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-Class of Harp by the sea.
-Feedback.
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-Curriculum.
-Videos.
-Class of Harp by the sea.
-Feedback.
-Arps and harpists.
-Articles.
-Store.
Contact for concerts, intensive courses, harp classes and records:
telefono:(+34)
636344239
Biography
Click this link to read an interview with Javier talking about
historical aspects and musical techniques of the early Irish and Scottish harp.
The interview includes short videos of Javier playing the harp.
A native of Cantabria in northern Spain, Javier Sáinz
graduated from the Conservatorio de Música Ataulfo Argenta in Santander in 1991
with a degree in classical guitar and music education. Since 1980 he has played
early harps, focusing particularly on historical techniques such as playing
with nails, selective string damping and -on his Renaissance harp- producing
finger-stopped semitones. He plays exclusively historical harps and is an
effortless exponent of various styles of sparkling melodic ornamentation.
Javier is a pioneer in the revival of the two early
gut-strung Spanish harps: the Renaissance arpa de una orden with a
single string row and the chromatic arpa de dos ordenes with two rows of
strings. Both a dedicated musicological researcher and a gifted soloist, Javier
is one of the first harpists in modern times to play much of the original
repertoire for these instruments and, almost uniquely, plays directly from 17th
and 18th century harp tablature manuscripts without the need to transcribe them
to standard notation.
His other abiding interest is the early culture,
poetry and music of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. He plays Irish and
Scottish music of the 16th to 18th centuries on a facsimile of the Lamont Harp:
a brass-wire and gold strung early Scottish clarsach from c.1500. Javier has
extensively researched the original repertoire, sources and playing techniques
of the instrument. Javier lived in Ireland for three years where he was the Historical Harp Society
of Ireland‘s teacher
of early Irish harp – and gut-strung Renaissance and Baroque harps – in Dublin
and regular course tutor of the Irish Summer School of Wire-strung Harp (Scoil na gCláirseach) in Kilkenny.
Javier Sáinz has performed at harp and early music festivals throughout Europe including the Festival de Música Antigua de Barcelona, Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Scoil na gClairseach, Galway Early Music, East Cork Early Music, Edinburgh International Harp Festival, Festival Internacional de Santander y de Granada and the Ciclos de Música y Teatro Medieval de Madrid. He has recorded and broadcast on various European radio stations including Radio Suisse Romande, Radio Clásica RNE and RTE.
His first solo recording appeared in 1995: El Lamento de la Cierva Herida, Sony Classical SK
62257. In 2002 he was invited by The Wire Branch of the Clarsach Society to take part in a groundbreaking
pedagogical DVD on the playing techniques necessary
for the performance of early Scottish clarsach repertoire. This DVD and music
book with the title Playing the Wire-strung Harp was released in 2011 by the Scottish label Siubhal.
Javier Sáinz is the co-founder of, and has been, for
the last four years, artistic director of Música Antigua en Santillana del Mar, an early music festival in the
beautifully preserved medieval village of Santillana in Cantabria.
His most recent solo CDs are Silva Caledonia: Scottish Harp Music of the Seventeenth Century, which was released in November
2008 by the Scottish label Siubhal, and E con la Harpa d’Orfeo, which was released in May 2011 by the Spanish label
Artimaña Records.
Photo credits: José Atienza
Javier plays Scottish Wire-Strung Lamont replica built
by David Kortier, Renaissance Harp built by Ardival harps & Spanish Cross-Strung Baroque
Harp built by Tim Hobrough
Videos
“Port Patrick”, Clairseach
“The siege of Buda”, Clairseach
"Robin Hood", "La
Bour". Renaissance Harp.
Eiry
na Greany”, Clairseach.
"Eleanor Plunkett". Clarsach, flute.
Interview Javier
Harp Lessons by The Sea
in Suances, Cantabria
Instruments:
* Early Irish & Scottish wire-strung Harp
* Renaissance Harp
* Spanish Baroque cross-strung Harp
* Early Irish & Scottish wire-strung Harp
* Renaissance Harp
* Spanish Baroque cross-strung Harp
Extra wire-strung student harp is available free
of charge.
All levels of harp playing are welcome.
Javier’s house in Suances on the Northern coast of
Spain is open for harp students and historical harpers wishing to
improve their technique, musical expression and ornamentation.
This is an opportunity to increase knowledge of
repertoire and historical sources for the early Irish & Scottish
wire-strung harp, Renaissance harp, and Spanish Baroque harp. Tuition and
lodging are situated in front of Suances main beach and surrounded by the
inspiring cliffs and mountains of the wild Biscay Bay. The house has a double
and a single room for guests and it is available from the beginning of
October to the end of June. The aim is to provide a calm and warm
atmosphere, lodging with all facilities, and fresh home made food where
students can receive their lessons and have practicing time. Students can enjoy
their free time with a walk by the beaches, to the cliffs at the lighthouse
cape, or visiting the beautiful medieval village of Santillana del Mar, just 5
miles away from Suances. Within an hour’s drive, one can visit wild mountains
and beech forest as well as prehistoric cave paintings. In the South Cantabrian
region, also within an hour’s drive, one can see more than a hundred
beautifully preserved Romanesque churches.
The maximum number of guests staying
at the house is three people. Any student can come alone or with a partner or
with other students.
The price for each person – including lodging with all
facilities, food and wine – is €30 per day. The minimum stay is two days and
the maximum is five. Each student will receive one or two private lessons a day
at a cost of €45 per lesson. Students will have welcome access to Javier’s
collection of books and music sources. If you are a wire-strung harp student,
Javier has available, free of charge, a wire-strung harp, harp stand and music
stand.
For students who wish to stay longer or to have more
autonomy a self-catering flat has become available. For further details, see
‘Apartamentos Acacio’ in www.turismosuances.com.
All visitors will be picked up on their arrival and
delivered on departure to Santander Airport, the Ferry Station or the Santander
Coach Station. It takes about 25 minutes to drive from Suances to Santander,
capital of the Cantabrian region. Santander airport has direct flights (Ryanair:
www.ryanair.com) to Dublin, London, Edinburgh,
Frankfurt-Hahn, Dusseldorf-Weeze, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Barcelona-Reus. For
pupils coming from Britain, there’s a ferry link Santander-Plymouth (www.brittanyferries.com) that is open the whole year except
January-February, with good prices. It is also possible to fly to Bilbao
Airport and take the bus to Bilbao city centre. From there one of the daily
regular coaches (Alsa: www.alsa.es) can be taken to Santander Coach
Station from where guests will be collected. The coach takes about an hour from
Bilbao city centre to Santander.
If you have any questions regarding Harp Lessons
by The Sea
Photo credits: Brenda Malloy
Lessons by The Sea.
HARP
LESSONSBY THE SEA IN NORTHERN SPAIN
❦AVIER’S house in Suances on the
Northern coast of Spain is now open for harp students andhistoricalharpers
wishing to improve their technique, musical expression and ornamen-tation. This
is an opportunity to increase knowledge of repertoire and historical sources
for the early Irish & Scottish wire-strung harp, Renaissance harp, and
Spanish Baroque harp. Instruction and lodging are situated in front of Suances
main beach and surroun-ded by the inspiring cliffs and mountains of the wild
Biscay Bay. The house has a double and a single room for guests and it is
available from the beginning of October to the end of June. The aim is to
provide a calm and warm atmosphere, lodging with all facilities, and fresh home
made food where students can receive their lessons and have practising time.
Students can enjoy their free time with a walk by the beaches, to the cliffs at
the lighthouse cape, or visiting the beautiful mediaeval village of Santillana
del Mar, just 5 miles away from Suances. Within an hour’s drive, one can visit
wild mountains and beech forest as well as prehistoric cave paintings. In the
South Cantabrian region, also within an hour’s drive, one can see more than a
hundred beautifully preserved Romanesque churches. A lovely example of bas
relief from one of these churches is seen on the cover page.The maximum number
of guests staying at the house is three people. Any student can come alone or
with a partner or with other students.The price for each person -including
lodging with all facilities, food and wine-is € 30 per day. The minimum stay is
two days and the maximum is five. Each student will receive one or two private
lessons a day at a cost of € 45 per lesson. Students will have welcome access
to Javier’s collection of books and music sources. If you are a wire-strung
harp student, Javier has available, free of charge, a wire-strung harp, harp
stand and music stand.For students who wish to stay longer or to have more
autonomy a self-catering flat has become available. For further details, see
‘Apartamentos Acacio’ in www.turismosuances.com. All visitors will be picked up
on their arrival and delivered on departure to Santander Airport, the Ferry
Station or the Santander Coach Station. Ittakes about 25 minutes to drive from
Suances to Santander, capital of the Cantabrian region. Santander airport hasJ
direct
flights (Ryanair: www.ryanair.com) to Dublin, London, Edinburgh,
Frankfurt-Hahn, Dusseldorf-Weeze, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Barcelona-Reus. For
pupils coming from Britain, there’s a ferry link Santander-Plymouth
(www.brittanyferries.com) that is open the whole year except January-February,
with good prices. It is also possible to fly to Bilbao Airport and take the bus
to Bilbao city centre. From there one of the daily regular coaches (Alsa:
www.alsa.es) can be taken to Santander Coach Station from where guests willbe
collected. The coach takes about an hour from Bilbao city centre to
Santander.
Feedback
STUDENT FEEDBACK
‘I’m so happy being able to come here and take
lessons from you ... we are sure that we will come again.’Mari Takahama,
February 2009‘
It was a fantastic and unique experience to learn straight away
with one of the best historical harps teachers and performers. Also a place of
calm and relaxed atmosphere. A very personal teaching programme and a big source
of manuscripts and music ... definitely a place to visit and have a nice
harping time.’Vicente La Camera, February 2009‘
It has been a great privilege to
be here ... I carry home many precious gifts ... The inspiration of your
brilliant musicianship and the luminous renditions you so patiently taugh me,
with their carefully crafted techniques and insights have opened a whole new
world ... I look forward to returning as soon as posible.’Robert MacLean, March
2009
‘I’ve had a wonderful and very fulfilling time here in Suances studying the early wire-strung harp, under your brilliant tuition and teaching skills. As always, since I began my lessons with you, I gain a gretaer understanding of the skills of playing this magical instrument. Javier go raibh míle maith agat for being a great teacher and host.’Jim Johnston,May 2009
‘Fantastic experience. I very much enjoyed all the learning process
during my stay at “Suances Harp Sanctuary”. I highly recommend Javier as a
teacher to anyone who is serious about historic harps. Multi-dimensional
education on many layers including music, history, art, nature, philosophy and
other topics happens just naturally – I think that’s the exact approach that we
are missing these days, and Javier’s got it. Music can be understood from many
angles, and Javier is one of those rare teachers who’s depth of perception of
the subject inspires and helps to open closed doors in our minds. Javier’s
level of mastery of the instrument (clarsach in my case) is just mind-blowing.
His strong desire to share his knowledge and skills touches you deeply.
Flexibility of teaching process and direction is very encouraging for one’s own
particular development.
And to add on top of that fascinating, magical Cantabria with it’s gorgeous views, mysterious forests, cheery mountains, moody sea, chatty rivers & brooks, vibrant skies, witchy moons, welcoming suns – and of course outstanding Spanish food including the one Javier cooks by himself at home – marvellous! Can’t wait to get back for more learnings and explorations.’
Alesya Yuskovets, October 2014
And to add on top of that fascinating, magical Cantabria with it’s gorgeous views, mysterious forests, cheery mountains, moody sea, chatty rivers & brooks, vibrant skies, witchy moons, welcoming suns – and of course outstanding Spanish food including the one Javier cooks by himself at home – marvellous! Can’t wait to get back for more learnings and explorations.’
Alesya Yuskovets, October 2014
‘I would not hesitate to recommend, most warmly, “Harp lessons by
the Sea”. One is in the sympathetic hands of one of the world’s very best
practitioners in his field, the approach is scholarly and one has access to
realisations and arrangements otherwise unavailable. The music is supported by
both historical and literary material, much of it rare. The hospitality is
excellent and the environment very beautiful. Do go if you can.’
