Discovering the Harp

On October 26th our music came gold-plated with 47 strings attached. Local harp player and teacher Cathy White gave us an evening to remember when she brought along her wonderful instrument and told us the story of the harp. We learned how it had developed over many centuries, and then she revealed the inner secrets of the modern concert harp. We heard recordings of Spanish, Scottish, Irish and Welsh harps bringing out their national music styles, and of the harp in various orchestral pieces. It’s versatility and sound pictures were quite stunning, ranging from flamenco through classical to jazz. Best of all was when Cathy treated us to the rich sounds of pieces played live. It was something we’ll recall for a long time.