i.`.` -..

- ' *t§

eegiv

gz
 the history of the harp, there have been a of harp playing. In fact, the very first written mu+
' 1 {ervw€:°[:Hpbeheo;#HkrITp+:ar"sH:re=k::::INk:I:arrfus:"n%aThe
71
capabilities and wider use of the instrument. The
sic specified for harp comes from a Spanish source
in the mid 1500s. At this time, the new, innova~
tive chromatic harp being developed was the clTPcl de
most obvious such moment was in the 18th century, dos 6rdenes or `harp of two orders.' It had two rows
when pedals were added to the hook harp, and the of strings crossing above the middle: a diatonic row
new single+action pedal harp was invented. With (white notes on the keyboard) and a chromatic row
pedals, harpists could now play the popular music (black notes) . Thus, it was fully chromatic with a
of the day, with its frequent accidentals and key string for each note, perfectly idiomatic to Spanish
changes. Paris became a Mecccl for harp builders, music, with its rapidly shifting tonalities. The harp
composers, and players of the French harp. was considered one of the three main instruments in
Spain, with the keyboard and qJzht4€}cl (type of guitar) .
Harp production increased as the ujoleTos, makers of
string instruments in guilds, were now required to
know how to craft an c}rpcz de dos 6ndenes.1 Treatises
were written on harp playing, and books of music in
a new tablature for harp were published. The Span-
ish harp was prominent in music of the church, court
and theatre, its use declining in the mid 1750s. The
surviving Spanish harp music reflects these contrast/
ing genres: sublime polyphonic church music and
exciting popular dance music, with fiery syncopated
rhythms.

Harpists in Spain's Golden Age

The artistic flowering of Spain's Golden Age in

thel6th and 17th century included the paintings of
EI Greco and Velazquez, the literature of Cervantes
ln 1555,juan Bermudo mentioned the need for a chromatic harp and the vocal compositions of Victoria and Guerrero.
in his Declaraci6n, an encyclopedia of instruments.
In instrumental music, stunning pieces were written

Another less well+known evolutionary moment by Mudarra, Milan, Narvaez and Cabez6n. The

for the harp occurred two hundred years earlier,

in 16th century Spain, Spain's `Golden Age,' when 1 The definitive source on the Spanish cirpci cl€ dos 6rdenes is
a new type of harp generated another golden era Cristina Bordas, "The Double Harp in Spain from the 16th to
the 18th Centuries," Early Music (May 1987): 148+163.

20 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL

Golden Age began during the reign of Charles V
(1516~56) , the Holy Roman Emperor whose vast
Spanish empire included the Netherlands, Naples,
and the colonies in the New World. Royal chapels
in the various capitals provided work for musicians,
and the royal entourage traveled from court to court,
taking their musicians with them. The interaction
of musicians from different countries resulted in
a creative exchange of ideas, which was reflected
in the music. With the Netherlands as part of the
Spanish crown, Flemish musicians were at court,
and a formidable Flemish influence on Spain's music
was felt, especially in polyphonic church music, both
vocal and instrumental.2 ln The Temptation of St.Jerome (1639) by Francisco de Zurbaran,
The Golden Age continued under the reign of the Spanish harp is featured in a consort of instruments.

Charles V's son, Philip 11 (1556+98), who was also a

poser for the court plays, writing numerous vocal so~
patron of the arts. He built the grand palace of EI Es/ 1os and choruses.6
corial with its huge chapel and library, and he com/ Harpists were similarly employed at the monaster-
missioned many religious works of art.3 In daily life at ies in Madrid: the Real Convento de la Encarnact6n
court, members of the aristocracy played the harp for and Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales.7 Beyond
entertainment. Juana, Philip II's sister, had a `house- Madrid, other churches employed full+time harpists,
hold harpist,' and her ladies in waiting played harps.4 including the cathedrals at Segovia, Huesca, Oviedo,
For professional harpists, there were full+time posi+ Toledo, Le6n, Pamplona, and the Parish Church of
tions in the churches, documented from the early Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.8 In church music,
1600s. The royal chapel in Madrid maintained full~ the harp was primarily used as an accompanying in/
time harpists for most of the 17th and early 18th cen, strument and also for continuo. In a treatise, Esct4e[cl
turies; at times, there were two harpists employed. mtisjccl, segiv7i [cz Prdccjccl modemcz, (1724), author Pab-
The payments to about ten harpists employed at the lo Nassarre explains how the harp is suited to accom-
chapel during the period show that the first harpist
panying because of its resonance:
was Antonio Martinez (de Porras), whose name ap+
peared in 1612, while the last harpist noted was Pe- Among the instruments with gut strings, the
dro Peralta, in 1736, at his death. The entry for harp+ harp is the one which should hold first place,
ist Juan Hidalgo is, "ca.1631 (appointment)-1685 on account of its enlargement [wide range] as
(death)."5 It's quite remarkable that Hidalgo was a well as its great resonance. . .Thus music cha/
fully employed harpist for fifty~four years! The lon~ pels accompany themselves with the harp, for
gevity of his position may have been influenced by its tones have sufficient body for this usage.9
the fact that he was also the leading Spanish com/
6 Esses, 397. Esses states that Hidalgo composed thirty/seven
2 For detailed information on the Flemish influence on Span, songs for six plays, and a further eighteen songs possibly in,
ish music, and indeed on all aspects of the Spanish harp, see tended for the theatre. Hidalgo served the court as mtfsjco de
Ma.uric,e Esses, Da:nee and Instrunentol DifeTencids in Spcin arpa y claviarf>a de Teal caE>iha y cdmara. AIthouch his postttor\
During the 17'h and Eddy 18th Centuries, Volume I (Stuyvesant, in the royal chapel lasted the longest, several other harpists
NY: Pendragon Press,1992). in the chart compiled by Esses were employed for at least
3 In an excellent BBC series, The Art o/ Spci!n.. Pcm 2, art twenty to thirty years.
historian Andrew Graham-Dixon visits EI Escorial, and 7 It's interesting that in the list of ten surviving arpcz dc dos
he examines the paintings from this period. A video clip is 6nd€7i€s compiled by Cristina Bordas, seven of the harps are
online: http://ovationtv.com/programs/495 -the +art-of-spain. from convents and monasteries.
4 Esses,185. 8 Esses,190.
5 Esses, 188. 9 AsquotedinEsses,187.

