麻豆约拍

Musician Lucinda Belle plays a harp duo with Tom Moth, harpist for Florence and the Machine.

The harp's image has always been seen as somewhat regal.

The instrument tends to be associated with classical concerts, folk music or musicians playing at weddings or eisteddfods.

But that is changing and the time has come for the harp to be hip.

This most ancient of instruments is going through a rock and roll renaissance as illustrated by artists such as Joanna Newsom, Dizzee Rascal and Florence and the Machine.

Tom Moth is Florence and the Machine鈥檚 harpist and he is happy that the harp's image is changing.

"People have still got this very fixed impression of what the harp is and what it is used for. And it would be nice if hopefully at some point people come to accept it in other forms of music.

"I don鈥檛 see any reason why harps shouldn鈥檛 be accepted in that scenario anymore than guitars. It's not the instrument, it's how you play it."

The harp is also a big part of Lucinda Belle's life. Lucinda started playing when she was six. Her first harp was an antique instrument that was hardly playable.

So she came looking for a new harp with her parents at Alan Harber鈥檚 workshop in London. Alan is something of a legend in the harp world.

He's been repairing harps for more than 50 years: "It all began when I left school at 15 years old, went down the labour exchange and then I was looking for a job in anything to do with carpentry or metal work. They sent me to an old man in Brompton Road, George Morley who repaired harps and I started as an apprentice and I鈥檝e been doing this now for 52 years.

"They say there is something magical about the harp and I suppose there is, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 kept me in it I think."

Alan Harber approves of the way the harp is moving forward: "I think it鈥檚 marvellous. It's nice to get more people interested in the harp. The only way is pop stuff or jazz because there鈥檚 not enough work for all the people to study classical. There鈥檚 a bigger audience for the poppy stuff."

The chances are that more young people will want them and that means, more harps will need to be maintained and repaired.

But although there are other master craftsmen like Alan around, they are few and far between.

"I don鈥檛 want to give up," says Alan. "I鈥檒l probably end up in a box in the corner somewhere."

Lucinda thinks Tom needs an apprentice: "It鈥檚 so important that we keep this alive.".

Alan agrees: "I was thinking about it if I ever retire... I could go to one of the colleges and I could start teaching there for nothing, most likely. And if they can get 10 people interested at least the skills of harp repairing would carry on."

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