Bob Dresner, April 2015
Bob Dresner, April 2015
Harps and Harpists
Arpa
renacentista del “Dodecachordon” (1547)
de Henrichus Glareanus
de Henrichus Glareanus
Arpa
irlandesa del “Syntagma Musicum” (1619)
de Michael Praetorius
de Michael Praetorius
Arpa barroca
de dos órdenes del libro
“Luz y Norte Musical” (1677) de Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz
“Luz y Norte Musical” (1677) de Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz
Articles
And with Orpheus’ Harp
R e p e r t o i r e f o
r t h e R e n a i s s a n c
e H a r p
c. 1 5 5 0 – c. 1 6 5 0
c. 1 5 5 0 – c. 1 6 5 0
I
Whilst it is true that the harp had enjoyed great
prestige as a musical instrument during the Middle Ages, it is also no less
true that during the Renaissance, its pre-eminence in the world of music waned
before the exuberance of instruments such as the lute, the vihuela or the
keyboard instruments, which were perfectly adapted to the musical language of
the times in that they were supremely capable of reproducing vocal polyphony in
instrumental form. Thus, just at the time when instrumental music began its
slow but steady road to independence from vocal music at the start of the 16th
century -initially through the simple transcription of vocal polyphony but
later including glosas or ornamentation, variation and the development of
virtuosity based on popular and courtly dances- the harp, as mentioned
previously, was relegated to the sidelines of these developments. Numerous 16th
century theoreticians remarked on the technical deficiencies of the harp,
highlighting this essentially diatonic instrument’s inability to tackle the
chromaticism inherent in the art music of the times. Despite attempts to
resolve this problem, these did not bear fruit until the eighth decade of the
16th century, when chromatic harps -also known as Baroque harps-
were invented in Spain and Italy. With this, the problem was eradicated and the
harp, now with two rows of strings, either cross-strung (Spain) or strung in
parallel rows (Italy), was once again able to take its place among the elite of
harmonic instruments.
Nevertheless, despite the widely recognised
deficiencies of the diatonic harp, iconographic sources (paintings, engravings,
sculptures and medallions) and writings of the time (documents and literary
works) repeatedly depict the continued presence of the Renaissance harp, that
is, the diatonic harp with one row of gut strings, in the music of the period
and similarly, provide glimpses of the abiding social prestige of the
instrument. Members of the nobility, or at the very least, individuals who had
received a humanistic education, are shown plucking the strings with delight
and strains reach us of verdant groves and riverbanks, of the court, the
theatre or the lover’s retreat. Additionally, the iconography of the
Renaissance harp observed the trends of the times, and together with the
traditional mediaeval figure of King David, it depicted Arion, Orpheus and
other musicians from Classical antiquity plucking the instrument. The title of
this present piece of work is provided by a line taken from a poem written by
the Marquis of Santillana (1398-1458), who, whilst predating a strictly chronological
interpretation of the Renaissance period, was a clear literary precursor to the
same, and his poem clearly illustrates how this iconographical phenomenon was
repeated in literary works:
Up Calliope springs
and with the harp of Orpheus
your virtues sings,
lady of gracious loveliness;
that I would speak of but hold my peace
and my tongue does not make bold
to praise you as much as I should
seeing in you that which I witness.[i]
and with the harp of Orpheus
your virtues sings,
lady of gracious loveliness;
that I would speak of but hold my peace
and my tongue does not make bold
to praise you as much as I should
seeing in you that which I witness.[i]
Turning to the middle of the Renaissance and
restricting myself to a brief overview of Castilian works of literature from
the Spanish Golden Age, it can be seen in Los siete libros de la Diana
by Jorge de Montemayor (1558) how Orpheus,
As the beautiful nymphs drew about him, he began to
pluck a harp that he held in his hands very sweetly, and all who heard him were
so transported that nobody remembered what had happened […] Then, the enamoured Orpheus
began to sing so sweetly to the strains of the harp that no words can describe
it. [ii]
Or in one of the poems by Cristóbal Mosquera de
Figueroa (1580), we see how Arion, who has escaped from the ship on the back of
a dolphin, thus eluding robbery and a certain death,
[…] was laid on the sand
by the lithe and loving dolphin,
to the strains of a sweet harp .[iii]
by the lithe and loving dolphin,
to the strains of a sweet harp .[iii]
And Calliope, reappearing in La Galatea (1585)
by Miguel de Cervantes,
[…] took a harp that was beside her, that
none had seen before, and on beginning to play, it seemed that the heavens lit
up, and that the moon with new and unwonted radiance illuminated the earth; the
trees, defying a soft zephyr which was blowing, held still their branches, and
the eyes of all who were there did not dare lower their lids, so that in the
brief moment it would have taken to lift them again, they were not deprived of
the glory that they delighted in, on looking at the beauty of the nymph, even,
all wished that their five senses could be converted into hearing alone: so
strangely, so sweetly, so softly did the lovely muse play her harp .[iv]
In the same work, we hear how Mireno, now a hermit
following disappointment in love, lives alone and
to the strains of the harp I chose for my companion in
my solitude, I endeavour to assuage the heavy burden of my cares, until heaven
gathers them up and remembers to call me to a better life.
Lastly, and in a more worldly setting, we read in Desengaños
amorosos (1647) by María de Zayas:
It is readily understood that, as her parents were
noble and rich, they raised her and educated her well, teaching her all the
desirable practices and arts, for in addition to the household skills of
needlework, embroidery and all the others that a woman should know in order to
keep her occupied, were reading and writing, playing and singing to the harp,
in which she was so extraordinary, that heard without being seen, she appeared
an angel, and when seen and heard together, a seraphim .[v]
Given these two, apparently contradictory realities
-the partial inadequacy of the Renaissance harp to produce all the chromatic
notes and the continued existence of the instrument in the music of the period-
the question inevitably arises, what musical repertoire was played on the
Renaissance harp? The previously cited text by Montemayor offers two possible
answers, namely, the use of the harp as an accompaniment to singing and the use
of the harp for producing purely instrumental music. The first possibility,
besides being the predominant image in the multitude of literary texts in which
the harp appears, would not have posed insurmountable difficulties for the
instrument, since although this harp was not capable of producing all the
chromatic notes, as an accompaniment such notes could be omitted in order to
focus on the harmonic structure accompanying the voice. It is the second
possibility which, in principle, would have presented greater difficulties, due
to the characteristics or deficiencies of the instrument. Thus, what
instrumental music was performed with the Renaissance harp?
In order to respond to this question, I should first
clarify several points which will shed light on with the final answer.
Firstly, it is can be seen that in the period spanning 1550 to 1650, by far the
greater part of soloist, instrumental music was written for keyboard instruments
or for the lute and the vihuela. In other words, it was written for harmonic
instruments which were perfectly adapted, technically speaking, to the music of
the times. Consequently, it was these instruments which were most frequently
used for art music and, in turn, which offered most professional potential.