SUMMER2010 21
 The harp was also the standard accompanying in- It [the harp] produces harmonious sounds and
strument in the theatre. In the first half of the 17th one does not see the blow given by him who
century, actors who played the harp, also sang and plays it. The Christians make much use of it
danced. By the second half of the century, harp be~ and teach it to their wives, sons and daughters.
came more of a specialized profession, and records Hence it is rare to find a house all of whose in+
show full+time harpists employed solely for accompa+ dwellers do not skillfully pluck the harp. When
nying.10 they receive guests, when they are welcoming
The harp, as played by professionals and the no~ anyone or when they wish to honor someone
bility, is well documented, whereas much less is who has come to see them, they let the harp
known about harp playing in other social classes. express what they feel. The persons who most
There is, however, a wonderful quote from the visit+ cultivate this instrument are the daughters and
ing ambassador for the sultan of Morocco, in 1691, sons of the great and noble.11

which gives insights into the widespread popularity

and use of the harp: Writing of the use of the harp in church and cha~
pel, the ambassador remarked: "It is the instrument

urid.'l:*#.' l". ".'\-; I;:v+I they employ most of all."

Harpists took part in musical gatherings and in+
formal concerts held in houses, not connected to the
aristocracy. An account of one such event appears
in an autobiographical novel by Vicente Espinel, in
1618, with a harpist, Bernadina, playing in a group
with keyboard and vihuela, a popular combination at
the time. Espinel describes the music as, ". . .each one
imitating the others in the performance of extreme+
1y difficult and unusual passages, and it is the finest
thing which I have heard in my life."

Harp lconography in Spanish Art

`-i -, .

-,T,- ' '1[1

In addition to written accounts and theoretical
treatises, one can learn about the Iberian harp from
contemporary paintings. The type of harp shown in
most of the paintings from the period is the single
rank harp, the czrpci de t/7ici orde7i. It is not known
exactly when the chromatic harp became the
preferred instrument over the diatonic harp, and the
single rank harp did continue to be played up to the
18th century. Between 1600 and 1650, three types
of harps existed: a single row diatonic harp, a cross+
strung double row harp with a partial chromatic row,
and a fully chromatic crossrstrung double row harp.13
Spanish arpa de dos 6rdenes by David Kortier,
after Domingo Pescador, Avila, 1704. In early Spanish art from the middle ages, the type
Photo: Matthew Hurrell

11 Quoted in Esses,186.
12 Quoted in Esses, 53~54. Vicente Espinel, R€Icicjones de ha vjda
de! esc%c{eTo MciTcos c{€ ObTeg6n (Madrid,1618).

10 Esses,191. 13 Bordas, 152.

22 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL

of harp usually depicted is a small, hand held single
row Gothic harp. However, in a 14th century triptych
from Piedra Monastery, a harp with two parallel
rows of strings is shown, so a double harp did exist in
Spain in early times.14
An czrpcz de cZos 6Tde7ies is clearly represented in the
early 17th century painting, The Prcscntczfion Of Chrzsc
j7i Chc T€mple, by Diego Valentin Diaz.[5 The organol+
ogv of the harp in EI Greco's masterpiece, An7"7i~
cjcitjo7i (1596/1600), is less clear, due to the artist's

painterly style. It could be a single or a double rank

instrument. We do see the characteristics of Spanish
harp design: a slender shape, straight pillar ending
in a carved backwards turned scroll, and a shallow
neck with a forwards tuned scroll at the treble end.
The harpist is part of a consort of angels playing in+
struments of the period, with organ, viola da gamba,
lute, and recorder.16
EI Greco's patron at the turn of the 17th cen~
tury was Philip Ill (1598-1621). Spain's next mon,
arch, Philip IV (1621~1665) sponsored another mas~ The Italian dancing master, Cesare Negri, dedicated his dance
ter painter, Francisco de Zurbaran, who lived from treatise, Le Gratie d'Amore (1602) to Philip Ill of Spain.

