The Historical Harp Society in conjunction with Galway Early Music and the Moore Institute NUI Galway are delighted to invite you to the First European Day of Early Music, on Thursday, March 21st, 2013. No matter where in the world you are, you can still be a part of the first European Day of Early Music as the event will be streamed online at u-sophia.com

Between 5-7 pm GMT, the Historical Harp Society of Ireland chair, Siobhán Armstrong, will be representing Ireland at this pan-European event with a programme “The Sound So Melting...”: Ireland’s Medieval Harp and Its Music. Siobhán introduces the early Irish harp, the sources for its music and the music itself in this celebration of the first European Day of Early Music. 

Siobhán Armstrong’s presentation of Ireland’s early music and its relationship with European early music is a fitting contribution to the day. Ireland is unique in having a musical instrument as its national emblem. This is based on a historical Irish harp that still exists: the only surviving instrument of the kind in Ireland from medieval times, known as the Trinity College Harp. This noble instrument is the kind of harp that was played by immensely skilled, high-status musicians in the Gaelic courts, and later in the great houses, from the early Middle Ages until its demise in the early 19th century, whereupon it was replaced by the newly-invented gut-strung neo-Irish harp now more familiar to modern audiences.

Famous both in Ireland and throughout Europe, this unique Irish harp had an illustrious history. Illustrated by Christian plainchant, Irish laments, Renaissance dance music and English lute song melodies, the Galway concert traces the development of the early Irish harp through the centuries, and looks at its repertoire and position both within Ireland and throughout Europe. The event also includes an interview with Siobhán Armstrong and an open discussion session. 

All welcome – either to the Moore Institute itself, or on-line on U-Sophia.com. This is one of many events all over Europe celebrating the European early music heritage on March 21, many of which are also available on-line. 

The Galway event is organised by Galway Early Music, the M. A. Medieval Studies, NUI Galway, and the Historical Harp Society of Ireland.  European Day of Early Music has been established by the European Early Music Network REMA (http://rema-eemn.net/).

N.B. You might need to download a new software to be able to view live streaming from U-sophia.com , so if you want to see the full programme, please log on earlier and allow a few extra minutes for downloading the software,

Hope you can attend!