Accordingly, the instrumental music in greatest demand was that written for
keyboard instruments or the lute/vihuela, and this was also the music that
presented less commercial risk in terms of printing. This would explain why
there were comparatively few harpists, and why there is a practical dearth of
manuscripts or printed matter with music written specifically for the
Renaissance harp. We should not be mislead by the fact that various Spanish instrumental
publications prior to 1580, that is, prior to the invention of the cross-strung
chromatic harp, indicate for the keyboards, harp or vihuela in their
titles: the presence of the word harp in these titles responds more to a
commercial strategy than to the possibility of playing this music as it is
written with a Renaissance harp, at least in the majority of cases. Which leads
me on to the second point. If, by definition, the Renaissance harp was a
diatonic harp, in other words, that its strings would produce the seven natural
notes of the scale but not the other five chromatic notes, it is clear that a
more precise definition should include the subtle distinction of partially
chromatic. Indeed, there are two mechanisms, well documented at the time,
by which the Renaissance harp’s diatonism could be partially overcome, with the
evident aim of extending its repertoire beyond simple popular or courtly dances
to enter the realm of purely instrumental forms –toccatas and fancies– or the
same dances in their more artistic form using variations and virtuosities. I
refer, firstly, to scordatura, or the technique of tuning, prior to
performance, one or various strings to the chromatically altered notes, that
is, those notes beyond the instrument’s natural scale which appear in the work
in question, which will be used during the performance.
The other technique, already mentioned by Alonso
Mudarra and by Juan Bermudo in his Declaracion de instrumentos musicales (1555),
was named after Ludovico, harpist at the court of Ferdinand the Catholic,
and consisted in obtaining semi-tones, that is, the accidental notes required
whilst performing the work, by holding the index finger or thumb of the left
hand at the head of the harp and pressing the string against the wood in such a
way that when plucking the string with the right hand, a semi-tone is produced.
It was to this end, naturally, that the design of Renaissance harps left a
sufficiently large space at the head of the harp to be able to press the
strings, a task which was also facilitated by the lesser tension of the strings
compared to modern harps. An expert in this technique, as explained in the
introduction to Compendio numeroso by Diego Fernández de Huete (1702),
would be able to press the string with the index finger of the left hand whilst
plucking with the middle finger of the same hand.[vi] Both of the
techniques used with the Renaissance harp, or harp de una orden, scordatura
or semi-tones “in the style of Ludovico”, are also cited in the work of
Pablo Nassarre, Escuela Musica (1724).[vii]
Having examined these two techniques, which rendered
the Renaissance harp partially chromatic, an examination of the historical
development of instrumental musical over the course of the 16th and
17th centuries is now indicated in order to clarify the third point.
Towards the end of the 16th century and continuing throughout the 17th
century, a relative simplification of counterpoint can be seen, with
increasingly greater emphasis being given to the melody and bass notes in
accordance with the driving force behind Baroque aesthetics: the expression of
the sentiments. Thus, if the 16th century can be defined as the
century of classical polyphony, or what amounts to the same, by the use of
various voices together without, ideally, any one of them attaining
pre-eminence over the others, then the 17th century witnessed the
triumph of the higher voice and thorough-bass, whilst intermediate voices
were relegated to the background. As a direct consequence of this development
in instrumental music, the Renaissance harp stood its ground throughout the 17th
century and, with the use of the two techniques mentioned above, both its
repertoire and its very presence in music at the time were considerably
extended. Thus, if we consult the Renaissance harp repertoire of 16th
and 17th century Spanish music, we can see that with the exception
of Mudarra’s Tiento IX para harpa u organo,which was perhaps the first
composition to be printed for the harp in a European context, little of the
sophisticated 16th century repertoire for the vihuela could be
performed with a Renaissance harp without doing violence to the original
scores, whereas in the following century, the repertoire had expanded
significantly if we consider the works that, in the second half of the century,
were written and printed for the harp. Indeed, in the most important of
these publications, the Compendio numeroso de Zifras armonicas para Harpa de
una orden, de dos ordenes, y de organo (1702, 1704) by the harpist Diego
Fernández de Huete, those works which were suitable for performing with a
Renaissance harp, or harp de una orden, were specified at the beginning
of the book, and numerous other pieces, written in principle for the Baroque
harp or harp de dos ordenes, could also be played by employing one of
the two techniques mentioned above.
Finally, and before returning to my initial question,
the transference of repertoires should be addressed briefly, in other words,
the use of a specific musical work for different kinds of instruments. This is
a common and well-known phenomenon in the history of instrumental music
whereby, either because of it is more advanced than other instruments in terms
of finding its own musical “language”, or because it is more widely played and
thus is more important, a particular instrument exerts more influence as
regards repertoire or instrumental technique than others which are less
developed or less widely played. These two conditions can be observed in the
case of the most influential instrument of the period discussed here, the lute.
Thus, for example, the brisè style of French lutanists was adopted by
French composers for the harpsichord, whilst as regards repertoire, German
harpsichord players at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th
centuries adapted works from the French lute repertoire to their own instrument
due to the lack, in their own country, of works written for the harpsichord in
the highly regarded French style.[viii] Furthermore, in keeping with
a common practice of the period, composers frequently did not specify the
instrument for which their music was composed, leaving open the choice of
instrument to use. At the same time, it was habitual for a composer or editor
to suggest in the title of the work the range of instruments for which it was
suitable.
This transference to another instrument, or borrowing,
of the musical repertoire initially written for one specific instrument was
obviously facilitated by similarity in technique or sound between the original
instrument and the recipient. This is evident in the case of the harp, the lute
and the vihuela: in contrast to the keyboard instruments, these harmonic
instruments all possessed an acknowledged dynamic quality, but what really set
them apart both in terms of technique and timbre, was the fact of producing
music through direct contact between the fingers and the very fabric of the
instrument, the gut strings. Naturally, each instrument had its own
virtues and sins, and in this vein it would perhaps be interesting to cite a comment
made about the harp by the French encyclopaedia writers, François Merlin and
Jacques Cellier in their work Recherches de Plusieurs Singularités, towards
the end of the 16th century. These authors felt that the harp was
preferable to either the lute or the harpsichord because, in contrast to the
lute, each note on the harp is emitted with the string vibrating freely in the
air and thus the full impact of the note reaches the listener, whilst in
contrast to the harpsichord, each note can be plucked in an infinite variety of
ways, rendering it possible to achieve many variations in tone colour.[ix]
Taking all the above clarifications and considerations
into account, it is now possible to turn at last to the initial question
concerning the nature of the instrumental music performed with the Renaissance
harp. In my opinion, it would appear evident that the soloist repertoire for
the harp basically drew from the repertoire for the lute. As has been
mentioned, the number of professional or even amateur harpists was considerably
less than that of lutanists or vihuela players. This fact alone would suffice
to explain the almost total absence in Europe of publications or manuscripts
containing music for the Renaissance harp throughout the period 1550 to 1650. On
the other hand, the similarity between the harp and the lute in sound and
technique, combined with the fact that a vast quantity of printed and
manuscript music was being written for the lute since it was the most played
and most prestigious instrument, would appear to support the argument that
harpists took part of their instrumental repertoire directly from that written
for the lute and performed these works with the help of the chromatic
techniques described above, if necessary, and where these did not suffice,
adapted the work to the harp. As we have seen, this process of transference was
gradually fostered by developments in instrumental music itself throughout the
period. Furthermore, it is apparent that these two instruments shared a common
repertoire, a ubiquitous, unattributed repertoire specific to the period and
the context which was taken and adapted freely for use with each particular
instrument.