1598 to 1664. Two paintings by Zurbaran incorporate

other instruments are shown, the harp is almost in
splendid images of the harp as an integral part of the
full view. A single rank harp, it has two large sound
composition. In Adorclcion o/ che Shepherds (1638) ,
holes, on the lower left and upper right (facing) .
featured on the cover of this issue, a large harp with
There is foliate carving on the top of the pillar, and
an angel harpist is prominently placed, on a cloud
on the treble end of the neck is a carved lion's head.
above the holy family. The harpist is the sole accom~
The harpist is dressed in a rich gown of red silk taf/
panist for a choir of cherubs, a visual affirmation of feta with a green sash tied in an elegant bow. The
the harpist's real+life role in the church. The single
painting, commissioned by the Jeronymite monks
rank harp is quite realistically depicted; one can even
of Guadelupe, shows a hermit, or holy man, being
see the stave back construction.
tempted by the women and their music. The purpose
In The Temptclcjon o/ Sc. Jerome (1639) , again Zur~
of the painting is the `1esson' of the hermit rejecting
baran gives the harp an important position, as part
their beauty as he remains faithful to his holy order.
of an instrumental group with lutes and guitar. Here The message for us is a visual confirmation of the
the instruments are played by attractive, aristocratic
power of music, especially coming from the luxurious
women, instead of angels. Whereas only parts of the sounds of combined plucked strings.
In all the paintings, the harpists are standing as
14 Arpa doble (?), Triptych from Piedra Monastery,1390, Real
Academia de la Historia, Madrid, Spain. Note: the painting they play, with the harp slightly pulled back, 1ean~
illustrates the cover of mstoriccll Hcirps. Heidrun Rosenzweig, ing into the right shoulder. A final observation about
ed.
the gender of the harpists: in most of the paintings,
15 Bordas, 150. The painting is listed as being in the collection
of the Museo Provincial de Pintura, Valladolid. the harpists are female, both angels and humans.
16 An image of EI Greco's Anmmcicltion, in the Museo del In a treatise by Diego Fernandez de Huete, Com+
Prado, Madrid, can easily be found online. It's a truly
magnificent painting,124 x 681/2 inches. It was included in P€ndjo nwmet'oso (1702), there are two illustrations
the recent exhibition, EI Greco to V€Idz4ttez, at the Boston of Spanish harps played by males. One is a bearded
Museum of Fine Arts.

SuMMER 2010 23
 monically, pinching the lower string (e.g. the A

-``i--``
string is pinched to produce a B/flat).
• Scordcict"c"uning: re/tuning for a different pitch
son,.

in an octave, for example, tuning F/natural in

:ffi=-Etij~:'J-i
one octave and F# in another octave.
..--:.`S-i=--=.--=l
• Inserting an extra string, for instance, having
both a B+natural string and a B+flat string in an
Octave.
• Or simply omitting the chromatic notes.

However, as the music in the Renaissance became

increasingly chromatic, there was a growing desire
to be able to play cl![ the notes on the harp. The first
mention of the need for a chromatic harp was in
'.E5E5_``.-i.` .`:...=Zf;II\
F.±i=..--.--._iii-.fi 1555, by Juan Bermudo in his D€c[czracj6n, an ency~
clopedia of instruments. He states: "As it has been
_:`
shown, the harp in its original tuning (the white keys
of the monochord) is imperfect for the genre, and
A woodcut in Libro de cifra nueva (1557) by Venegas de the music played nowadays belongs to the semichro+
Henestrosa, compares the tuning of the keyboard, harp
matic genre."t8 Bermudo advocated adding eight
and vihuela.
new chromatic strings to the diatonic row and color+
man in a crown, and the other might be a boy angel.
ing them red. This obviously caused problems for the
As previously mentioned, we know that both `sons
harpist, who was used to a certain spacing of inter+
and daughters' learned to play the harp. It does ap/
vals. The next logical step was to simply add a sepa/
pear from the records that most of the professional
rate chromatic row.
harpists employed by the church and theatre were
In the treatise, Ljb7.o cze cjfTcl 7it4equcz (1557) by Luis
men, even though lady harpists appear in the paint-
Venegas de Henestrosa, a woodcut shows a harp,
ings. True to traditional gender roles in most societ+
keyboard and vihuela, comparing the notes on each.
ies, harp playing for women was seen as an attractive
The harp in the diagram is interesting because it has
skill or hobby. It would be several more generations
added chromatic strings. In addition to a diaton+
before women were employed as professional harp/
ic row, there are extra strings for the fourth (8) and
ists.
seventh (E) notes in each octave ( for B-flats and E+

Arpa de dos 6rdenes-A 'Perfect' Harp flats) . It is not known whether this meant chromat+
ic strings were inserted in the row, a second row of
with Interwoven Strings
strings was added, or if it's a cross+strung harp. Al+

