The Harp - BBC Documentary

Harpist Catrin Finch takes a musical journey to discover the ancient and fascinating history of the harp in Wales and the world, with interviews and performances from internationally-renowned guests including Alan Stivell, Carlos Orosco, Alemu Aga, Isabelle Perrin and Elinor Bennett. - BBC Four

[@lindathrall5322]

I think the harp is the most beautiful instrument in the world I love harp music.

[@TheLittledikkins]

+Linda Thrall I've even seen them used in Mariachi Bands--large and expensive ones. Probably due to the Irish who settled in Mexico because it was a Catholic Country.

[@GermanSack]

The harp in Mexico and throughout Latin America, comes from the Spanish baroque harps, introduced by the priests (Jesuits for example).

[@starwoors5343]

JUDY LOMAN IS AWESOM....

[@edwardalamo2507]

Angels play Harps

[@jondoes8222]

I made my own one and love it Its a 26 string and i named him Vincent..Hes 14 years old

[@autumnmurdock9305]

It is lovely to hear the harp in its pure form with no accompaniment.

[@leananshae]

That had to be the most brilliant BBC documentary I've ever seen! Brava!

[@momentsoftruth7712]

The queen of the Orchestra, the most beautiful looking & sounding instrument imho

[@eso_erica]

I love Catrin trying out all these various harps! My favorite part was definitely the Caniad and Paul's lesson on it. I'm glad such a great song survived.

[@alexanderweibel-valls9379]

Can't believe I never saw this before. Lovely. My experience is Latin American folk harp from Chile and some Paraguayan, self-taught sad to say, played for about 22 yrs but I haven't played now in about 15 years. Loved the section on triple harp, cross-strung and Venezuelan tradition. Brought back some memories. Thanks.

[@DoomnDust]

Great documentary! This just shows the kind of quality you can expect from the BBC.

[@danielskomp2300]

Ireland is the only country on Earth with a musical instrument as its' national emblem--- The Irish Celtic Harp!

[@titanrodick]

Actually, Myanmar is also symbolized by a type of harp. The Burmese arched harp (looks almost swan-like).

[@wthwasthat8884]

@@titanrodick Technically the original commenter is right, as far as national symbols are concerned, Ireland is the only country with a musical instrument as its sole national symbol. Myanmar also has a musical instrument as a symbol but not as a sole national symbol like Ireland does. Currency, flag and mythology included etc. Although Myanmar Saung is particularly beautiful and really should be used as its sole national symbol.

[@ralphberney7768]

Just fabulous: few journeys can compare with this, none more enlightening and inspiring, in revelation and stimulation- an education in an ancient instrument's life, its extraordinary, yet basic origins of apparent but deceiving simplicity and adaptability, a more complex, remarkable evolution, with such diversity, subtlety, beauty and rare survival, which all combine to show the harp is indispensable.

[@lisa-mariegray5510]

25:37 just wow! such a pretty tune!

[@PaulyD-rv9ic]

true a beautiful piece so nice.

[@dylanjeffers9257]

God I wish we had shows like this on North American TV, lol @ 24:16

[@davidomahony6559]

BBC 4 have sublime documentaries.

[@gpcrawford8353]

Unfortunately the present conservative government are trying to destroy the BBC because of a perceived bias against them.

[@ArwenUndomiel406]

both my teacher and i have such an Erard harp (mine is 204 years old and her's is exactly 200 years) and i've never played on a more beautiful instrument than that.

[@nycgingercat]

14:08 where they jam on the medieval Irish harp is my favorite part of this documentary. "They medieval Irish harp with the willow soundbox is the only way to go really." He might be right.