The repertoire for the lute and the vihuela was not
unaffected by this widespread phenomenon of repertoire borrowing, and thus it
can be seen how, at the inception of instrumental music, direct transcription
of vocal polyphony formed the basis for later developments. Similarly, there
are few examples of a direct rupture with the common and widespread custom of
transferring music written for the lute to the harp, and vice versa: Scottish
manuscripts from the first half of the 17th century containing music
written for the lute often include pieces originally written for the harp which
lutanists adapted for their own instrument, undoubtedly influenced by the
prestige and presence of the harp in Scottish music until the 16th
century. [x] Furthermore, in the English manuscript known as
the Reymes Lute ms., which contains pieces written for the lute, mainly
of French origin, there are also four pieces composed by Jean la Flelle, a
French harpist who held the post of chamber musician at the court of Charles I
and Henrietta Maria. It would appear that he himself played the single row harp
in the royal masque, The Temple of Love (1635), in the role of Orpheus
“calming the seas with his harp” from a small boat.[xi]
If any doubt remained concerning the origin of the
basic repertoire of the Renaissance harp, in his chapter on harps in his
well-known treatise Harmonie Universelle (1636-1637), the French music
theoretician Marin Mersenne clearly stated that “as for those pieces which are
played upon the harp, these are in no way different from those played on the
lute and the spinet”.[xii]
I I
Given all the above, in the present recording I have
tried to offer a wide selection from among the possibilities offered by the
historical European repertoire for the Renaissance harp. The majority of these
works come from printed collections or manuscripts written for the lute or vihuela,
and are of French, Italian or English origin in the case of the former
instrument, Spanish in the case of the latter. In addition to these, I
have included the few original pieces still extant which were written for the
harp during the period 1550 to 1650: the Tiento IX para harpa u organo
by Mudarra and two untitled pieces by Jean la Flelle.
In playing these pieces, I have used the historical
techniques –scordatura and semi-tones in the style of Ludovico– which,
as explained previously, extended the chromatism, and consequently the
repertoire of the instrument. In addition to these, I have used selective
damping, a technique which consists of damping those sounds, especially the
bass notes of the Renaissance harp, which are discordant and outside the
harmonic range of the following notes. This is achieved by plucking the same
string twice: the first time to produce the desired note, and the second time,
if this is discordant with the next note, to thoroughly dampen it either with
the same finger or another. If this is not done, and this is one of the
“drawbacks” of the harp as an instrument, the different sounds and harmonies
become superimposed, building up and clouding the musical discourse. This
technique was documented in the Tratado de la Música (Madrid, 1634)
written by Bartolomé Jobernardi,[xiii] an Italian harpist in the
royal chapel of the court of Philip IV of Spain, but was undoubtedly employed,
at least by professional harpists, prior to the appearance of this text.
Lastly, I have used meantone tuning as indicated in numerous sources from the
period, including Huete and Nassarre.
With the exception of some dances inspired by popular
music, such as La Chacona by Nicolas Vallet, the recording predominantly
consists of relatively evolved courtly dances, which is to say that the music
is comparatively independent of its original function –dance– and can be
located in the context of the purely aural, based on virtuosity and
variations. Emerging from the direct transcription of vocal polyphony or
simple dances, this general historical evolution of instrumental music can be
observed in the five Spanish pieces: Callen todas las galanas is a
transcription of a vocal piece for three voices; the Pavana by Milán and
the Pavanilla are courtly dances; the Glossa by Fuenllana is a
free adaptation of another piece, and lastly, as with the Praeambulum by
Dowland, the Tiento IXby Mudarra, is an example of a purely instrumental
form. As we know, all this music was in turn enriched by improvised additions
as the musicians played ex tempore, giving free rein to their creativity.
Following this practice, I have taken the liberty of extending some of the
originals in pieces such as Pavanne by Attaingnant, Bergamasca by
van den Hove, the first of the pieces by Jean la Flelle and the unattributed
pieces Courante, Branle Hoboken and Daphne.
I I I
In addition to what has been our subject thus far, the
Renaissance harp, another type of diatonic harp was in use in courtly and
aristocratic circles in some parts of Europe. I refer to the Early Irish and
Scottish wire-strung harps, originally called the cláirseach and clàrsach
in the respective Gaelic dialects of these countries. These instruments,
the origins of which can be traced back to the 11th century, were
highly esteemed within the Gaelic culture common to both countries, and during
the Middle Ages and part of the Modern Era constituted the preferred musical
instrument of the aristocracy, as well as providing essential musical
ornamentation in the hands of professional harpists when accompanying bardic
poetry.
However, in the period spanning 1550 to 1650, this
instrument witnessed a process of geographical and musical expansion, undergoing
adaptation to the court music of the times in its new destinations. Both
phenomena stemmed from the process of English reconquest and colonisation
throughout the 16th century to which Ireland was subjected. Although
the conquerors held any artistic endeavour on the part of the conquered in
contempt, they were nevertheless so seduced by the sonority of this instrument
that, particularly between 1590 and 1630, it became the fashionable instrument
of the moment in aristocratic circles and the English court. Thus, in the hands
of the Irish harpist Cormac MacDermott the Irish harpe made its first
appearance as part of the Royal Musick in 1603,whilst in 1607, the
harpist Daniel Duff O’Cahill joined Queen Anne’s private musicians, and the
harp continued to form part of this group under her successor, Henrietta Maria.[xiv]
There was a further influx of the harp into England when the Scottish king
James VI acceded to the English throne in 1603 following the death without
heirs of Queen Elizabeth I. Together with the king, many members of the
Scottish court and aristocracy relocated to London, together with the
professional harpists in his service. The harp, newly adapted to court music,
also had a presence in other European courts, especially the Danish court of
Christian IV, where the Irish harpist Darby Scott was to be found between 1621
and 1634, but also in the Polish court and some smaller German courts.