On the single rank harp, there were various though it is possible that a cross+strung harp did ex/

techniques used to play occasional chromatic ist before 1600, the first documentation of a double

notes, as mentioned by the authors Mudarra and rank harp appears in 1616. The ujoJero, Antonio Hi+

Bermudol7: dalgo (father of the harpist Juan Hidalgo) , described

two harps he made for the royal chapel:

• Pinching the string at the top with the left hand,

A harp [made] of white poplar and walnut,
pressing it against the neck while the right hand
with ebony purfling on the back, five roses on
plucks the string. This raises the pitch a semi+
the body, and marked with ebony castles, 1i-
tone for sharps, and flats are produced enhar+

18 Quoted in Bordas, 148. Bermudo, Juan. DecJczrc}c£6n d€ i7iscrw~

17 Bordas,148. menfos 7"sjccz}€s, Osuna, 1555.

24 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL

 ons and eagles on the other side. It has two Eventually, the c{rpcz de dos 6ndenes fell out of
full and universal ranks, stands at seven hand+ fashion. Philip V (1700~1724) brought Italian and
spands, with ebony mouldings on the edges. . . 19 French musicians to his court and chapel, and, by
1750, the cirpc} de c!os 6rdenes was replaced in Spain
This passage also informs us about the type of in+ by the Italian triple harp. The Italian cz7.Pcz c!oppjcz had
lay decoration used on harps, with `ebony castles, li- three rows of strings, the two outer rows were diaton~
ons and eagles.' These three royal heraldic symbols
generally represented safety, nobility and courage.
The `roses' were the decorative inserts for the hex~
agonal sound holes on the soundboard. These would
have been exquisitely carved in intricate geometric
patterns. The rose design was typically the type of
sound hole found on q/z.ht/elczs, guitars and lutes.
From Nassarre's treatise, we learn that the c}TPcl
d€ dos 6rd€7ies had twenty+nine diatonic strings and
eighteen chromatic strings, and it was made of wal/
nut with a spruce soundboard.20 The large sound~
box had seven staves, and Nassarre stated that the
relative proportions of the parts were more impor+
tant than the actual dimensions. The upper width of
the soundboard was to be no more than a fifth of the
lower piece.21 Therefore, the Spanish harp has quite
an extended soundboard at the bottom and a large
soundbox, resulting in its resonant bass.
The proportions of the soundbox and the way the
harp is strung, give the arpcz c!e dos 6ndc7ies its very
A noble couple is illustrated in Negri's dance treatise, Le Gratie
unique timbre. The strings cross one third of the dis-
d'Amore ( 1602).
tance down from the neck, so the right hand plays
at the top of the strings, near the neck. The result+ ic and a chromatic row was in the middle. The Ibe/
ing sound is clear and bright, with an almost metallic rian harp, however, with its large stave back sound/
quality, similar to a guitar or theorbo.22 The left hand box , lived on in the New World, becoming known as
position is generally below the `X' of the strings, and the Paraguayan harp.23 Introduced to these countries
the bass timbre is quite full and mellow. The combi+ by Spanish missionaries, the czrpcl d€ wncz onde7i took
nation of the bright, percussive treble and `swelling'
preference over the double harp and is still popular
bass seems to add depth and range to the envelope of today.
sound.
The Surviving Harps
19 Quoted in Bordas,152. Madrid, Palacio Real [MP], Leg.902,
1616. For such a widely played instrument, it is surprising
20 Bordas,154. that so few historical harps survive in Spain from
21 Quoted in Esses, 208.
22 The bright timbre from plucking the string at the top, rather
than the middle of the string, excites a different series of
overtones on the harp. A similar sound is achieved with
P.d.I.c., when strings are played at the bottom near the sound-
board. The so+called perfect alignment of the overtones is
produced by plucking the string in the middle, resulting in a 23 See Samuel Milligan's excellent article, "The Spanish Harp
pure tone. in Colonial San Antonio," Amerjccm HciTj) JowmciJ, Vol. 22,
No.1, Summer 2009.

SUMMER 2010 25
the period.24 Only ten cirpcls de dos 6nde7ies from the or elongated diamonds, with two small circles at
17th and early 18th centuries are believed to still the points, top and bottom. Both harps with this
exist, in private collections, unknown locations, and design are dated 1704, with one of the harps made by
in convents and monasteries in Avila and Burgos. Domingo Pescador, and the other by Pere Elias.
Cristina Bordas, the expert on the subject, has Another area of decorative interest on these rare
harps is the pillar. Iberian harps have pillars with
published photographs of some of the harps and
has compiled tables of detailed information on each tuned areas of beading in the middle sections, as
harp.25 According to Bordas, the surviving harps seen on the harps of Ivan Lopez of Toledo and Josef
conform to the `correct proportions' and stringing Femandez of valladolid. On another harp, by Ivan
suggested by Nassarre. There are two harps, by de la Torre, c.1700, the entire pillar is turned, with

unknown makers, of a slightly smaller size: twenty+ raised rounded bands, creating a stunning effect. The
seven diatonic strings and fifteen strings in the soundboard is decorated with inlayed shapes of a lion

chromatic row. Most of the harps have five to seven and a crowned two headed eagle.26 Also interesting,

roses for soundholes, with a triangular rose at the is the harp maker's stamp, displayed on the top front

top of the soundboard and pairs of hexagonal roses of the pillar.

