Now I had a “real” harp and an authentic harp teacher (who was very good).
Her hand position totally agreed with Licia’s, thumbs up.
While working the basics, my mbira partner brought over yet another harp that he had built himself from a kit. It is a troubadour harp used in the middle ages. He introduced me to the Cantigas de Santa Maria, songs in praise of the Virgin Mary from a fascinating period of European history, I will digress at a different time
He was house sitting and I got to visit a 15th century harp. This historical episode led me to join the historical harp society and to long for a harp with bray pins (another story, another photo later on).
Above is the troubadour harp. Below, the 15th century Spanish harp.
This was an entry point to historical harp interest which has come forward with me to be explored in this blog at a later time.
What was interesting to me and later cost me a teacher was a chapter on playing historical harp from the book on Performance of Medieval music which related the playing of the harp to mbira as sorted out in the book, Soul of the Mbira. The harp was a connection to the spiritual realm as is the mbira.