[@owenmcgee8496]

A curious thing about "Celtic" music is the alternative written notations to standard notation that existed within a mostly oral music tradition. Aside from the binary system mentioned in this documentary at the 11 minute mark, there was another alternative written notation that Barnaby Brown mentions and explains at the end of his youtube video of Cumha Dhomhnaill Dhuaghail MhicAoidh. Sean O'Riada used to emphasise the issue of notation in some of his interviews (including a Danish tv one visible on youtube) and how it needed to be used and developed if "Celtic" music was to be develop, compositionally, and at the same time retain its own idiom. That may be a good point. Maybe it is possible for musicians or composers today to draw upon the techniques that underpinned the 'ancient' harp and pipe musics and apply them in contemporary compositions, thereby developing the idiom in an entirely fresh way.

[@blakeray9856]

Beautiful documentary, but needs to be at least five times longer!

[@xxxItchyxxx]

If only TV could always be so excellent and informative! GREAT! And compliments to Catrin as such an amazing guide through this history.

[@Liofa73]

It is on the BBC.

[@melvinoliver5015]

This documentary is very informative, and the harpist, IMO ... she is very talented!

[@adamwithey4746]

If I was watching Celtic Woman, you may discovered Orla Fallon. She is a singer, performer, musician, entertainer and now, a harpist! Does she sing Isle of Innisfree, Ave Maria and Carrickfergus?

[@robertdickins9409]

Alan Stivell, like Marc Chagall influenced me as a young man. They freed me. To understand the nuts and bolts of this I love this documentary.

[@ralang999]

The Beeb just slays with brilliant docs like this one. good luck seeing anything like this on the History channel.

[@jwessels8571]

Thank you for posting. I am a beginner harp player and seeing this video adds to my appreciation of the harp and the music it is capable of playing.

[@tanayitu]

The Ethiopian harp (Begena) is so soothing to and relaxing to hear.

[@karensamson8383]

Beautiful! I have always loved the Harp music....Blessings from South Florida! Karen

[@therealzilch]

Very nicely and lovingly done, kudos. But you are perpetuating a myth that I've found all over: at 8:16 you state that the triangular harp with a forepillar is first seen in Europe in the 8th or 9th century AD. This is only if you don't include Greece as part of Europe: there were triangular harps there, in the Cyclades, over four thousand years ago. cheers from a harp builder in Vienna, Scott

[@bananaborz1]

Scott Wallace and since Greece is very much indeed a part of Europe this is correct

[@rbagel55]

the intro piece is breathtaking-I had to sit there and play it about a dozen times-it sounds like music from the heavens

[@twolegsnotail]

A thousand thanks for posting this Skitler

[@en1909s9iah]

Now I want a harp

[@morrocoyconchuo]

Venezuela represent!!

[@Polpiv4tifish]

Catrin's beautiful

[@ClodoaldoLeiteJunior]

Laughing out loud with the things contemporary music composers make harpists do, such as "sprechgesang" at the back of the instrument while still following the conductor! Amazing indeed!

[@louielock3513]

This is beautiful. Going to my home PC and listen more. Thank you my friend.

[@Harpmary]

Interesting segments on the Ethiopian harp, bray harp, and triple harp, but ignores large portions of the harp tradition in Ireland and Scotland. (Scotland isn't even mentioned, although that is where all the earliest stone carvings of the triangular harp come from.) No mention of Bunting or the unique history of the clarsach or wire harp. Unsure why Venezuela is favored over Paraguay. Also ignores many of the great Scottish and Irish harpists both ancient and modern, and seems to favor only those that have a heavily classical focus from England and Wales.

[@Bellazme]

It seems that in south america they have brought the harp right back to it's roots, and origin. Agriculture and the cows along with herding were the origin of inspiration for music. Music replicates the sounds of nature, and the land. The prayer music was also to the land and Gods that controlled it's fertility. The Harapo even sounds much closer to the Iraqi instrument found in the burial shaft. Amazing.

[@justinludeman8424]

Lovely visual and aural documentary. I love the sound of the harp. I'm an ardent student of classical and jazz guitar yet I think the harp has such a unique flow, lacking as it does the need for fretting with one hand for example. Both hands can actuate and dampen the strings making for seemingly effortless polyphony and such magnificent arpeggios and cascades of notes and harmonies, albeit with the added complexity of pitch changing pedals on the more complex modern incarnations. A magical, timeless sound. In a perfect world, given more time, I'd want to learn the lute and harp. Thanks for this.

