温柔婉约，宁静致远；不若阿波罗的挥手，恰是阿芙洛蒂忒的垂眸；不是千娇百媚的惊艳，确温柔如水地动人。这，正是竖琴的音色。
Tender, lucid and tranquil. It is not the beckoning of Apollo, but the graceful nod of Aphrodite; it is not the bright beauty of Hera, but the gentleness of Persephone. This, is the Harp.
谈起竖琴，人们都联想到那优雅浪漫的单一动作踏板竖琴。竖琴经历了数千年的演变，以各种形态出现在人类文明史上，并担任不同的文化角色，而今主要以踏板竖琴为主，成为交响乐队以及歌舞剧中特殊的色彩性乐器。
When harp is mentioned, it is always associated with the single-action pedal harp of good grace and romanticelement. With thousands of years of evolution, harp has appeared in human history in different forms and shapes and played different cultural roles. Harp these days has become a special color instrument in orchestra and operas.
竖琴，是一种弹拨乐器。它主要有一垂直的前柱、一斜立的长条形音箱和位于上方的弯曲的琴颈，形成一三角形琴架，没有前柱的是开放式竖琴。琴弦自上而下与前柱平行地绷于琴颈与音箱上，琴弦由尼龙、肠衣、金属缠弦或丝制成，琴身是木制结构。根据竖琴的尺寸，弹奏者可将竖琴放置在腿上、桌凳上或地面弹奏。
The harp is a multi-string musical instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. All harps have a neck, resonator and strings. Some, known as frame harps, also have a pillar; those without the pillar are referred to as open harps. Depending on its size, which varies, a harp may be played while held in the lap or while it stands on a table, or on the floor. Harp strings may be made of nylon, gut, wire or silk.
一架中世纪竖琴（左）和一架单一动作踏板竖琴（右）
A medieval harp (left) and a single-actionpedal harp (right)
1911年《韦伯辞典》对“竖琴”一词的解释。(Source:1911 Webster's Dictionary)
竖琴的演变发展历史
The History of Harp
1.新石器时代至古希腊、美索布达米亚时期：
Neolithic Age, Ancient Greek and Mesopotamia Ages
竖琴是由新石器时代的原始弦琴衍化而来，原始弦琴常在原始部落中扮演占卜、丧葬、祈雨等祭祀工具。随着人类音乐艺术发展的不断需要，原始弦琴开始了拓宽音域的努力，其中一支采用增加弦数拓宽音域，竖琴的乐器形式便产生了。到古希腊及美索布达米亚时期，古典式弦琴早已从走入民间，成为吟游诗人的伴奏乐器，不再局限于祭祀。最早的竖琴和里尔琴见诸于公元前3500年美索布达米亚平原的苏美尔时期的乌尔的王家陵墓和墓坑。
在古波斯，从公元前3000年起，就出现了竖琴（波斯文：چنگ，音Chang）原型，并在波斯文明里一直繁荣发展直至17世纪。
Harp was derived from primitive string instrument from Neolithic Age, instrument which was usually used as a ceremonial device in augury, funerals and praying. Primitive string instruments had made an effort on developing diapason to address the development of human music and one of the forms of such instruments had expanded with supplement of strings, which is the early stereotype of harp. The earliest harps and lyres were found in Sumer sites 3500 B.C. on Mesopotamia. Several harps were found inburial pits and royal tombs in Ur Site.
The Harp (Persian: چنگ Chang)flourished in Persia in many forms from its introduction, about B.C. 3000, until the 17th century.
古波斯萨桑尼德竖琴(Sassanid Harp, Ancient Persia)
2. 古希腊、美索布达米亚时期至中世纪时期：
Ancient Greek, Mesopotamia and Medieval Ages
“Harpa”这个字的第一次出现，是在公元600年左右。目前被发掘的第一把拱形竖琴，是出现在美索布达米亚平原，年代为公元前2500年。它与缅甸竖琴相似，有13或14条琴弦，后传入古埃及，并与象形文字一样，从古埃及传至古希腊、欧洲地区。有些中、西非地区，仍能见到这样的竖琴。最早出现在欧洲的竖琴是爱尔兰竖琴。
The word “Harpa” first appeared around 600 A.D.The first harp ever excavated is an arched harp on Mesopotamia Plain dated 2500B.C. It has 13 or 14 strings and has similar form as that of a Burmese harp andwas later spread into ancient Egypt and then ancient Greece and other parts of Europe (the path of which resembles the spreading of hieroglyph from ancient Egypt, ancient Greece and then the rest of Europe). Such harps can still be seen in some Mid- and Western African countries. The earliest harp in Europe isIrish harp.
