The legendary three ancient strains of music – genntraigi, golltraigi and suantraigi – suggest that music had the power to induce a variety of effects upon the listener. Although these references from early Irish literature include supernatural effects, why shouldn’t we enjoy our ability as harp players to evoke joy, melancholy and sleep? Surely, dance music must be included amongst the joyful repertoire. We’ll examine several late-13th-century dance tunes from French and English sources, which aren’t necessarily ‘harp’ pieces, let alone pieces for wire-strung harps. However, understanding damping techniques found in the Robert ap Huw manuscript and in Bunting’s collections of ancient Irish music, and applying appropriate fingering, can bring these tunes to life in unexpected ways. 

(part 1 of a two-part session)