Claviharp

The claviharp, also known as the harp piano, or xenorphica, is a 19th-century musical instrument that combined a harp with a keyboard. Johann Christian Dietz invented the instrument in 1813.[1] His grandfather was one of the first upright piano manufacturers. Struck by what he saw as difficulties and defects of the harp, in 1810, he built an instrument à cordes pincées à clavier, which connected a keyboard to the harp strings. It was essentially a 6 Octave Clavicytherium (Upright Harpsichord) that was strung w/ Silk & Steel Strings to Emulate a Harp. The Action was essentially a Hybrid between a Harpsichord Action & a Piano Action.

An image of a claviharp from the 1891 Scientific American

He made the instrument to address limitations of the harp—susceptibility of catgut strings to atmospheric change, inconsistency of sound as finger motion varies, limited diatonic scale (without pedals), and lack of dampers. The claviharp's keyboard plucked the strings (as a harpsichord) rather than strike them (as a piano).

Features
Claviharp, Ignaz Lutz (?), Vienna, c. 1891; Haus der Musik ("Fruchtkasten"), Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart (Germany)

The claviharp used steel strings covered with an insulating material (in this case) to better stay in tune hence the name "Silk & Steel Strings".[1] Its keyboard was the same as that of other keyboard instruments, so permitting the playing of chromatic scales. The instrument had two pedals. One sustained or dampened the strings, and the second divided certain strings into two equal parts to provide harmonic octaves. The instrument was much lighter and transportable than a piano.

References
  1. William Chambers; Robert Chambers (1888). Chambers's journal. W. & R. Chambers. pp. 268–. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.