[@DystopianEmpire01]

Heavier built instruments with higher string tension produce more volume and projection. Every instrument in the orchestra was redesigned around that need. I hope this answers you question. even the guitar is much more stoutly built than it was in times past.

[@mizzcashmoney1]

13:33 Woooow! Sounds so much like a piano!!!

[@MarcusHillman]

Good documentary indeed. Although when they brought up the topic with Alan Stivell, I somehow expected they would mention Andreas Vollenweider with his unique approach and development of the sound of the electro-acoustic harp in the late seventies and early eighties...

[@Liofa73]

It's an hour long documentary...

[@HEADSUPBERKELEY]

Great film work and priceless information Thanks for posting !

[@kickinghorse2405]

Absolutely enchanting! Thank you BBC (and more widely, England) for this fantastic piece of informative, engaging storytelling. PS- In my eyes and heart, the "royal harpist" has exemplified here the concept of the cross- cultural import of healing through story. Just amazing. Thank you and thank you!

[@cassielocke7674]

beautiful it's amazing it also sounds like the older dig very cool

[@Knappa22]

44:50 I love how Elinor apologises to her triple harp for hurting it!!

[@HaydenBarrow]

this made me want to go to Venezuela

[@seancarpenter8624]

You watched this too...lol Venezuela; where the cowboys play the harp after a long day of sheep chasing...

[@TwoBitColorPencil]

You are welcome to come :)

[@ronniet71]

Thank you!

[@xuliping9934]

so beautiful. both the body and the sound

[@annablue8429]

I actually like the harp playing and singing at 4:30

[@chp763]

?

[@FredHMusic-gr7nu]

I'm still convinced that the the greatest crossover the harp has made into popular culture is the music to The Legend of Zelda. Anyone who owns the Limited edition of Skyward Sword (with a bonus disc of orchestral Zelda music) would understand why!

[@BenEmberley]

+Friedrich Hueppe Have you seen/heard the Symphony of the Goddesses Concerts?

[@kianabachmeier4197]

Yes!!!

[@basedaf5580]

what got me into older instruments was the music in Runescape

[@alainarose2179]

great information! Thank you!

[@salientalien2149]

The maraca player starting at 30:40... holy crap

[@brunorausch]

this is so lovely

[@Teddyb1939]

Great Documentary,about a lovely instrument

[@n64wilbert]

The Venezuelan music sounds like Mexican folk music like Huapango and Mariachi.

[@slrdf1758]

It sounds more like Son Jarocho

[@simonlevett4776]

Paul Dooley is superb in this.

[@isoblah]

24:11 - I want the exact facial expression on my face when I pick up and play on a harp someday. lol. 😎👍

[@danawilkes6174]

I enjoyed this, especially near the end. Very similar to electronic music, which I like very much. Still learning new things about music everyday. Which is good, when you are 70...

[@ScottOuelletteGuitar]

Very informative documentary.

[@Qu0thTheRaven]

She could do a trance album with that last technique

[@paulj0557tonehead]

My favorite organist is the late Jesse Crawford. I really like an album which I posted to KZbin called: Jesse Crawford -Remembering- with Ann Stockton Harp Accompaniment ( posted as side 1 and side 2 separately) Jesse's mastery of the Hammond tone wheel organs expression pedal is key in this combination of organ with harp working so well together. Also have a couple of albums of harpist BIANCO: Bianco - His Harp and Orchestra - Your All Time Favorite Songs , RCA CSP-110 STEREO Bianco- Music for a Summer Evening ( I like this one best, very tranquil and he is very accomplished on his instrument, as a musician I appreciate this). Also for a nice couple minutes of beautiful HARP & TUBA watch the film- The Great Rupert (1950) JIMMY DURANTE It's at 34:00 enjoy! Great film too. Just wish there was more of the tuba and harp. Maybe someone can suggest where more might be?

[@robertowarren7007]

Totally awesome video. I play a Salvi too!

[@patriciaegan8149]

A must see!

[@pottedrodenttube]

Mrs. Merton as the Harp Instructor.

[@shilohndrah]

Magical!!!!

[@Arthur.H.Studio]

This was really nice.. always loved the harp. Though surprised not a word on Andreas Vollenweider.

[@leeemo1967]

Lovely!

[@Gimmer3]

I really enjoyed this and learned so much.

[@toddles9]

48:55 horror movie music.

[@OlegMisiyan]

Very interesting! These movies can be watched endlessly. Кэтрин Финч - британская арфистка. Родилась и живёт в Уэльсе. Ученица Элинор Беннет, Финч получила международное признание в 1999 г., выиграв Международный конкурс арфистов имени Лили Ласкин во Франции. В 2000 г. Википедия

[@ullezwei]

Thx a lot for sharing Oleg...:-) It's Music from Heaven. Really nice Video...

[@OlegMisiyan]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. Collecting music is one of my greatest passions.

[@jfujiwara777]

high quality docymentary,

[@maxvoloshin_nefariousaquarius]

Great documentary. A comment on the Ethiopian harpist: Ethiopia has a history of preserving Jewish traditions. A common orthodox Jewish prayer for the sabbath says "May the lord be praised with a 10-string harp." Interestingly, the harp shown was fitted with 10 strings. Perhaps there is a connection indeed. As a guitarist, I was fascinated to see the Spanish harp tradition - along with its connection to the guitar - gloriously featured. It was also refreshing to see an Ebow (a unique device made for electric guitars) be so boldly utilized in an avant-garde setup for the harp. Another interesting juxtoposition of the two instruments is the existance of 'harp guitars' - guitars that have what are essentially free-hanging harp strings that are used to extend the bass range of a guitar.

[@AnastasiaKonopleva]

Очень красивая музыка. Буду ждать Новых композиций.

[@zglg123]

4:14 sounds like a kick ass bassline

[@whatabouttheearth]

The riff is one of the oldest things in civilization! 😆 but seriously it probably is.

[@Gaafar93]

So the lyre was a bassy lead synth?

[@clontarfviolinschoolmaride8757]

super documentary- historia da Harp

[@gruberhans5069]

Headache heals.

[@jcortese3300]

Extremely fascinating, but maybe I shouldn't find it QUITE so funny when Finch and Sioned Williams are busy laughing their heads off at the modern stuff they have to play. :-)

[@InWonderland4ever]

wow!fantastic documentary! which is the last harp played? i truly enjoy it so so so much! I'm a classical harpist but ll like to play it too! I dind't understand the tipe....someone could hel me? Xx

[@emilytaege]

I can't imagine tuning a triple harp. Dang.

[@VIsTheMusic]

prepared asian instruments to share, wonderful, wonderful documentary thank you for sharing ! from - Canada.

[@davetbassbos]

In Ethiopia I wonder if there are the equivalent of the guitar world's "screw counters" endlessly debating the subtle tonal effects of leather taken from different parts of the animal etc.,

[@geoffreyblackmer]

Cool!

[@reneemeansecho]

Patients in the hospital , benefit when harpists come in to play for them.

[@KristenElizabethHarpist]

love it!

[@JInstruments]

7:07 okno :v . GREAT Documentary !

[@xeroeddie]

Is the very last piece improvised or is it a tune already written? ☺

[@luutas]

What a lucky woman!

[@janiscortese]

"Impromptu" no. 6 op. 86 by Gabriel Fauré. Pretty piece.

[@martialharpistmatthew1837]

What about the lever harps of Ireland? Surely the emerald Isles have some harp history that could have been used in a documentary such as this.

