Music of Time
Historical Harps for sale, for hire, or for long-term free loan
Chromatic Irish Harp by Tim Hobrough (c1987)
reconstructed from the Cloyne (aka Dalway) Harp (1621)
Ideal for Lawes Harp Consorts, Masque dances,
McCormack, Dowland, Praetorious, Purcell, etc).
Could also be set up as a normal diatonic harp.
Featured on award-winning recordings with Tragicomedia Orpheus I am
& The Harp Consort Exquisite Consorts, Musick's Hand-Maid.
Box carved from a single piece of willow, brass strings
The original has the inscription EGO SUM REGINA CITHARARUM - I am the Queen of Harps. Tim Hobrough's reconstruction for Andrew Lawrence-King has the subtly different text, CITHARARUM REX REGINAM TANGET – The King of Harps plays the Queen!
Read more about this chromatic Irish harp: article by ALK
Listen here: Music for a While An Ayre called Corke
​
About the Cloyne Harp Simon Chadwick
​
Early Music Magazine article Billinge & Shaljean (1987)
​
Offered on FREE long-term loan. Your only obligation is to play it!
Currently in Wiesbaden (near Frankfurt).
​
Advice and assistance offered with transport, care/maintenance, tuning.
Tuition available!
This is a very rare instrument, a multi-row wire-strung chromatic Irish harp of the type played in consorts in England and Denmark in the 17th century.
Read more in my article (here).
It's been several years since I had a project with this harp, so I would like to see it go to a good home where it can be played and cared for, and where another harpist can benefit from the unique opportunity to investigate these very special wire-harp repertoires.
​
It will need some restringing and tuning after being out of use. There is no case, but it has travelled all around Europe and even to Harvard for concerts at the Boston Early Music Festival, USA.
Baroque Irish Harp by Tim Hobrough (c1989)
based on the O'Neill (aka Carolan) Harp (17th/18th cent.)
Ideal for Carolan; tunes played by Arthur O'Neill,
Denis Hempson and other 18th-century repertoire;
tunes noted/published by Bunting etc
traditional tunes.
Featured on several award-winning recordings including:
solo His Majesty's Harper,
with The Harp Consort Carolan's Harp
and with Jordi Savall Celtic Viol I & II
Box carved from a single piece of willow, brass strings.
Tim's design is based closely on (but not copied from) the surviving original.
Reconditioned by Katerina Antonenko c2010
with a new, historically-informed, stringing scheme by Simon Chadwick,
yellow & red thick brass strings by Malcolm Rose.
D (below bass stave) to f (octave above treble stave) including "the sisters":
two unison strings at G below middle C.
​
This is the full compass as described by Bunting, and allows you play all the great repertoire of Carolan and Bunting's eras.
Watch & Listen here:
​
Carolan Jigg to James Betagh (with The Harp Consort)
Introduction to Historical Technique
Carolan Colonel Irwin (with Frank McGuire)
Galway Bay Hornpipe (with Jordi Savall & Frank McGuire)
​
About the O'Neill/Carolan Harp Simon Chadwick
​
For Sale: £4,999.00
For Hire: £150 per month (minimum 6 months)
Currently in Paris
​
Advice and assistance offered with transport, care/maintenance, tuning.
Tuition available!
This is a famous instrument, an Early Music pioneer hero-harp, that has toured the world from Australia & Japan via Paris, Madrid, Brittany, Scotland, Wales & Ireland to USA & Canada, including countless appearances with The Harp Consort and Jordi Savall, and tours with Martin Hayes & Carlos Nuñez.
I now have a new, larger instrument for this repertoire. So I would like to see this fine harp find a new home with a player who will appreciate it for its noble legacy and rich sound. It is a high-head, typically Baroque design: large enough to have rich bass-notes, but compact enough to travel easily.
​
It has a soft travel-case, suitable for carrying, for transport by car, or flying in an extra seat (where it fits well). The case is much travelled and needs some interior repair, but is still functional.
​
There are a couple of strings to be re-fitted (I didn't have my wire-tools with me last week), and you'll probably want to tune it, but otherwise the harp is ready to play. Photo gallery includes 3 images from July 2022.
​
Listen here:
