The Claviharp

Klavierharfe von Christian Dietz, Brüssel spätes 19. Jahrhundert; Trondheim Ringve Museum

Claviharp by Christian Dietz, Brussels, late 19th c., Trondheim Ringve Museum

A typical claviharp of the Dietz workshop, recognisably harp-like looking. A peculiarity as opposed to other keyboard instrumenst is the "flageolet bar" which could be approached to the strings by pedal, to touch the strings lightly at the centres, for simulating the typical flageolet harp sound effect.

 

The claviharps promised the solution of a centuries-old harp problem.Most harps were diatonic instruments from early on until poresent times. They have seven strings for the diatonic notes (eg c, d, e, f, g, a, b) instead of twelve per octave thus including strings for sharps/flats. In the  16th century several experiments with chromatic harps are documented but the more complicated fingering and the impossibility of the typical diatonic glissando caused new problems.

A harp with a keyboard seemed to be a solution. And everybody able to play piano could have delivered a harp part in a smaller orchestra or a salon which promised an increasing popularity for the new instrument. The harps had been in fashion around 1800 and been present in many a noble salon  but this waned soon after in favour of the piano, and a harp with keyboard appeared to be an ideal compromise.

Such an instrument required a mechanism to pluck the strings but as opposed to a harpsichord with its rather tough quill or leather plectra the typical harp sound required rather soft "finger imitations" which were, however, rather susceptible to wear and damage.

The claviharps was introduced in 1813/14 by its inventor  Johann Christian Dietz (father) in Paris. His workshop. later run in Paris by his son of the same name, and later his grandson Christian Dietz in Brussels produced claviharps for many decades, later some instruments were also made in Turin and Vienna. They are quite numerous in museums, but rare elsewhere so that later instruments might often been made for collectors.


 
 
 

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