Queen Mary Harp

The Queen Mary Clàrsach na Banrìgh Màiri or "Lude Harp", is a Scottish Clarsach currently displayed in the National Museum of Scotland. It is believed to date back to the 15th century, and to have originated in Argyll, in South-West Scotland. [Keith Sanger and Alison Kinnaird, "Tree of Strings - Crann nan Teud", Kinmor 1992] Along with the Lamont Harp and the Trinity College harp, it is one of the only three surviving medieval Gaelic harps.

History

The Queen Mary harp [http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-190-000-742-C&PHPSESSID=0m851am1612gh5fi5bfltvd5g5&scache=63tuk20v86&searchdb=scran&PHPSESSID=0m851am1612gh5fi5bfltvd5g5] was presented to Beatrix Gardyn by Queen Mary in the 16th century, and was subsequently passed down into the Robertson family of Lude, in Perthshire. Lady Gardyn's son had a servant in 1588 called Anthony McEwan VcChlairser - 'son of the harper' - which provides a clue as to who might have played this clarsach. [http://nms.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-100-002-323-C&PHPSESSID=0m851am1612gh5fi5bfltvd5g5&scache=63tuk20v86&searchdb=scran&PHPSESSID=0m851am1612gh5fi5bfltvd5g5] The last harpist to play the instrument is dated as John Robertson of Lude who died c.1729; his repertory was preserved in the family and published by John Bowie in 1789. All three surviving Gaelic harps including the (Lamont and Trinity College Harps) are considered to have been made in Argyll in South-West Scotland sometime in the 14th-15th century. [Keith Sanger and Alison Kinnaird, "Tree of Strings - Crann nan Teud", Kinmor 1992]

Appearance

The Queen Mary harp is noted for being the most complete and best-preserved of all the old harps. It is covered in original and intricate carving, The forepillar or (Lamhchrann) is elaborately carved with a double-headed fish and the instrument retains, clear traces of its original paint. The decoration includes a number of pieces of Christian symbolism suggesting that the harp may have been made as a commission for a church or monastery. [Robert Bruce Armstrong “The Irish and Highland Harps” 1904] The vine-scrolls and the particular shape of the "split palmette" leaves have clear parallels with 15th century West Highland grave slabs from the Argyll area, suggesting that this is the time and place that the harp originated. [Keith Sanger and Alison Kinnaird, "Tree of Strings - Crann nan Teud", Kinmor 1992] A grave-slab in the chapel at Keills in Knapdale has a carving of a clarsach similar to the Queen Mary Harp.

Replicas

Replicas of both the Lamont and Queen Mary [http://www.earlygaelicharp.info/replicas/] Harps with gold and silver wire strings are played by harpists and built by David Kortier, based on his measurements from the original to reproduce its idiosyncratic string spacing, angles and overall ergonomics. Student replicas are available from the Historical Harp Society of Ireland. The most accurate replica was made by Roscommon sculptor Davy Patton and is played by Simon Chadwick; it can be heard on his CD [http://www.earlygaelicharp.info/CnaB Clàrsach na Bànrighe]

References