Workshops
Chanting to the sound of the harp: medieval plainchant and the early Irish harp
Dr Frank Lawrence
60 mins
Level: All
Wednesday July 27th
17:15 - 18:15 GMT +1

Event Overview
This workshop will examine the question of the use of the harp to accompany chant in medieval Ireland. Iconographic and documentary evidence will be assessed and interpreted in the light of our understanding of Christian liturgy in order to understand when and where the harp may have been used in Christian worship. The question of how the harp was used will also be examined with reference to medieval understandings of modality, the physical characteristics of the harp, and insights from research on other monophonic repertories. In particular, the work of Thomas Binkley in creating improvisational accompaniments for vernacular medieval song repertories will be used as a guide to how harp accompaniments might have sounded in medieval Ireland.