How the talharpa makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the talharpa belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Players shape its sound through technique and materials; the resonating body filters the raw vibration, boosting some harmonics and damping others.
From Wikipedia
Talharpa, tagelharpa ("tail-hair harp"), or stråkharpa ("bowed harp") in Swedish, and hiiu kannel or hiiurootsi kannel in Estonian, is a two- to four-stringed bowed lyre from northern Europe. It is questionable whether it was formerly common and widespread in Scandinavia. Historically, it has been played in the Estonian-Swedish areas and in Western Estonia, particularly among Estonian Swedes who came to Estonia around the 10th century from the Swedish part of Finland; they likely brought the instrument with them (later Swedish settlers in Estonia did not know nor use the talharpa). It is similar to the Finnish jouhikko and the Welsh crwth. Jouhikko, a close relative of talharpa, is still known in Finland.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a talharpa sound like?
As one of the lutes, its sound comes from the way strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck.
What type of instrument is the talharpa?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.22-71).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q16938294 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Talharpa – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Charliebynum – CC BY-SA 4.0