Medieval & Renaissance Harp History The harps played by the harpers of the old Gaelic orders were an aristocratic instrument, played in the courts of kings and before the chiefs of clans. The pedal harp (also known as the concert harp) is a large and technologically modern harp, designed primarily for use in art music.It may be played solo, as part of a chamber ensemble, or in an orchestra.It typically has 47 strings giving a range of six and a half octaves. That invention and subsequent improvements have led to the modern pedal harp like the one I play. Around 1810 a harp was invented that permits the player to use pedals to change to any key during the playing of a piece. The harp has been around for thousands of years and dates back to the times of Mesopotamia. The Harp - BBC Documentary. The Great Seal of Ireland includes a harp, which is a symbol of the country. At first harmonicas were produced by clockmakers as a sideline, but in 1857 Matthias Hohner decided to manufacture them on a large scale and went into production in Trossingen, Germany. Jaw harp, then, is not an invented term intended to be politically correct, but is rather a misnomer brought to life by bad scholarship. We know from archaeological evidence that harps existed at least 4,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia and Iraq, where simple line carvings of harps have been found on clay tablets and plaques .. In its favor, jaw harp is a misnomer of a misnomer - a quirky name for a somewhat quirky instrument. The modern harmonica was invented in 1821 by a German clockmaker named Christian Buschman who put fifteen pitch pipes together to create an odd little instrument. The Parts of the Pedal Harp. He is often holding a harp, and is known to have played one. Anatomy of the Harp, from 'A … These early harps looked very different from contemporary harps, although the suggestion of what was to come is present. Modern harps have the largest range of all the instruments in an orchestra. During the Renaissance in Europe large floor harps began to be built. Harp Lager was first produced in 1960 as a bottled beer by the Guinness company (now Diageo), in response to the trend among drinkers in Britain and Ireland towards Continental lager. History of the Harp. Harps were widely used in the ancient Mediterranean and the Middle East from about 3000 B.C.E. An informal survey of Jewish friends over the years has yielded mixed reactions to the "Jew's harp". Therefore, there inventor of the harp or the exact year in which it was invented is not known. Smaller harps were played by minstrels and troubadours for hundreds of years. The harp is one of the world's oldest musical instruments, with evidence of its use dating as far back as 3000 B.C. Guinness converted its Dundalk brewery into a modern lager production plant with the guidance of Dr. Herman Muender, a distinguished German brewer. Harp music had an important role in Gaelic culture, legend and folklore. At this point, Zimmermann has very clearly established the concept that any harp outfitted with his invention would constitute an autoharp. by Marshall D. Smith President - Teddy Speaks Foundation, Inc. (Originally posted to the ELFrad Group 06/27/00) Many thanks to Charlie and the members of the Group in the preparation of this report. A harp so provided has the size of a zither, and which I term an `autoharp,' and the manner in which the instrument is played is entirely new." Various names were considered for the brand, including …