It's simple, really - the harp is a heavenly-sounding and
angellic instrument - even when I play it.
> it really originates from non-Christian Gods with 4 or
> more arms and legs, a great aid in playing, just imagine a
> foot for each pedal and no more large stretches.
Just think of the complex music you'd be able to play -
assuming of course that your hand/eye and foot/eye
co-ordination is up to scratch. Mine isn't.
> The religious connotation also comes from the period in
> learning the instrument when the player is convinced
> divine intervention will be necessary to let him/her play
> as well as he/she desires, in some cases this can last for
> life.
VERY TRUE. I can appreciate that - I wouldn't mind a
little/lot of divine inspiration myself. i need it.
>> Incidentally, Oliver Cromwell's men in Ireland took part
>> in organised harp breaking, destroying harps and church >
>> organs along with the church statuary.
I heard once that whenever ireland suffered invasions that
the harpers would often serve as messengers for thr Irish
resistance forces, passing information from place to place,
while performing their duties as musicians. this almost
certainly happened during the time of Queen Elizabeth the
First, promting her order to "Hang all the Harpers" (tho'
ironically she had, among her own court musicians, an Irish
Harper...) so no doubt it happened during the time of
Cromwell. Cromwell's dislike for the Irish people and Irish
culture was proverbial, and he seemed to be very much
against anything with a hint of native Irish culture -or for
that matter, any sort of culture. Indeed Ollie Cromwell
seemed to be pretty much against anything and every thing...
Probably not very musical either.
> Your history assumes a late impact of Christianity on the
> West and East. In Britain, the Celtic CHurch was
> established in AD 36. By the 3nd century, Breton, Wales,
> Scotland and Ireland were said to be under Christian
> influence by current historians.
Some people have, in the past, claimed that it was Saint
Patrick, who converted Ireland to Christianity in the Fifth
century. It's probably true that he did more for the cause
than any any other individual (or maybe he just had a better
press agent) but we can be sure he didn't do it all on his
own. There was undoubtedly a christian influence in Ireland
long before St. Pat came on the scene. It is difficult to
seperated fact from fiction, but Saint Patrick must
certainly been an interesting character...
Harpo Junior
==================================== []==\\ __
PAUL R. BEST (HARPO JUNIOR) [] | \\_/| \\
DEPT. THERAPEUTICS & PHARMACOLOGY [] | | | | //
WHITLA MEDICAL BUILDING [] | | | //
QUEEN'S UNIVERSIY, BELFAST. [] | | |//
NORTHERN IRELAND [] | | //
[] | //
pbest@fujin.qub.ac.uk [] |//
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