Listed below are books that are either entirely about the wire–strung harp or that contain noteworthy information about this instrument. We have made every attempt to include all known publications of each book. For example, Francis Collinson’s The Traditional and National Music of Scotland was published in England (by Routledge and Kegan Paul) and in the United States (by Vanderbuilt University Press); both publishers are listed. Other works are reprints of books originally published a hundred or more years ago. The three Bunting volumes (A General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music, A General Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland, and The Ancient Music of Ireland) were originally published in 1796, 1809, and 1840, respectively. A number of publishers (e.g., Waltons, Dover) have published “modern” versions of these three volumes. Some are facsimiles of the originals and others have been edited. Likewise for the books of Robert Bruce Armstrong, Francis O’Neill, and William Dauney.
Included with each citation is a brief description of the book. Most of the books that have now entered the public domain, such as the Bunting texts, have been republished as modern editions and some have been digitized; several of these are available at the Library here on WireStrungharp.com.
| Author | Title | Description | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong, Robert Bruce | Musical Instruments — Part one; The Irish and Highland Harps | This is the first of two volumes on Musical Instruments and for our purposes the most important was the first, published in 1904. Well illustrated with photographs and his own beautiful drawings of the harps, it also includes many accurate measurements of the instruments he inspected. Available in our library via this link: Armstrong “Irish and Highland Harps” | David Douglas. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1904. For more information: NLS Shelfmark: H9.78.195 |
| Armstrong, Robert Bruce | The Irish and Highland Harps | A modern reprint of the first of two volumes on Musical Instruments specifically about the Irish and Highland wire–strung harps. | Irish University Press. Shannon, Ireland. 1969 For more information: ISBN: 0716500736
NLS Shelfmark: Mus.32.HAR LOC Call Number: ML501.A738 1904a Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Baines, Anthony | The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments | The entry for ‘harp’ provides a summary of the harp, from ancient Africa to today; it also discusses different sorts of harps (e.g., pedal, triple). Wire–strung harp has its own entry under the heading ‘Celtic harp.’ | Oxford University Press. New York. 1992. For more information: ISBN: 0193113341
9780193113343 NLS Shelfmark: H3.93.983 LOC Call Number: ML10215.B34 1992 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Original Bunting Publications (1796, 1809 and 1840) | |||
| Bunting, Edward | A General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music | This first volume is the shortest of the three. It provides Bunting’s transcription of what he heard at the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival. Available here via this link: Bunting 1796 | Preston & Son. London, England. 1796. (also by W. Power & Co. Dublin, Ireland. 1796.) For more information: NLS Shelfmark: Newb. 4422(4)
LOC Call Number: M 1744.B942 G4(Case) Library of Congress PermaLink NOTE: the LOC information is for the original London publication |
| Bunting, Edward | A General Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland | This second volume provides “the first general collection of [Ireland’s] national airs...” Available via this link: Bunting 1809 | Clementi. London, England. 1809. For more information: NLS Shelfmark: ESTC T164581
LOC Call Number: M 1744.B942 G42(Case) |
| Bunting, Edward | The Ancient Music of Ireland | Bunting’s aim with this final volume “chiefly is to give the remaining airs of the collection...accompanied by a practical digest of ancient Irish musical science.” Available via this link: Bunting 1840 | Hodges and Smith. Dublin, Ireland. 1840. For more information:
|
| “Modern” Editions of Bunting’s Publications | |||
| Bunting, Edward | The Ancient Music of Ireland: The Bunting Collections | Modern reprint of the 1840 publication. | Dover Publications. Mineola, New York; USA. 2000. For more information: ISBN: 0486413764
9780486413761 This edition is not in the Library of Congress catalog |
