The Year 1792: Music from the Belfast Harpers' Gathering

Description

Delve into the history of Irish harping and learn to play three tunes that were performed at the momentous 1792 gathering of harpers in Belfast.

Near the end of the 18th century, as the centuries-old Irish harping tradition was in decline, the newly-formed Belfast Society for Promoting Knowledge organised a gathering of Irish harpers to attempt to "revive and perpetuate the ancient Music and Poetry of Ireland...to preserve from oblivion the few fragments which have been permitted to remain, as monuments of the refined taste and genius of their ancestors." A young Belfast organist named Edward Bunting was enlisted to transcribe the music of the Irish harpers, as they were playing. Bunting was inspired to continue collecting their music, and his hand-written field transcriptions are the most significant historical source of Irish harp music.

In this course you will learn to play three tunes that were performed by harpers at the 1792 gathering in Belfast. Explore Bunting's original transcriptions and work with settings based directly on them. Guided by harpist Alessia Bianchi, you will learn how to use historically appropriate playing techniques and ornamentation for early Irish harp, as well as phrasing and dynamics, to bring your own performance of this music to life. 

All types of harps welcome!