皇后的竖琴（公元前2600-2400年）
Queen’s Harp (2600 - 2400 B.C.)
南伊拉克乌尔遗址 (The Site of Ur, South Iraq)
以青金石、贝壳、红石灰岩、黃金、杨木制成，用牛做装饰品是两河流域文明的一大特色。
The harp was made with lazurite, shells, redlimestone gold and poplar with the ornament of ox head, which is the characteristic of Tigris-Euphrate civilization.
古埃及竖琴，大英博物馆藏
Ancient Egyptian harp, British Museum
卢克索纳赫特墓穴壁画上的三个女乐师，其中一人手持竖琴（公元前1600-1300），底比斯，埃及
Female musicians with harp, tomb of Nakhtat Luxor (1600-1300 B.C.), Thebes, Egypt
《圣经》中就有关于大卫王弹奏竖琴的记载，而至今，耶路撒冷的大卫城中，就有一个大型竖琴立像，可见竖琴当时在中东地区已编入皇家乐器之列。
There is record about King David playing harp, which bespeaks that harp was already within the royal musical instrument team in the Middle East. There is a statue of harp in City of David in Jerusalem.
《大卫王弹奏竖琴》，皮纸画
“David Playing the Harp”, Vellum
古希腊竖琴的一种，现已失传
Ancient Greek harps, which had been lost tothe world.
竖琴弹奏者（大理石雕像），古希腊，洛杉矶J.保罗·盖蒂博物馆藏
Ancient Greek marble statue of man playing a harp (J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles)
3. 中世纪后期
Post-Medieval Age
早期的爱尔兰竖琴是中世纪乐器的一种（公元6世纪爱尔兰律法里已经有提及竖琴），也叫盖尔琴、吟游琴或早期的克拉萨克（苏格兰竖琴），琴弦用铜、银甚至黄金制成。现存最古老的爱尔兰竖琴制造于14世纪,一般有30到36弦，最大的特色是使用指甲弹奏的声音，产生银铃般的声音。当时欧洲其它地区的竖琴，与爱尔兰竖琴最大的不同，在于爱尔兰竖琴使用指尖而非指甲弹奏。
The early Irish harp, a medieval instrument (there are references to the harp in Irish lawsfrom the 6th century), is also known as Gaelic harp, Bardic harp or early clarsach. The strings were made of brass, silver or even gold. The oldest Irishharp preserved today is dated back to 14th century and has normally 30 – 36 strings. It was played with long fingernails, a characteristic which differentiated it from those in the rest of Europe. This resulted in a bell-like tone.
中世纪晚期的爱尔兰竖琴，苏格兰国家博物馆藏
Harp of late medievalage, National Museum of Scotland
爱尔兰竖琴在凯尔特文明和爱尔兰文化里占据重要地位。最初的竖琴弹奏者及其他乐师有着高超的弹奏艺术，与在当时的爱尔兰政治生活中扮演着重要角色的诗人有紧密的联系，并被盖力法庭和随后的世家大族所尊崇。
Irish harp has taken an important position in Celtic civilization and Irish culture. The old Irish harp was played by harpists with accompany of other musicians. They were highly skilled and respected and played in the Gaelic courts and later in the great houses closely associated with poets, who played an important part in the political life of Ireland at the time.
刻有爱尔兰竖琴的石匾，爱尔兰共和国（图片来源：欧亚新闻社）
Plaque depictingIrish Harp, Republic of Ireland (photo by Eurasia Press)
在爱尔兰啤酒品牌“Guinness”上成为商标的爱尔兰竖琴
The Irish Harpthat was registered as a trademark for Irish beer brand Guinness.
远在东方，竖琴在中国西汉被称为“箜篌”。在汉乐府中的《孔雀东南飞》即有记载：“孔雀东南飞，五里一徘徊，十三能织素，十四学裁衣，十五弹箜篌，十六诵诗书。”这说明在当时箜篌已是女子常弹的乐器。后来西方的竖琴经西域流传入中国。这样，箜篌在中国古代就有了卧箜篌、竖箜篌、凤首箜篌三种形制。中国的箜篌比现代竖琴的音色要高亢。
中国的箜篌还流传至日本和朝鲜半岛。
In the far east,harp was recorded in Han Dynasty in China over 2000 years ago in its Chinesename “Kong Hou”. Harp entered China from West with middle Asian connection, andevolved into a local Chinese string called “Kong Hou”. There are 3 shapes of Kong Hou in ancient China: laying Kong Hou, horizontal Kong Hou and Kong Hou with Phoenix head. The tune of Chinese Kong Hou is more sonorous than the modern western pedal harp.
