Haydn's Folk Harp: Partners and Support
The first edition of the Harp Biennale, Haydn’s Folk Harp, would not have been possible without the generous support of our funders, cooperation partners and sponsors. Harfenlabor wishes to thank the following institutions for their commitment to our work. Funding support by: Cooperation Partners: Sponsors:
Haydn's Folk Harp: About the Festival
Harfenlabor's founder Margret Koell introduces Haydn' Folk Harp, the first edition of the Harp Biennale with a brief overview of the Symposia, Concerts and Concert-Lectures, as well as an overview of the Harp Biennale as a new, innovative festival bringing historical harp into contemporary contexts.
Haydn's Folk Harp, the Opening
The first edition of the Harp Biennale opens with the world premiere of Himmels We, by the Tyrolean composer Christof Dienz, performed by the Knoedel, as well as pieces performed by the Innsbrucker Volksmusikanten, Duo Gasteiger-Waldek, and Duo Ehrenstrasser-Reitmeir.
The first day began with symposium contributions and a concert-lecture addressing the topic of Harp at the Time of Haydn, to in the afternoon address The Tyrolean Folk Harp, including a roundtable discussion and, finally, the concert An Evening of Folk Music.
The second day morning session saw symposium contributions on the topic of Regionalities, and a concert-lecture. The afternoon was devoted to Single-Action Harp: Construction and Playing. The day was rounded off with the evening concert Tullochgorum – Haydn – Harp – Scotland.
On the final day, the festival presented two concerts: the Young Harpists' Concert Single Action bedeutet nicht Isolation and the Matinée-Concert The God of Harmony and a gifted pupil by Mara Galassi on the harp and Jovanka Marville on fortepiano.
Haydn's Folk Harp, the Exhibition
In collaboration with Armin Linke, Harfenlabor staged an exhibition to accompany the first edition of the Harp Biennale. The exhibition extended through two "playgrounds," with the historical instruments presented at the Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, and images and video works at the Haus der Musik.
The Barberini Harp
Before and After Restoration
Mara Galassi and Armin Linke photographed the Barberini Harp at the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali in Roma, thirty years apart, before and after its restoration. In this period, the museum has undergone renovations and the harp is now displayed under more controlled conditions. This double photo story can be placed on the arc of our transition from analogue to digital technologies, echoing Harfenlabor's dual existence.
Report on the Convening in Roma
14-16 December 2016
Bernhard Schrammek's report offers a concise account of Harfenlabor's interdisciplinary international symposium Convening around the Barberini Harp Project, which took place on 14-16 December 2016, in Roma, in collaboration with the Museo Nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali, Istituto Storico Austriaco a Roma, and the Deutsche Botschaft Rom, bringing together musicologists, harpists, harp and string makers, and art historians.
What We Know, and What We still Do Not Understand about the Barberini Harp
Chiara Granata and Dario Pontiggia present findings and analysis related to new facts about the Barberini Harp. By integrating technical and historical research, they offer facts as well as open questions about this sumptuous musical instrument and its contexts. Unlike the other analyses presented by Harfenlabor, Granata and Pontiggia posit that Giovanni Lanfranco's painting Venus Playing the Harp does not depict the Barberini Harp.