| Bunting, Edward | The Ancient Music of Ireland: The Bunting Collection | A facsimile of Bunting’s original three volumes. | Waltons Publishing. Dublin, Ireland. 2002. For more information: ISBN: 1857201396
978185720139 (2002 ed.) NLS Shelfmark: Mus. Rm. 42 (1969 edition) LOC Call Number: M 1744.B942 A5 1969 (Folk) Library of Congress PermaLink Note: The LOC has the 1969 edition. |
| O’Sullivan, Donal with Ó Súilleabhin, Mícheál | Bunting’s Ancient Music of Ireland (edited from the original manuscripts by Donal O’Sullivan with Mícheál Súilleabhin) | “This volume is the final part of Dr. Donal O’Sullivan’s edition of the three Bunting collections.” It provides the tunes with the Irish and English names, notes about the tune, and where possible, the lyrics of the songs in Irish and English. | Cork Univeristy Press. Cork, Ireland. 1983. For more information:
|
| Cathcart, Cynthia | Pathway: a primer for the wire strung harp | A beginner’s guide to playing the wire–strung harp. This primer is arranged in progressive lessons, each comprising exercises and historical context of the music presented. The book includes a CD recording of the music. | Highland Circle Pub. Maryland, USA. 2003. For more information:
|
| Cathcart, Cynthia | Traditional Beginnings for the Harp | Subtitled “an easy and progressive collection of fun and recognizable melodies arranged for wire strung and small harps.” As the subtitle suggests, this is a collection of folk songs arranged for beginning wire–strung harp. Two versions of each tune are presented, one with fingering and one without. |
Highland Circle Pub. Maryland, USA. 2001. For more information:
|
| Clark, Nora Joan | Renaissance of the Irish Harp | “Articles reprinted from The American harp journal, winter, 1976, summer 1978, winter 1978, summer 1979” (WorldCat). | Afghan Press. Houston, Texas; USA. 2000. |
| Collinson, Francis | The Traditional and National Music of Scotland | This book is all about the traditional music of Scotland and its three national instruments: The Pipes, Fiddle and Harp. Chapter 8 – The Harp – discusses the two surviving Scottish harps, the Caledonian or Lamont Harp (Clarsach Lumanach) and the Queen Mary Harp; the noted harper Roderick Morison, better known as Rory Dall (Blind Rory) and An Clàrsair Dall (The Blind Harper); music written for the harp; the revival of the clarsach in late 1800’s; and the formation of the Clarsach Society (Communn na Cláirsaich) in 1931. | Routledge and Kegan Paul. London, England. 1966. (also Vanderbilt University Press. Nashville, Tennessee; USA. 1966.) For more information: ISBN: (For the UK Edition)
0710012136 9780710012136 NLS Shelfmark: Mus. 4 LOC Call Number: ML3655.C64 1966a Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Collinson, Francis | The Bagpipe, Fiddle and Harp | Reprint of three chapters from "The Traditional and National Music of Scotland"; The Harp discusses the two surviving Scottish harps; the noted harper Roderick Morison, better known as Rory Dall (Blind Rory) and An Clàrsair Dall (The Blind Harper); music written for the harp; the revival of the clarsach in late 1800’s; and the formation of the Clarsach Society (Communn na Cláirsaich) in 1931. The other two chapters are those devoted to the Pipes and the Fiddle. | Lang Syne Publishers Ltd. Newtongrange, Midlothian. Scotland. 1983 For more information: ISBN: 0946264481
9780946264483 NLS Shelfmark: HP2.84.3489 LOC Call Number: ML3655.C64 1966a Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Dauney, William | Ancient Scotish Melodies | Subtitle: from a manuscript of the reign of King James VI, with an introductory enquiry illustrative of the history of the music of Scotland. Includes a section on ancient scotish musical instruments, including the ‘clarseach;’ also information on the tuning system that was thought to be used. Available here via this link: Dauney 1838 | Edinburgh Printing Company. Edinburgh, Scotland. 1838. (also by Smith & Elder. London, England. 1838) For more information: NLS Shelfmark: SCS.BC.59 (for the Edinburgh Edition) LOC Call Number: DA 750.M3 no. 43 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Dauney, William | Ancient Scotish Melodies | Modern reprint of the 1838 publication. | AMS Press. New York, USA. 1971. For more information: ISBN: 0404527000
9780404527006 0404527698 LOC Call Number: ML3655.D24 1971 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Flood, W. H. Gratton | The Story of the Harp | This book provides a thorough history of the harp starting with early Egypt and going through to the pedal harp and its role in the orchestra. Much of the book is devoted to the Irish Harp as the author points out, “Ireland has for centuries been associated with the harp.” | The Walter Scott Publishing Co. Ltd. London, England; Charles Scribner’s Sons. New York. USA. 1905; For more information: |