Chinese Kong Hou was passed to Japan and Korean Peninsula.
箜篌弹奏图，工笔画
Playing Kong Hou
西域箜篌（唐朝，公元618-907年）
西藏自治区博物馆藏
Kong Hou from West (Tang Dynasty, A.D. 618-907)
Museum of Tibet Autonomous Region
该箜篌弦已尽断，但从上面充满西域特色的画、底座的铜边可知当年该乐器的精美。
All strings of the Kong Hou are gone. Yet from the painting with intense western features and the copper lining at the base, we could see how delicate it used to be.
螺钿槽箜篌复制品，日本奈良正仓院藏
Replica of Kong Hou, Shosoin Museum, Nara, Japan
4. 从巴洛克时期、古典主义时期到近现代
Baroque and Classical Ages till Contemporary Ages
16世纪时，胡安·伯穆多比照键盘乐器，发明了双排弦竖琴。在双排弦竖琴后，17世纪初又出现了三排弦竖琴及镰钩竖琴。继双排弦与三排弦竖琴之后，在18世纪时出现了交叉弦竖琴。
In the 16thcentury, double-strung harp was invented by Juan Bermudo who took reference of the keyboard instrument. After the double-strung harp, triple harp and hook harp staged in early 17th century. In the 18th century, there come cross-strung chromatic harp.
《艾灵顿伯爵夫人》（1720—1740）
乔叔华·瑞诺兹爵士绘
'The Countess of Eglinton, c1720-1740
by Sir Joshua Reynolds
迪塔尔竖琴，爱德华·莱特（1747—1832）制
波士顿美术博物馆藏
Dital harp-Edward Light, English, 1747–1832
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
踏板竖琴的演变，可推至17世纪末、18世纪初。当时有单一动作踏板竖琴。到了19世纪初，S•埃拉尔发明了双次动作踏板竖琴。现今音乐会中所使用的音乐会用踏板竖琴，就是从埃拉尔竖琴慢慢改进而来。
The origin of pedal harp can be traced back to late 17th century and early 18thcentury. There was single-action pedal harp at the time being. In early 19thcentury, Sebastien Erard invented double-action pedal harp. The concert harp nowadays evolved from Erard’s invention.
竖琴前柱装饰
德国柏林乐器博物馆藏（摄影：IainMasterton）
Detail of Ornate Harp
Musikinstrumenten Museum in Mitte Berlin Germany.
(photo by Iain Masterton)
竖琴，爱尔兰都柏林，于1820年由Egan John制作。
琴身采用漆木制成，绘有金色装饰。
Harp-Dublin ca.1820 Maker- Egan, John.
Made with japanned wood, with painted gold decoration.
世界各地的竖琴
Harps from Different Part ofthe World
缅甸竖琴
Burmese harp
埃及竖琴
Egyptian harp
尖牙竖琴（诺姆比），（19世纪末—20世纪初），加蓬
Fang harp (ngombi) Gabon, late 19th-early 20th century
乌干达竖琴
Harp from Uganda
苏丹竖琴
Sudanese harp
双排电子竖琴（发明专利所有人：Robert Grawi）
Electric double harp invented and patented by Robert Grawi
经典曲目
Harp Tunes
在莫扎特的《C大调长笛与竖琴协奏曲》中你能够听到竖琴的演奏。柏辽兹的《幻想交响曲》，约翰•施特劳斯的《春之声圆舞曲》、《蓝色多瑙河圆舞曲》，柴可夫斯基的舞剧《天鹅湖》、《胡桃夹子》，马勒的十首交响曲，以及肖斯塔科维奇《G小调第十一交响曲》中，都有十分出色的谱例。
Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp in C Major
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
J. Strauss: The Voice of Spring Waltz, The Blue Danube
Tskovski: Swan Lake
Mahler: 10 orchestra tunes
Shostakovich: Symphony No.11 In G Minor
推介专辑
Recommended Albums
Ludovico Einaudi: Stanze
Nancy Bick Clark: Chrysalis
Hilary Stagg: Feather Light
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