[@GOODMEALTASTESGOOD]

This documentary is incomplete and to a great extent misleading without covering the Asian harp history. As many informed global historians would know harp is also a Tamil music instrument called Yaazh that dates back to 2000 plus years with literary evidences and archeological evidences. In fact there were variety of harps called Bary Yaazh, Magara Yaazh, Sengottu Yaazh etc. played with different number of strings and at various occasions. One of the earliest aboriginal Tamil places in Sri Lanka is called Yaazhpanam (misspelt by Britishers as Jaffna) in the name of harp. Also, harpists are called Paanan and his lady would be called Paadini. Never thought BBC would just cover european history alone and mislead the public by ignoring Tamil history of Harp, which comparably or rather more historic than Irish or Welsh or Celtic harp histories.

[@twolegsnotail]

Believeitornaught Your comment is well taken as this otherwise fine documentary is indeed basically Eurocentric. Pity, I wish there had been more about the really antique harp instruments you have mentioned...

[@nigelc.b.durrant8206]

The documentary is an excellent and absorbing hour-long introduction to the harp, its manufacture and its music for laymen. In no way can it reasonably be considered misleading or incomplete - every individual who makes such a programme will choose what he puts in and, more importantly, what he leaves out. The யாஜித் would be no more relevant to such a synopsis than would similar instruments from several parts of Asia as the programme was obviously made for Western viewers and realistically concentrates on the development of European-style instruments. In a documentary about Tamil literature on the world stage there would certainly be room for pānaṉ to put in an appearance.

[@garrusn7702]

Believeitornaught The Celtic and welsh harps have much more bearing on the story they were telling. There are to many stories to include. Of course it was centered on Europe. It was a European program on European harps. Make your own documentaries then!

[@Liofa73]

She's a Welsh harpist, it makes sense that the documentary is based on the celtic harp history. Stop being so offended. It's not misleading anyone, it's just an hour long documentary, it can't be all inclusive. It's for the layman, not the academic.

[@MilicaDraconis]

thanks for the info :)

[@hughlingard]

This video is way more effective than Ambien.

[@ThePtree]

Yay comment 200! I loove the Welsh music. I want to learn the harp just to play 25:37 😍😍 so beautiful

[@jewshnoz5001]

that was amazing

[@toddles9]

Does anyone know the name of the piece at the very beginning? Thank you.

[@blakeray9856]

Gabriel Faure, Impromtu, I think it is Op 86.

[@toddles9]

Blake Ray Wonderful. Thank you so much.

[@pepinozeman]

last scene is hilarious! harpers normaly act with their harps like they are living persons and in the last scene it looks like that harp had failed somehow during a concert and now is punished in torture chamber:o) poor sweetie

[@Lewis_the_raider]

what is she playing here?: 33:08

[@steveweinstein3222]

Thank God for the Beeb.

[@hifijohn]

Thank God for youtube

[@Liofa73]

And still people complain about the licence fee. Usually idiots that haven't the brain power to watch a documentary like this and prefer to watch ITV with it's commercials every 10-15 min and where every show is sponsored by a product. They complain about the cost of the licence but forget they listen to BBC radio, visit the new website, watch the BBC news.

[@HAngeli]

I wish to know the same.

[@DanielTull]

KUDOS LADY CATRIN FINCH! I'M A FLUTIST, AND I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS DOCUMENTARY ONTHE HARP. I LEARNED SO MUCH, AND THE WAY THIS FILM WAS PUT TOGETHER KEPT MY FULL ATTENTION! I AM CLASSICALLY TRAINED, BUT ALSO PLAY A VARIETY OF OTHER FORMS OF MUSIC. DANIEL TULL IS MY STAGE NAME ON KZbin. THANKS AGAIN FOR PROVIDING SUCH AN ENJOYABLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE! DANNY BOY

[@layz_her2673]

4:12 saving for myself to sample

[@mylesdugas5872]

Does anyone know the name of the Irish song?

[@benjaminrennicke]

The guy at 18:49 looks almost exactly like me

[@liamwatson5125]

Some harpists groan while playing. They’re just concentrating very hard.