| Fox, Charlotte Milligan | Annals of the Irish Harpers | Much of this book is dedicated to the life and work of Edward Bunting. In addition to Bunting, this work talks about: how and why the harp is such an important symbol of Ireland; the Belfast Harp Festival of 1792; the last of the great harpers, and important harps. Also, this book includes portraits of the great harpers. Avalailable here via this link: Fox 1911 | Smith, Elder & Co., London, England. 1911. (also E.P. Dutton & Company. New York. USA. 1912). For more information: LOC Call Number: ML3654.F69
Library of Congress PermaLink Note: The LOC information is for the UK version. |
| Harper, John. editor Harper, John, golygydd |
Welsh Music History 3 Hanes Cerddoriaeth Cymru 3 |
“Welsh Music History” is a serial publication. Volume 3 is dedicated to Robert ap Huw and his manuscript. | University of Wales. Cardiff, Wales Press. 1999 Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru. Caerdydd. 1999. For more information:
|
| Harper, Sally | Music in Welsh Culture Before 1650 | This book addresses three principal areas: the tradition of the “Cerdd Dant” (music of the string); the Latin liturgy in Wales; and Anglicized sacred and secular music, circa 1580. Chapter 3: Harp and Crwth in Early Medieval Wales; Chapter 7: The Robert ap Huw Manuscript and Other Welsh Tablature. Chapter 1: Cerdd Dant: A Welsh Bardic Craft in Context: ‘cerdd dant’ is the Welsh term for “craft of the string.” This chapter presents the harp in context of other traditions such as potetry; other musical intruments; Chapter 3. Part I: the Sources and Practice of Medieval Cerdd Dant is dedicated to the harp (and crwth) in Wales. An important chapter is 7: The Robert ap Huw Manuscript and Other Welsh Tablature. | Ashgate Publishing Company. Vermont, USA. 2007 ISBN: 9780754652632 0754652637 LOC Call Number: ML289.2 H37 2007 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Hayward, Richard | The Story of the Irish Harp | A short, (24 pages), but wide ranging review of the harp in Ireland with many illustrations. It includes pictures of the two harps presented by Hayward to the Belfast Museum. One a replica Trinity College Harp made by William Savage circa 1900 and the other a gut strung English or Welsh instrument formerly played by the itinerant harper Paddy Murphy which had been in Ireland long enough to have acquired a Gaelic inscription on its forepillar. | Arthur Guiness, Son & Co. Belfast, Ireland. 1954. also A. Guinness. London, England. 1954 For more information:
|
| Heymann, Ann | Coupled Hands for Harpers | Instructional book for a specific approach to performing music on the harp. | Clairseach Music, Winthrop, Minnesota; USA. 2001 For more information: ISBN: 0962186740
9780962186745 |
| Heymann, Ann | Secrets of the Gaelic Harp | Subtitled: “a method for clairseach based on remnants of the Gaelic oral tradition including the first tunes taught student harps.” A basic primer for learning to play the wire strung harp includes references to both historical and fictional sources. |
Clairseach Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; USA. 1988 For more information:
|
| Matheson, William, editor Mac Mhathain, Uilleam air an dea sachadh |
The Blind Harper: The Songs of Roderick Morison and his Music. An Clarsair Dall. Orain Ruaidhri Mhic Mhuirich Agus a Chuid Ciuil. |
Provides songs, translations, and notes on songs. A “full account of his life and times.” | Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, Edinburgh, Scotland. 1970 Comunn Litreachas Gaidhlig Na H-Alba. Dùnéideann. 1970. For more information:
|
| Original O'Neill's Publications (1910 and 1913) | |||
| O’Neill, Francis | Irish folk music | Subtitle: a fascinating hobby, with some account of allied subjects, incl. O’Farrell’s Treatise on the Irish or union pipes and Touchey’s Hints to amateur pipers. Provides a discussion of Irish folk tunes; chapters are arrayed by topics such as Dance Tunes, songs with “Curious and Incomprehensible Titles, and Amusing Incidents and Experiences.” |
The Regan Printing House. Chicago, Illinois; USA. 1910. For more information:
|
| O’Neill, Francis | Irish Minstrels and Musicians; 1st ed. | A thorough view of Irish music and musicians, including the harp, written by an Irish expatriot living in Chicago. | The Regan Printing House. Chicago, Illinois; USA. 1913. For more information:
|
