Exhibition 2007
"Tre secoli di arpe"
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SC0340.
Mixed action pedal harp (system à fourchettes),
Inghilterra, Londra, Barry, ca. 1820
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Date c. 1820
Provenance England (London)
Maker A. Barry
Height 168 cm
Width 86 cm
Weight 19.1 kg
Nr. of strings 43
Longest string 14.6 cm
A4 35.8 cm
Range E1-E7
Mechanism mixed action pedals à fourchettes
Nr. of pedals 7+1 of rènforcement
This harp was made in London by A. Barry; on the back of the neck is written: Barry, N_. 18 Frith Str.t Soho, London 389; on the base, however, the number 390 is stamped. From a structural standpoint this harp displays all the characteristics of the harps made by Erard: neck made of layered wood, soundbox with semicircular section, inner reinforcing rods. In its decoration it is another example of neo-archeological ornamentation, with Assyro-Babylonian winged sphinxes, ram’s heads and Egyptian-style exotic figurines on the capital. Regarding its mechanical aspect, it has the capability of a double alteration of the D string; this would have increased the number of available tonalities without outfitting the whole instrument with double action. With this mixed system, the harp being pre-tuned to A flat major, the harpist would be able to roam from the home key (with a signature of four flats) to the key of E major (with four sharps), putting at his disposal nine keys, plus their relative minors. |
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