Pianoteq Concert Harp

This Concert Harp for Pianoteq is physically modelled after a Salvi concert grand harp. It allows to play pinch harmonics (flageolets) and glissandos. It includes a diatonic mode with seven pedals to change the pitch of the strings and play in all keys.

The harp has appeared in many forms since as early as 3500 BC. The pedal harp appeared around 1700, and was improved in 1810 by S. Erard’s double movement, which allows to play in all keys and is still today’s standard for the concert harp. The harp was extremely popular in the 18th century, used by many baroque and classical composers of the time (Händel, Mozart and others) and later started to appear in operas by Puccini and in symphonic music and ballets by Liszt, Berlioz, Massenet, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Wagner and others. The harp is also featured in modern music, appearing in works such as “She’s Leaving Home” by The Beatles and “Dark Lady” by Cher. In the Marx Brothers movies, the very skilled harp player by the nickname Harpo often dedicates entire scenes playing the harp.

The concert harp possesses 47 strings attached to a soundboard, and is played with the fingertips of the first four fingers with both hands. Since there are no damped strings during playing, the harp has a special magical sound which the Pianoteq technology manages to capture with astonishing authenticity.