evenly spaced further down. There are two harps

with soundholes of a strikingly different shape: fusils,
Spanish Harp Music: Tientos and Fantasias

ffi##$2#t#du#a#.#.j¥±.:`9L#`SLS¢&rp:jg:`S`.S.j9,,#.,#,,£a&# There are relatively few surviving collections of

EREEi

ELVE 9 Y NORTH music specifically for the czrp¢ de dos 6rd€n€s. Much
was lost over time, but another reason is that

M V S I a A EL harpists used keyboard music and also vocal scores.

For continuo, harpists played from figured bass parts
PARA GAMrNAI+ POR LAs
Cifrasd€ 1a Gui[arra Erpario!a , y for vocal and instrumental consort music. Another
Arpa, tafi€r , y cantar i compas par important aspect to consider is improvisation. In
the 16[h century, improvisation was the norm, and
:::§t°::b:i,:s;gyap::c;:,;:is::`a:c;I:e:st{;1:n::§:i:
music served to assist memory. Some of the surviving
ff €gias nor t€orica 9 y collections of pieces were actually meant for
pl-aftica' amateurs and learners. However, the few sources of
co"pvfsTn p{m I). |jrc,4s Tin J, D£. R_rB,f iTAzji
-;;isL`|'``:ti:~is:;;£baapttni;ttdddt}::td:::[bi]::);h!:i;:;i[t;i;;`¢;;}li,C:r:;,::]l:a)1:d\::@ music we do have are amazingly rich with treasures
to be discovered and explored.

C o N s A C` r` A i I, .,i I., +,i R I ¥ N ,i D£ L o s

Although the polyphonic music often sounds
`Spanish' in its dramatic shifting from minor to major,

i,#ilul a strong Franco+Flemish influence is also heard, in

the austerity of the settings. In several of the books,
a 0 N P P` 1 V r i 1:, (`r I 0. the Flemish master, Josquin Desprez (c.1440~1521) is
~T=r::'r`T== I,.,i.,. f=TTTI=== :€`€@
-a#-a-€t`®ft.g.i.€sg-g`6`£€SS'`gct§--a.a.`S`S..-g-eng.S-a.S¢r±fa
=;;i £„i£.tdM} : Par "ic.lclloHll\'alcz, AI-ltJ dc 1677. .ST=
represented, followed by variations or gloscls by Span~
ish composers, such as Cabez6n and Palero.27 The

Frontispiece of Ruiz de Ribayaz's Luz y norte musical (1677).

24 A probable reason for the low survival rate is the great 26 The harp maker Pedro Llopis Areny has a photo of the lvan
amount of tension on the soundboard and neck from the two de la Torre harp on his `Ancient Harps of Spain' page www.
rows of strings, which eventually caused the harps to col~ arpandes.comflvandelaTorre.html.
lapse.
27 In today's music, copyrights and royalties often prevent one
25 Bordas,160. (See note 1.) A revised table of the surviving
from publishing a new arrangement of a piece. In the Renais~
sance, writing a variation of a piece showed great skill and
harps (in German) is published in Cristina Bordas, "The
was valued just as much as a new composition. Improvisation
Spanish ATpa de dos 6rde7i€s," HscoricciJ HdTPs, Heidrun
Rosenzweig, ed. (Basel, Switzerland: Schola Cantorum Basil~
was the highest form of musicianship, and written g[oscls and
diferencicis by composers were greatly admired.
iensis,1991): 24~42.

