The Harp of Ireland CD by Siobhan Armstrong: Wire-Strung Harp CDs

Siobhán Armstrong recorded this CD on a copy of Ireland's only surviving medieval harp: the 14th/15th century Trinity College harp, strung both in brass and 18 carat gold. Most the music is from the 16th to 18th centuries by Irish harper composers Rúaidhrí Dall Ó Catháin, Turlough Carolan and Cornelius Lyons, together with tunes collected from other harpers of the time. There are several pieces of Renaissance English music, the kind which would have been played by Irish harpers working at the Elizabethan and Stuart courts. Siobhán founded and directs the Historical Harp Society of Ireland and is spearheading a revival of the playing of Ireland's historical harp. On 4 tracks of this CD she is joined by Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, a prize-winning young sean-nós singer. The extensive, informative 24-page enclosed booklet makes this CD an even greater treasure.

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Siobhan Armstrong plays and researches historic and ancient harps. She has an extensive collection of copies of instruments from the middle ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque era. Siobhan was born in Dublin, lives in Ireland and works as a freelance performer and teacher, mainly in Europe. Siobhan is particularly interested in encouraging the revival of the early Irish harp. To this end she founded and chairs the Historical Harp Society of Ireland (www.irishharp.org) and is the director of the Society's Scoil na g Clairseach-Summer School of Early Irish Harp which takes place annually in Kilkenny. She plays a copy of the medieval Trinity College harp - the national emblem of Ireland - strung in brass and 18-carat gold. Siobhan has performed, broadcast and taught throughout Europe, North America and Japan and has appeared as a soloist or ensemble player at venues including the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Southbank in London, the Opera Comique in Paris and the Zankel Hall at Carnegie, New York.