Another important factor in the spread of the harp, in
this case presumably without any change to the traditional repertoire, was the
exile into which part of the Irish nobility was forced, especially following
the Irish defeat at the Battle of Kinsale (1603). As was clearly the case for
written bardic poetry on the continent, it is highly probable that harpists in
the service of these nobles would have continued to perform mainly art music
from their native tradition in those parts of Catholic Europe where they
settled. At the same time, however, in Ireland itself some of the Anglo-Irish
nobility, such as Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, established small musical
circles in the style of the English and Continental courts.[xv] A
fragment –the head, with two parallel rows of pins– of a harp built within this
context, in 1621, clearly indicates the existence of a type of Irish chromatic
harp, although the precise nature of its structure remains unknown.
A direct consequence of the geographical and musical
expansion of this instrument was its inclusion as the subject of study in
important musical treatises of the period: the Dialogo della Musica Antica
et Moderna (1581) by Vicenzo Galilei, the Syntagma Musicum (1619) by
Michael Praetorius, in which an engraving of a harp appears, and the work of
Francis Bacon Sylva Sylvarum (1627). In the latter, the section discussing
acoustic experiments extolled the tonal virtues of the Irish harpe, its
clear and prolonged sound.
Of the harpists who adapted the court music of the
times, the Irish harpist Cormac Mac Dermott (?-1618) stands out. In addition to
being a musician at the English court from 1603, he was also the private
harpist of the Secretary for State, Robert Cecil, from 1597.[xvi]
Some of his work has been preserved in manuscript form, in particular, the
Filmer ms. 4 (Yale Music Library), with music for a viola ensemble. Sadly, no
source containing music specifically written for the harp remains; the piece
which is included in the recording entitled Mr. Cormacke Allman is an
adaptation for the harp of the original three viola ensemble parts. In addition
to this piece, the recording includes other works written by MacDermott’s
musical colleagues in the Royal Musick of the court of James I -Thomas
Lupo and Alfonso Ferrabosco– together with others from the general period, with
the aim of providing a taste of the sonority of the Early Irish and Scottish
harps in their new capacity as court instruments.
J a v i e r S á i n
z [ 2 0 1 1 ]
N O T E S
[i] Marqués de Santillana, Obras completas, ed.
Manuel Durán, Madrid, Castalia, 1984.
A few other mediaeval antecedents exist which present the figure of Orpheus as a harpist, most notably the lay or mediaeval English poem Sir Orfeo.
[ii] Jorge de Montemayor, Los siete libros de la Diana, ed, Enrique Moreno Báez, Madrid, Editora Nacional, 1981.
[iii] Cristóbal Mosquera de Figueroa, Obras, ed. Guillermo Díaz-Plaja, Madrid, Real Academia Española, 1955.
[iv] Miguel de Cervantes, La Galatea, ed. Luis Carlos Viada y Lluch, Barcelona, E. Domenech, 1916.
[v] María de Zayas, Desengaños amorosos, ed. Alicia Yllera, Madrid, Cátedra, 1983.
[vi] ‘se haze poniendo el dedo indize debaxo de la cuerda que tuviere sostenido […] y se pone el dedo pegado a la cabeça del Harpa, y se aprieta un poquito para hazer el Sustenido; y el dedo largo ha de estar algo mas baxo, para que suene quando la toque, porque si está junto a el dedo que haze el Sustenido, no sonará.’ [Part One, Chapter III, page 6]
Diego Fernández de Huete, Compendio numeroso de zifras armonicas, con theorica, y practica, para harpa de una orden, de dos ordenes, y de organo, Madrid, 1702.
[vii] ‘aunque era preciso, que los puntos accidentales, como bemol y sustenidos, por cada tono se supliessen, echandolos fuera, o violentando la cuerda con la uña, o poniendo una cuerda en el tono, sin tocar sus octavas.’ [Vol. I, Book III, Chapter XIX, page 343]
Pablo Nassarre, Escuela música según la práctica moderna, Zaragoza, 1724.
[viii] David Ledbetter, Unaccompanied Bach, Yale University Press, 2009.
[ix] Jeremy Montagu, Instruments, in Companion to Baroque Music, ed. Julie Anne Sadie, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd, London, 1990.
[x] Javier Sáinz, Silva Caledonia: Scottish Harp Music of the 17th Century, Siubhal.com, 2008.
[xi] Peter Holman, The Harp in Stuart England, Early Music, May 1987.
[xii] ‘Quant aux pieces qui se iouent sur la Harpe, elle ne sont point differentes de celles qui se iouent sur le Luth & sur l’Epinette.’ [Livre III, proposition XXIV]
Marin Mersenne, Harmonie Universelle, 1636-7.
[xiii] ‘Cualquier cuerda que se toque con un poco de fuerza es necesario tocarla con un dedo y con el otro ir matando el eco que deja la cuerda tocada. Si, por ejemplo, en cualquier otro instrumento vienen a ser 32 notas por compás, en esta forma será necesario que la mano toque con doble velocidad, y en el mismo tiempo 64 veces, con la seguridad de que para el que oiga el efecto, será bien empleado el trabajo.’
Bartolomé Jobernardi, Tratado de la Música, Madrid, 1636. Biblioteca Nacional, ms. 8931.
[xiv] Seán Donnelly, The Irish harp in England, 1590-1690, Ceol VII, 1984.
[xv] Seán Donnelly, A Cork Musician at the Early Stuart Court: Daniel Duff O’Cahill (c.1580-c.1660), ‘The Queen’s Harper’, JCHAS, Vol.105, 2001.
[xvi] Seán Donnelly, An Irish harper and composer. Cormac MacDermott (?-1618), Ceol VIII, 1986.
A few other mediaeval antecedents exist which present the figure of Orpheus as a harpist, most notably the lay or mediaeval English poem Sir Orfeo.
[ii] Jorge de Montemayor, Los siete libros de la Diana, ed, Enrique Moreno Báez, Madrid, Editora Nacional, 1981.
[iii] Cristóbal Mosquera de Figueroa, Obras, ed. Guillermo Díaz-Plaja, Madrid, Real Academia Española, 1955.