26 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL

free-flowing Iberian style of wandering glosczs and im
provisatory /cmcczsfczs, was combined with the strict
Northern counterpoint. Andrew Lawrence~King de~
scribed it as "a fascinating blend of improvisatory
freedom and polyphonic rigour."8 Many harp piec,
es appear in the form of a fczbordo7i, choral music in
four+part homophonic settings. It was a usual prac/
tice to transcribe choral works into instrumental so+
1os and ensembles. The pieces are often a framework
for the musician to fill in with ornaments and djmjJ
7"Cjo7is: running passages of shorter notes as a varia+
tion.
The two main sources for harp from the 16th cen~ Tablature and Spanish harp illustration in Fernandez de Huete's
Compendio numeroso (1702).
tury are Liz)ro d€ cj/rcz nt4e"c} by Henestrosa and OZ)rcls
c!e mt6siccl by Cabez6n. The music appears in a new
Antonio de Cabez6n. Obras de mtfsjca Para
tablature, playable on harps, keyboards, or "£ht/€lcls,
teclcl, arpfl y q/jhoelcl, Madrid, 1578: This
so that the three main instruments could all play
book, published posthumously by Antonio's
the same pieces. The books include hymns, pavanes,
son, is similar to LjbTo tie cjfTcl 7iw€ucl. In his ad/
ccl7i,cfons (songs), and tfc7itos, which were free studies
vertisement for the book, Hernando states
with elements of imitative counterpoint.
that the collection is primarily studies for the
Luis Venegas de Henestrosa, ed. Ltbro de ct- master's pupils.31 The sophistication of the mu~
ira rmeua para teala, arfia y uihela, Alcala sic suggests a high level of playing by the ama+
de Henares,1557: The title is translated teur. The famous blind composer, Antonio de
as `Book of new tablature for keyboard, harp Cabez6n (1510~1566) was organist to Philip 11,
and "jhwe[cl.' Although the book was intend~ and often traveled in the royal entourage. [A
ed for the amateur player, it includes an im modem edition of the same title was published
pressive collection of sacred and secular music by H. Angles in 1966.]
by Josquin, Crequillon, Palero and Cabez6n,
Alonso Mudarra, Tres ltbros de mtisjccl en cj-
who was referred to simply as `Antonio.' A1~
most every composer represented in the book fras Pclra q/ihoelci, Seville, 1546: A third im
worked for either church or crown, and much portant collection of the time, Mudarra's book
is important to harpists as it contains the first
of this music would have been played in the
royal chapel.29 [The modern edition in regular published harp piece. Also in tablature (cZ/

staff notation was published by H. Angles in fras) , the book is mainly a collection of original
works for ujht/elcL. However, at the end of the
1944.30]
book is a Ti€nco IX Pclrcl hclrpcl y 6rgcmo (Tien~
to IX for harp or organ) .This is the first known
28 CD notes for Andrew Lawrence~King, EI clrte de fczncclsjcl~ piece labeled `for harp,' and it is also the first
Lwjs Vcnegcls de H€7iestToscl, Harmonia mundi, 2004. (Highly Spanish piece for organ. The Tienco IX was an
recommended.)
advertisement for a forthcoming book of com~
29 Barry Ife and Roy Truby,editors, Ecirly Spcmish Keybocind M%~
sic, VoJwme I.. The Sixteenth C€ncttry (Oxford and New York: positions written for harp or organ, but the
Oxford University Press,1986) :4. This slim book has an
book seems never to have been published.32
extensive introduction on the sources and tablatures used,
followed by 34 pages of music in modern notation, all very Another piece of interest to harpists is Fcmtclsjcz
playable on the harp.
30 Higini Angles, 14 mtfsic¢ e7i [ci corc€ d€ CczrJos V con lct trcm~
scriE>ci6n del "Libro de cifra rmeva para trek, haTE]a y uihuala" de 31 Ife and Truby, 5.
L%ys Ve7i€gcis c!e He7tescroscl (Barcelona,1944) . 32 Ife and Truby, 4.

SUMMER2010 27
 Demoftracion d€I A rpa de dos ordenes9
X que contrahaze la harf>a en id maneTa de Ludu,
y forms parapracticar cl
vjco. This very chromatic vihuela piece, as the
title suggests, was written in the manner of the
playing of the famous harpist, Ludovico. This
is a rare reference to solo harp playing. Ludovi+
co, harpist to Ferdinand V of Aragon, was re~
nowned for his skill of playing chromatic notes
on a single rank harp, by pinching the strings
and using scordatura tuning. [The edition in
modem notation was published by Emilio Pujil
in 1949.]

Dance Music for Harp: Fiery Canarios to

Exotic Xacaras

The second type of harp music from 17th and 18th

century Spain is the dance music. With its pulsating
rhythms and sultry hemjo[as, this music has quite A diagram of the arpa de dos 6rdenes in Ruiz de Ribayaz's Luz y
a different character. The dance music is perhaps norte musical (1677) shows stringing, scroll decoration and roses
on the soundboard.
closer to the heart of Spanish culture with its
roots in the Moorish tradition. From the eighth to and an Italian influence is seen in some of the danc+
the fifteenth centuries, the Moors had inhabited es in Spain. For the lower classes, dancing was always
the southern part of Spain, and a Mediterranean a part of revelry, with stamping, tumbling, acrobatic
influence was felt in the costumes, language, Contortions, and clapping.35
music and especially dance.33 Dance was even a The two main sources of dance music for harp
are L%z y noTt€ in/sjccll by Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz and
part of the church liturgy in Spain. Corpus Christi
and other religious feasts were celebrated with Compe7idjo 7it47neroso by Diego Femandez de Huete.

choirboys performing elegant pavanes in the church Each book is written in its own tablature. Ribayaz's
services, accompanied by harp. Among some of the collection was written for Spanish guitar or harp, and
extant pieces for the choirboy dances is a set by Huete's book was for the hcirpcl de tmci onden (single