| Modern editions of O'Neill's Publications (1973, 1975 and 1977) | |||
| O’Neill, Francis | Irish folk music | Two separate reprints of the 1910 edition. | Norwood Editions. Darby, Pennsylvania; USA. 1973. also Folcroft Library Editions. Folcroft, Pennsylvania; USA. 1975 For more information: |
| O’Neill, Francis | Irish Minstrels and Musicians | Three separate reprints of the 1913 First Edition. | Norwood Editions. Darby, Pennsylvania; USA. 1973. also Folcroft Library Editions. Folcroft, Pennsylvania; USA. 1975. also R. West. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; USA. 1977. For more information: |
| O’Neill, Francis | Irish Minstrels and Musicians; 2nd ed. | 1977 Reprint of the 1913 Second Edition. | Mercier. Cork, Ireland. 1987. For more information: ISBN: 0853428018
9780853428015 |
| Page, Christopher | Voices and Instruments of the Middle Ages: Instrumental practice and song in France 1100–1300. | Chapter 9: Open–string instruments: tunings and techniques. Discussion of tuning systems for early harps; the use of metallic strings as compared to other string materials (gut, silk, horsehair); medieval texts that mention metal strings in their texts. | J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd. London, England. 1987. also University of California Press. Berkeley, California; USA. 1986. For more information: ISBN:
UK VERSION: 0460046071 9780460046077 US VERSION: 0520059328 9780520059320 LOC Call Number: ML182.P24 1986 Library of Congress PermaLink Note: This LOC citation is for the U.S. version. |
| Rensch, Roslyn | Harpers and Harpists, 2nd edition | A thorough history of the harp through the ages, from Mesopotamia through today. Includes the clarsach (wire–string) harp in context. | Indiana University Press. Bloomington, Indiana; USA. 2007. For more information:
|
| Rimmer, Joan | The Irish Harp Cláirseach na héireann |
A small book devoted to the wire–strung harp. Discusses the harp as being the symbol of Ireland and depicted on the coinage. Distinquishing characteristics of the “Irish Harp” as compared to others. History to antiquity; Puts into an historical perspective the well–known Irish harps: The Queen Mary; Trinity College; Lamont; Dalway (fragments); Otway; Offogerty; Fitzgerald–Kildaire;and others. The book concludes with a description of the neo-classical harp | Mercier Press. Cork, Ireland. 1969. For more information:
|
| Sanger, Keith and Kinnaird, Alison | Tree of Strings: Crann nan teud | Subtitled: A history of the harp in Scotland. This book sets out to present the history of the harp in Scotland, in both Highlands and Lowlands, from the earliest evidence of the 8th–century Pictish stones to the present day. |
Kinmor Music. Scotland. 1992. For more information: ISBN: 0951120433[hardback]
0951120441[paperback] 9780951120439 9780951120446 LOC Call Number: ML1015.C3.S2 1992 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Sullivan, Donal and Shaljean, Bonnie | Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper | A biography of Turlough O’Carolan, including his life and music in historical context. This was first published in 1958. “Originally published in two parts, Donal O’Sullivan’s Carolan, the life times and music of an Irish harper was first issued in 1958 ... For this 2001 edition, which combines both volumes in one cover only small amounts of editing were necessary.” (WorldCat) | Ossian Publications Ltd. Cork, Ireland. 2001 (new edition) For more information: ISBN: 1900428768
9781900428712 LOC Call Number: ML419.C35 O8 1983. Library of Congress PermaLink Note: The LOC information is for the 1983 edition |
| Yeats, Gráinne | The Harp of Ireland | Subtitled: “The Belfast Harpers’ Festival, 1792, and the saving of Ireland’s harp by Edward Bunting.” Explanation of why the Festival was important; who played, probability that all the harps were wire–strung; Hempson and the use of fingernails. | Harpers’ Bicentenary Ltd. Belfast, Northern Ireland. 1992. For more information: There is no ISBN registered for this book
LOC Call Number: ML1015.C3 Y4 1992 Library of Congress PermaLink |
| Yeats, Gráinne | The Belfast Harpers Festival 1792 Féle nag Cruitirí Béal Feirste 1792 |
Another book on the Belfast Harpers’ Festival of 1792 | G. Linn, 1980. Dublin, Republic of Ireland For more information: ISBN: 0862330254 (paperback)
9780862330255 LOC Call Number: ML1005.Y42 1980 Library of Congress PermaLink |
This Bibliography is being developed with the research assistance of Kate Martin.
Initial launch date: 13 August, 2011
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