[iv] Miguel de Cervantes, La Galatea, ed. Luis Carlos Viada y Lluch, Barcelona, E. Domenech, 1916.
[v] María de Zayas, Desengaños amorosos, ed. Alicia Yllera, Madrid, Cátedra, 1983.
[vi] ‘se haze poniendo el dedo indize debaxo de la cuerda que tuviere sostenido […] y se pone el dedo pegado a la cabeça del Harpa, y se aprieta un poquito para hazer el Sustenido; y el dedo largo ha de estar algo mas baxo, para que suene quando la toque, porque si está junto a el dedo que haze el Sustenido, no sonará.’ [Part One, Chapter III, page 6]
Diego Fernández de Huete, Compendio numeroso de zifras armonicas, con theorica, y practica, para harpa de una orden, de dos ordenes, y de organo, Madrid, 1702.
[vii] ‘aunque era preciso, que los puntos accidentales, como bemol y sustenidos, por cada tono se supliessen, echandolos fuera, o violentando la cuerda con la uña, o poniendo una cuerda en el tono, sin tocar sus octavas.’ [Vol. I, Book III, Chapter XIX, page 343]
Pablo Nassarre, Escuela música según la práctica moderna, Zaragoza, 1724.
[viii] David Ledbetter, Unaccompanied Bach, Yale University Press, 2009.
[ix] Jeremy Montagu, Instruments, in Companion to Baroque Music, ed. Julie Anne Sadie, J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd, London, 1990.
[x] Javier Sáinz, Silva Caledonia: Scottish Harp Music of the 17th Century, Siubhal.com, 2008.
[xi] Peter Holman, The Harp in Stuart England, Early Music, May 1987.
[xii] ‘Quant aux pieces qui se iouent sur la Harpe, elle ne sont point differentes de celles qui se iouent sur le Luth & sur l’Epinette.’ [Livre III, proposition XXIV]
Marin Mersenne, Harmonie Universelle, 1636-7.
[xiii] ‘Cualquier cuerda que se toque con un poco de fuerza es necesario tocarla con un dedo y con el otro ir matando el eco que deja la cuerda tocada. Si, por ejemplo, en cualquier otro instrumento vienen a ser 32 notas por compás, en esta forma será necesario que la mano toque con doble velocidad, y en el mismo tiempo 64 veces, con la seguridad de que para el que oiga el efecto, será bien empleado el trabajo.’
Bartolomé Jobernardi, Tratado de la Música, Madrid, 1636. Biblioteca Nacional, ms. 8931.
[xiv] Seán Donnelly, The Irish harp in England, 1590-1690, Ceol VII, 1984.
[xv] Seán Donnelly, A Cork Musician at the Early Stuart Court: Daniel Duff O’Cahill (c.1580-c.1660), ‘The Queen’s Harper’, JCHAS, Vol.105, 2001.
[xvi] Seán Donnelly, An Irish harper and composer. Cormac MacDermott (?-1618), Ceol VIII, 1986.
Harp, Harpers & their
Music in Bardic Poetry
Harps, harpers and their music were in close intimacy
with the bardic and semi-bardic poetry practised in both Ireland and Scotland
from about 1200 to 1700. A first and fundamental link between them is based in
the fact that the harp was used and played by highly skilled musicians as a
musical background for the declamation of the poems by the reciter (reacaire)
and thus the instrument, both as an object and source of sounds, was familiar
to the learned poets (fili). This fact allowed an interesting second link
which is the frequent presence of harps, harpers and their music in the poems
themselves, to the point that it became a topic , along with others like golden
goblets, red wine or chess boards, when describing the magnificence and luxury
of the noblemen’s houses and castles, something essential due to the nature and
functions of the bardic poetry: the celebration and panegyric of the chieftains
and the hopeful reward for the poems. Most frequently these quotations on the
harp and their music, or the effects of the music on the listeners, are
fragments that ocupy some verses or a quatrain in the poems, as in the next
quatrain by Mac Giolla Fhionntóg from the ‘Book of the Dean of Lismore’
(c.1520),
Coimhsheinm
idir cláirseachaibhI ndún an laoich ‘na lámhaibh;
A lucht tighe ó tháipleasaibh Ag dol fá dhubhar gháraidh. |
Harps
being played in harmony in the hero’s stronghold, in the hands of
minstrels;
his household go from the backgammon boards to walk in the shade of the garden. [1] |
But also an important number of poems are devoted
enterely to the description of a particular harp [2], to celebrate
the skills, or the opposite, of a particular harper, or just to describe the
feelings that the presence of a harp arouse in the poet.
All in all these fragments and poems devoted to the
harp give us an idea of the high status and esteem of the harpers and their
music in classical Gaelic society. Most important, in the absence of
iconographical material like paintings or engravings, they offered us a fresh
image of the place, surroundings and circunstances in which the music of the
harp was played and heard, and offered us information and details we could not
have found in any other place.
The present selection of seventeeth century Scottish
Gaelic poetry gathers some few fragments and a complete poem.