Juan Bautista in Valencia, with vocal parts and an rank harp) , harpci de dos 6rdenes or the organ. Both
unfigured bass for harp.34 have extensive theoretical chapters in addition to
Popular dances were part of the theatrical produc~ the dance music. LtAz y morce mwsiccl! also has an in~

tions, where harps and guitars provided the accomr teresting diagram of the czrpci de dos 6nd€nes, complete

paniment. And at court, dancing was a major occu~ with scroll decoration on the neck and roses on the

pation; the king, queen and all the courtiers danced. soundboard.
An international style of dancing was adopted by all Lucas Ruiz de Ribayaz. Lwz y norte must-
the courts in Europe, taught by dancing masters. The car para caminar par las cifras de la gultcrma
famous Italian dancing master, Cesare Negri, dedi~ Espcifrolci, y ciapci, Madrid, 1677: The title is
cated his dance treatise, Lc Grcltjc d'Amo7.c (1602) to translated as `Musical light and guiding star, to
Philip Ill. Negri was working in Milan, a Spanish ter~ walk through the tablatures of the Spanish gui~
ritory, as dancing master to the Milanese aristocracy, tar and harp.' The book is a wonderful com~
pilation of traditional Spanish dances includ+
33 Lynn Matluck Brooks, "Spain", Intemational Encyclopedia of
Dance, Selma Jean Cohen,ed. (Oxford:OUP 1998), 667.
35 Brooks, 668.
34 Esses, 418.

28 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL

 ing: Xciccirczs, Chaconczs, Mc}rjoncis, EsPczfio[etczs, different style for the repertoire. As we've seen, the
Achcis, Parczdcccls cmc! Ccznclrjos. Ruiz de Rib+ czTPcz d€ dos 6nde7i€s was developed for the music,
ayaz travelled to Peru in 1667, in the service and is perfectly idiomatic to the pieces. However,
of the new viceroy, Pedro Fernandez de Cas~ much of it can be played on pedal and lever harps.
tro.36 The exciting rhythms in dances such as The chromaticism in the music will determine
ZczTcmbc4t4€s and Za7.czZ7cz7idczs have the flavor of which pieces can be played on the modern harp.
South America and Africa, while the Pczbcmczs, On the czrpci de c!os 6rde7ies, the harpist has only one
Gcz}Icirdczs, and Gcz[crjcz d€ Amor show an Italian motion-to pluck the chromatic string. The pedals
influence. Many of the pieces are grounds for or levers, require two extra motions: to engage the
improvisation. [Two modern editions are avail+ mechanism and to release it, plus any dampening
able by: Maria/Rosa Calvo+Manzano, and As+ needed. Another advantage of the cross+strung harp,
trid Nielsch.37] is having several choices as to where to voice chords
and play chromatic notes (in which hand) . Since
Diego Fernandez de Huete. Compendjo nw-
the two rows cross, there are actually four planes
meroso de zjfras ari'no7tjccls, con theoriccl, y
of strings to play. The right hand can play both the
i>ractica, Para hartya de uno orden, de dos upper diatonic row and also the lower chromatic
6rdenes, y de 6rgano, Madrid,1702 (first
row. Similarly, the left hand can play both the lower
part) and 1704 (second part): Huete, who diatonic row and the upper chromatic row. Hence
was harpist at the cathedral in Toledo, pub+
there are many other possible combinations for
lished two volumes with theoretical informa+
dividing chords and passages between the hands.
tion followed by music in tablature. The first
volume, intended for the amateur, includes Fingering: The technique for playing a chromatic

beginning music theory and secular danc+

line on the double harp is to slide the finger from the

es (many of the same ones in Lt4z y 7iorc€) . In

chromatic string and land on the adjacent diatonic

the second volume, Huete presents more ad+

string. The back and forth of dipping up and down to

vanced theory, for the professional, on tuning, the chromatic row is helped by holding the hands in
a horizontal position. The fourth finger is rarely used,
modes, cadences, etc., and the forms of music
except for large chords. In the tablature, "p"®t4}gclr)
are sacred pieces and PczsczccI[!es. [Modern ver+
is for thumb, "y" (j7idjce) is the index finger and
sion of the Pasacalles is available from Astrid
"I" (}clrgo) is the middle finger. The fingering for
Nielsch. Also, an invaluable collection of mu+
ascending scales is 3+2+1+2+1 and for descending,
sical transcriptions from Huete and other Ibe+
1,2,3,2-3.39 It's as if the fingers are walking up and
rian manuscripts is by Maurice Esses, in the
down the strings, and this can easily be done on a
Dcmce cmcz Mt4sjc Scrz€s.38]
modern harp.

