I get asked this question repeatedly from well-intentioned people. Many people think that the lever harp – or clarsach is only a stepping stone on your way to a pedal harp. While this is true for some people, the clarsach is an instrument that takes years of study to master.
The history and tradition of the clarsach began in ancient Egypt as early as 3000 B.C. Originally, it was an instrument formed in the shape a hunting bow. It lacked the front pillar that we now see in modern-day harps. The pillar was added in the Middle Ages for support so that the harp could have more strings. The early harps lacked the levers we now have on the clarsach. Levers were added to the harp during the second half of the seventeenth century.
The clarsach was played in Gaelic courts as early as the 8th century. Some were strung with gut or horse hair and other with wire strings. Harpers were respected and well-trained musicians. They were held in very high esteem. During the Jacobite rebellion, the traditions of the harpers was lost and faded away.
During the 19th Century, the harp began to make it’s way back into Scottish culture. Due to the lack of surviving clarsachs, a smaller harp with semi-tone levers was played. These small harps were often considered to be a beginner’s instrument before moving on to the pedal harp.
The true resurgence of the lever harp was during the 1970s. Research showed that many manuscripts from the pipe, lute, and fiddle were able to be traced back to harpers. Now, we have a better idea of how the ancient harp was played and what type of technique the harpers used.
The clarsach, as an instrument, has come a long way from the hunting bows of ancient Egypt. “From Medieval to Modern, from Classical to Jazz, from Acoustic to Electric. The harp is an instrument steeped in tradition yet open to change and for many, it is more than a mere instrument, it is a calling.” – History of the Harp
Terra Burgoyne 