The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-01-31
Making A Harp.
From the chicago Chronicle


The origin of the harp is hidden in the
mist of legend and remote past. The
musical twang of the hunters bowstrlng
was doubtless the original suggestion OF
the harp. Many of the ancient lnstru-
ments were fastened like a Bonded bow,
and all were made without the front col
umn, or pillar, of the modern harp. On
the tombs of Gizeh in Egypt may be seen
the figure of a triangular harp of beautiful
proportions, dated about 1000 B. g.. None
but the high castles were allowed to touch
it on pain of death, and every priest was
required to cultivate the art of harp play
ing. The Greeks adapted something OF
the Egyptian harp idea in making their
famous Tyre, but they traced the origin OF
the instrument to the musical sound OF
Appollo's bowstring, awakened by his
shaft of vengeance.
1t was at the factory of an enterprislng
Chicago firm that the painstaking and ex-
pensive experiments of many years result
ed, not only in overcoming the defects OF
the European harp, but in producing, upon
advanced ideas, an instrument whose
beauty and merit are superior to any other
harm in existence At the factory where
the harp is made, the visitor is constantly
impressed with ''the genius for taking
pains which characterizes every portion
of the work. The feverish haste and rush
of the city find no expression here. De-
lberateness, patience-inhnte patience
are manifest in the most minute details OF
the work. From the time the materials
arrive at the factory until the harp is COM
peted and strung, period of four or live
years elapse.
The ends of the earth have been searched
for material to be used in producing the
music wonder workers. The wood is care
fully selected by experts, and placed upon
curing shelves, where it remains for at
least one year, then it is sawed and layer
upon layer of thin strips are glued to-
gether. pressed and returned to the drying
shelves; where it remains for another year
or two. The sounding board is composed
of many pieces of carefully selected spruce,
which are glued and pressed to form one
board The sides, or body, of the harp
are made of delicate layers of choice ma
pie, one glued upon another, heated and
placed in a zinc mould and subjected to
strong pressure, which gives the beautiful
oval surface, SO much admired in the body
of the instrument When removed from
the mould the body is placed upon the
shelves for another long period of time.
When thoroughly cured, the sounding
board is infinitely shaped, the corners
edged and tongued with satinwood, the
upper and lower bridges attached and then
securely fastened to the oval body, which
has already received its ribs of red beech.
1t is then sent to the polisher, who spends
day after day in rubbing, vanishing and
polishing the surface. Meantime the
metal workers have been casting and I'm
ishing the parts that compose the mechan-
ism Of the harp.
When the metal worker has completed
his task, and the polisher has added the
last touch to the wooden surface, the mech
anism is attached to the frame, and the
harp is sent to the stringing room. With
the test of the last string the five years OF
construction are ended, and the splendid
instrument leaves the skillful hands that
have wrough: its wonders, to be fondled
by hands no less loving, but of different
order of skill, that shall awaken its harmo-
MES, to delight the listening thousands.