Practical Guide to Performing Spanish Tuning: For the Franco+Flemish pieces, 7necm/to7te

Music tuning was used. In Bermudo's Dec}czracz6n, he

talks of the thirds being harmonious and the fifths
For today's harpist, Spanish harp music from the narrow.40

16th to the 18th centuries offers an interesting and Timbre: To attain a bright sound, similar to the czrpcl
de dos 6Tde7i€s, try playing low, near the soundboard,
36 Esses, 125. in both the bass and treble.
37 Astrid Nielsch, LL4z y NOTte Mwsjcczl (Wellington: Harp &
Hobbit Press, 2004) . It includes 22 pieces and is available to
order online. The Maria+Rosa Calvo~Manzano edition is in 39 Ha"\e\ore DevaLere, The Spanish Double Hart): ATpa de dos
the Opera omnia series, available in most music libraries. 6rde7ies, Harp Spectrum website: www.harpspectrum.org.
38 Maurice Bsses, Dance and Instrumental Diferencias in SEiair. 40 Nelly van Ree Bernard, 17icerpretczfjon Of I 6fh Ce7ict4ry lbe7.jcm
Dwing the 17'h and Earty 18C!\ Centuries, Volume 11 (Stnyve, Mwsjc on che CZczujchond (Buren, The Netherlands: Frits Knuf
sant, NY: Pendragon Press,1994). Publishers,1989), 57.

SuMMER 2010 29
Omcments: The two names of ornaments are Arrangements: There are a few published

4t4ZebTos and redobles, basically meaning trills

arrangements of early Iberian music for pedal harp.
with prefixes. The player can insert them at any Always compare the arrangement to the original, if
appropriate time, but they are most often used on possible. There was a time when harpist+arrangers
long notes and at cadences. Trills start on or after the tended to `improve' on the original pieces, filling in
beat. notes in a later `romantic' style.

Tempo: For tjentos and f¢7itczsjczs, play the lines very Spanish Harp Continuo: The same suggestions
freely and expressively, with "bclto. In contrast, the apply for continuo. The harp can add depth and
tempo for dance music must be steady and on the rhythmic emphasis to the vocal and instrumental
beat. Try and express the character of the dance ensemble, in the Spanish uzllcmcfcos. For each

steps; for instance, make the beat heavy where the piece, find the best register for the harp within the
dancer would stomp or slide a foot. ensemble, generally in the middle to low range.
The harpist plays from a bass line with figured bass
Accents: According to Ruiz de Ribayaz, the accents
symbols and can choose how to voice the chords
in duple time are on beats one and three. However,
on the harp, or choose to play single notes. Fill
in triple time, the Spanish accents are on one and
in, but don't get in the way or cover up voices or
two: 1~2~3,1~2~3.4t For rhythmic accents within
ornamentation in another part. Start chords on the
the music, use quick muffling to dampen the strings.
beat, not before the beat.
Another technique is to use flashy rolled chords
Learning from period sources and playing the mu~
for emphasis, and continued rolled chords (up and
sic on a historically accurate instrument, makes it
down) for several beats at a downbeat or cadence.
possible to get a little closer to understanding the
Rhythmic omcmentotion: Sancta Maria, in Arte musical language of another age. In spite of the hun~
cle tclfieT (1565), suggests ways to create rhythmic dreds of years between us, the human emotions ex~
variation.42 For a series of quarter notes, play them
pressed in these pieces are as vivid today as they
in a dotted rhythm: 1ong~shoTt~1ong~short. Groups were back in Spain's Golden Age.
of eighth notes can be played this way and also
reversed: shorf~1ong~short~1ong. Or a series of eighth About the author:
notes can be turned into a triplet pattern: short/short/ Nancy HurTeu presents histoTieal harp concerts , lectures
Short,long.43 and workshops to groups across the

Improq/jscltion: The pieces are generally short, so the US, Card, and the British Isles. In
harpist improvises subsequent verses. For ideas on Boston, Nancy is haTf)ist in the early

the style, listen to instrumental and vocal recordings. music grouE>, Renalssonies, and Per,

Also look at treatises on ornamentation from the /oms on the arpa de dos 6rdenes
with Ensemble rFTirdtas and Musicians
period, such as Diego Ortiz, TTclccldo c{e glosc}s (Rome,
1553) . For dance music, invent several creative of the Old Post Road. Nancy is on the

variations on the basic harmonic ground, for many harp facuky at the Boston Conservatory, and is a harp
verses. consultant for the Boston Museum of Fine ATts, I)Te~
senting lecture demonstrations on haTf>s in the colleccton.
She completed her MM in harp PeTformanee at TCU, a
BEA at UniveTsitry of rlzexas, Post~graduate harp studies
41 Astrid Nielsch, 31. in `1VIales and master cidsses in early haTE> with Andrew
42 Quoted in Bernard, 33.
Lawrence+King. In 2008, Nancy I)erformed on the arpa
43 For a comprehensive discussion on this topic, see Nelly van
Ree Bemard, "Ornamentation in Sixteenth~Century Iberian de dos 6rder\es for princess Cristha of SE>ain at the ex+
Music for `Tecla, Harpa y Vihuela': Quiebros, Redobles and hjbi£, EI Greco to Velazquez, clt the Boston Mwset4m o/
G\osa`s," Asf>ects of the Historical Harfi. PToceedings of the In,
Fine ATts. Her recordings and bocks of arrangements are
temclcjonctl mstorjcclJ Hclrp Symposiwm, Utrecht, 1992, Martin
van Schaik, ed. (Utrecht: STIMU,1994), 53~71. avalidble online: www.HurTdlHaTE>.com c@

30 THE AMERICAN HARpjouRNAL