J a v i e r S á i n
z [ 2 0 0 7 ]
I
… Bu ro
mhaith b’aithne dhomh t’aighear
N am dhuit gabhail gu d’sheomar: Bhiodh foirinn air tailisg Is da chlarsaich an comhstri, Gus am freagradh am balla Do mhac-talla nan organ, Fion dearg Spaineach ‘ga losgadh ‘N cuid a dh’obair nan orcheard
Cumha Morair Hunndaidh
Iain Luim, c. 1625-c. 1707 |
…Very
familiar was I with your festive ways
when you proceeded to your chamber: chess-men were placed on chess-board while two harps vied with each other until the wall answered to the echo of organs, and red Spanish wine shone brightly in the handiwork of goldsmiths [3]
Lament for the Marquis of Huntly,
John MacDonald, c. 1625-c. 1707 |
II
… Tha mo
dhùil-sa ann a Dia
Gur mùirneach do thriall Gu dùn ud nan cliar Far am bu dùthchas do m’ thriath Bhiodh gu fiùghantach fial foirmeil Gu dùn turaideach àrd, B’e sud innis nam bàrd Is nam filidh ri dàn Far am bu mhinig an tàmh: Cha b’ionad gun bhlàths dhoibh sud. Gu àros nach crìon Am bi gàirich nam pìob Is nan clàrsach a rìs Le deàrrsadh nam pìos A’ cur sàraidh air fìon Is ‘ga leigeadh an gnìomh òircheard…
An Crònan,
Màiri nighean Alasdair Ruaidh, c. 1615-c. 1707 |
… My hope
is in God
for a gay journey for thee to yonder fortress of the poet bands, where my lord was wont to dwell; generous, free-handed, stately was he: To the tall battlemented tower that was the resting place of bards and makers of song, where often they reposed; for them it was a place that lacked not warmth: To the dwelling that is not niggardly, wherein is the roar of pipes, and anon the sounds of harps, with the gleam of silver cups, making wine flow free, and pouring it into the goldsmith’shandiwork…[4]
The Croon,
Mary MacLeod, c. 1615-c. 1707 |
III
… “An tràth
chuirte ’na tàmh i
le furtachd ’na fardaich féin, dhomh-sa b’fhurasd’ a ràdh gum bu chuireideach gàir nan teud, le h-iomairt dhà-làmh cur am binnis di chàch an céill: rìgh, bu shiubhlach ri m’ chluais an lùthadh le luasgan mheur…
Oran do Mhac Leòid Dhùn Bheagain,
Ruaidhri Mac Mhuirich, 1656-1714 |
… When it
(the bagpipe) was relieved
and laid to rest in its own quarters, I could readily relate how beguiiling was the sounds of harp-strings, impressing all with their sweetness, under the play of two hands. Ah me! how fluent was the quick measure played close to my ear by swiftly moving fingers…[5]
A Song to MacLeod of Dunvegan,
Rorie Dall Morison, 1656-1714 |
IV
[Ceòl na Clàrsaich]
Do
bheatha, chlàrsaich, a rìs,
An déis domh do thilgeadh uam; Nam faodainn do chumail a steach, Cha reachadh tu mach ri luaths.Bu bhinn leam iuchair do theud Bhith ‘ga gleusadh goirid uam; B’ ait leam do chom buidhe binn Bhith ‘ga seinn làmh ri m’ chluais. Nam bu bhean mi ‘g am biodh oighreachd Bhiodh tu daonnan an mo chaidreabh; Bu bhinn le m’ chluais bhith ‘gad chluinntinn ‘Nuar a dhùisginn anns a’ mhadainn. B’ annsa na fiodhull is beus, Orgain cha téid mi g’a luaidh, ‘S b’ e mo roghainn thar gach ceòl Fuaim do theud throimh d’ bhòrdaibh cruaidh.
Sileas Nighean Mhic Raghnaill, c.1660-c.1729
|
[The Music of the Harp]
Hail to
you, O harp, once more,
after I have cast you from me; if I could keep you inside you would not very speedily get out.Melodious to me was the key of your strings being tuned close by me; delightful to me was your sweet sallow body being played near to my ear. If I were a woman with an inheritance you would be ever in my company; my ear would delight to hear you as I arose in the morning. Dearer than fiddle and bass -I will not mention the organ and my choice above all music was the sound of your strings through your hard boards.[6]
Sileas MacDonald of Keppoch, c.1660-c.1729
|
NOTES
[1] Watson, W. J. (ed.), Scottish Verse from the Book
of the Dean of Lismore, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1937.
English translation from Thomson, Derick, An Introduction to Gaelic Poetry, Edinburgh
University Press, Edinburgh, 1989.
[2] As in Gofraidh Fionn Ó Dálaigh’s poem ‘To a Harp’ in Bergin, Osborn (ed.) Irish Bardic Poetry,The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Dublin, 1984.
[3] Mackenzie, Annie M. (ed.), Orain Iain Luim: Songs of John MacDonald Bard of Kappoch, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1964.
[4] Watson, J. C. (ed.), Gaelic Songs of Mary MacLeod, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1965.
[5] Matheson, William. (ed.), The Blind Harper: An Clàrsair Dall, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1970.
[6] Ó Baoill, Colm (ed.), Bàrdachd Shìlis na Ceapaich: Poems and Songs by Sìleas MacDonald, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1972
[2] As in Gofraidh Fionn Ó Dálaigh’s poem ‘To a Harp’ in Bergin, Osborn (ed.) Irish Bardic Poetry,The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Dublin, 1984.
[3] Mackenzie, Annie M. (ed.), Orain Iain Luim: Songs of John MacDonald Bard of Kappoch, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1964.
[4] Watson, J. C. (ed.), Gaelic Songs of Mary MacLeod, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1965.
[5] Matheson, William. (ed.), The Blind Harper: An Clàrsair Dall, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1970.
[6] Ó Baoill, Colm (ed.), Bàrdachd Shìlis na Ceapaich: Poems and Songs by Sìleas MacDonald, Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, 1972
Discography
To acquire a record of Javier contact:
telefono:(+34)
636344239
An
Introduction to Playing Wire-Strung Harp
Book + DVD
by Ann Heymann, Javier Sáinz & Bill Taylor
Book + DVD
by Ann Heymann, Javier Sáinz & Bill Taylor
Siubhal
(2012)
A tutorial music book of 14 lessons progressing from
elementary to advanced arrangements with accompanying DVD. The music book
presents fully notated and marked up scores of all of the video
material. Book size 21cm x 21cm.
Excellent for all levels of players.
Repertoire for the Renaissance Harp, c.1550-c.1650
Artimaña Records (2011)
In this most recent work, Javier Sáinz explores the
repertoire of the Renaissance gut-strung harp from Spanish, French, Italian and
English sources. The techniques utilised and the use of the instrument in that
period are explained in detail in the companion essay (in English and Spanish).
Also included are engravings from the period. To complete the picture, the CD
includes a selection of the fashionable courtly music that was played in the
Renaissance on the early Irish and Scottish wire-strung harp.
A lavish edition with 54 pages on laid paper,
and essay on Renaissance harps and music and a selection of engravings of the
period.
Javier
Sáinz: Renaissance harp & Early Irish and Scottish wire-strung harp
* Available
only directly from Javier. *
Scottish harp Music of the 17th Century
Siubhal (2008)
Harp music was the first love of the Scottish
nobility. Javier Sáinz champions two lost traditions: Highland and Lowland.
Resurrecting historical instruments and techniques, he brings to life a
heritage once prized in royal courts across Europe. Along with the music the CD
includes a booklet of 62 pages with five articles written by Keith Sanger, Colm
Ö Baoill, Nicholas Carolan, Barnaby Brown and Javier Sáinz.
Javier
Sáinz: Early Irish and Scottish wire-strung harp & Renaissance harp
Sony Classical SK 62257 (1995)
