoy it so so so much!
I'm a classical harpist but ll like to play it too! I dind't understand the tipe....someone could hel me?
Xx
Lovely!
super documentary- historia da Harp
this made me want to go to Venezuela
You watched this too...lol Venezuela; where the cowboys play the harp after a long day of sheep chasing...
You are welcome to come :)
prepared asian instruments to share, wonderful, wonderful documentary thank you for sharing ! from - Canada.
Очень красивая музыка. Буду ждать Новых композиций.
My favorite organist is the late Jesse Crawford. I really like an album which I posted to TH-cam called:
Jesse Crawford -Remembering- with Ann Stockton Harp Accompaniment
( posted as side 1 and side 2 separately)
Jesse's mastery of the Hammond tone wheel organs expression pedal is key in this combination of organ with harp working so well together.
Also have a couple of albums of harpist BIANCO:
Bianco - His Harp and Orchestra - Your All Time Favorite Songs , RCA CSP-110 STEREO
Bianco- Music for a Summer Evening ( I like this one best, very tranquil and he is very accomplished on his instrument, as a musician I appreciate this).
Also for a nice couple minutes of beautiful HARP & TUBA watch the film-
The Great Rupert (1950) JIMMY DURANTE
It's at 34:00 enjoy! Great film too. Just wish there was more of the tuba and harp. Maybe someone can suggest where more might be?
24:11 - I want the exact facial expression on my face when I pick up and play on a harp someday. lol. 😎👍
Very interesting! These movies can be watched endlessly.
Кэтрин Финч - британская арфистка. Родилась и живёт в Уэльсе. Ученица Элинор Беннет, Финч получила международное признание в 1999 г., выиграв Международный конкурс арфистов имени Лили Ласкин во Франции. В 2000 г. Википедия
Thx a lot for sharing Oleg...:-)
It's Music from Heaven.
Really nice Video...
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Collecting music is one of my greatest passions.
Mrs. Merton as the Harp Instructor.
love it!
The Venezuelan music sounds like Mexican folk music like Huapango and Mariachi.
It sounds more like Son Jarocho
4:14 sounds like a kick ass bassline
The riff is one of the oldest things in civilization! 😆 but seriously it probably is.
that was amazing
7:07 okno :v . GREAT Documentary !
Paul Dooley is superb in this.
Cool!
Extremely fascinating, but maybe I shouldn't find it QUITE so funny when Finch and Sioned Williams are busy laughing their heads off at the modern stuff they have to play. :-)
Is the very last piece improvised or is it a tune already written? ☺
Great documentary. A comment on the Ethiopian harpist: Ethiopia has a history of preserving Jewish traditions. A common orthodox Jewish prayer for the sabbath says "May the lord be praised with a 10-string harp." Interestingly, the harp shown was fitted with 10 strings. Perhaps there is a connection indeed.
As a guitarist, I was fascinated to see the Spanish harp tradition - along with its connection to the guitar - gloriously featured. It was also refreshing to see an Ebow (a unique device made for electric guitars) be so boldly utilized in an avant-garde setup for the harp.
Another interesting juxtoposition of the two instruments is the existance of 'harp guitars' - guitars that have what are essentially free-hanging harp strings that are used to extend the bass range of a guitar.
Yay comment 200!
I loove the Welsh music. I want to learn the harp just to play 25:37 😍😍 so beautiful
48:55 horror movie music.
KUDOS LADY CATRIN FINCH! I'M A FLUTIST, AND I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS DOCUMENTARY ONTHE HARP. I LEARNED SO MUCH, AND THE WAY THIS FILM WAS PUT TOGETHER KEPT MY FULL ATTENTION! I AM CLASSICALLY TRAINED, BUT ALSO PLAY A VARIETY OF OTHER FORMS OF MUSIC. DANIEL TULL IS MY STAGE NAME ON TH-cam. THANKS AGAIN FOR PROVIDING SUCH AN ENJOYABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE! DANNY BOY
"Impromptu" no. 6 op. 86 by Gabriel Fauré. Pretty piece.
Patients in the hospital , benefit when harpists come in to play for them.
Interesting segments on the Ethiopian harp, bray harp, and triple harp, but ignores large portions of the harp tradition in Ireland and Scotland. (Scotland isn't even mentioned, although that is where all the earliest stone carvings of the triangular harp come from.) No mention of Bunting or the unique history of the clarsach or wire harp. Unsure why Venezuela is favored over Paraguay. Also ignores many of the great Scottish and Irish harpists both ancient and modern, and seems to favor only those that have a heavily classical focus from England and Wales.
Are there BBC documentaries for other instruments?
In Ethiopia I wonder if there are the equivalent of the guitar world's "screw counters" endlessly debating the subtle tonal effects of leather taken from different parts of the animal etc.,
love the closing piece, what is it?
So the lyre was a bassy lead synth?
ooooo I love the sound of the Bray Harp :D
***** :D
This video is way more effective than Ambien.
4:12 saving for myself to sample
What a lucky woman!
last scene is hilarious! harpers normaly act with their harps like they are living persons and in the last scene it looks like that harp had failed somehow during a concert and now is punished in torture chamber:o) poor sweetie
what is she playing here?: 33:08
Great thing to see.
I have a harp (bray harp, actually) and am teaching myself. Orders of magnitude more challenging than a guitar or a woodwind, but much fun :)
I bought an 8 string knee harp. I found that a reasonable starting point.
@@OhanCockett how's it going now?
@@fardareismai4495 I'm reasonably competent at the 8 string but haven't moved to more strings. I enjoy playing my violin more
@@OhanCockett cool! A versatile musician😃, keep doing what you love!
The guy at 18:49 looks almost exactly like me
Does anyone know the name of the piece at the very beginning?
Thank you.
Gabriel Faure, Impromtu, I think it is Op 86.
Blake Ray Wonderful. Thank you so much.
must be me, but the bit of music from Rhodri Davies had me gritting my friggin' teeth.
+John Jackson I had to turn the sound off for a moment because my ears began to hurt.
It was plain aweful... You can't call that beautiful anymore
I wish to know the same.
interesting
what's the name of the intro piece?
Impromptu, by Gabriel Faure. It's on IMSLP.