Pianoteq Harps

The harp has appeared in many forms since as early as 3500 BC. The pedal harp emerged around 1700 and was refined in 1810 by S. Erard’s double movement, enabling play in all keys—a standard that continues in today’s concert harps. The instrument was widely used in the 18th century by Baroque and Classical composers such as Händel and Mozart, and later became prominent in operas by Puccini and in symphonic works and ballets by Liszt, Berlioz, Massenet, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, and others. The harp also appears in modern music, including “She’s Leaving Home” by The Beatles and “Dark Lady” by Cher, while Harpo Marx famously dedicated entire scenes to the instrument in Marx Brothers films.

The Concert Harp for Pianoteq is physically modeled after a Salvi concert grand harp. With 47 strings attached to a soundboard, it is played with the fingertips of the first four fingers of both hands. Thanks to Pianoteq 9’s enhanced audio engine, every note possesses rich, evolving resonance and lifelike spatial depth, capturing the harp’s magical tone with astonishing authenticity.

The Celtic Harp is also included, modeled with nylon strings for a soft, delicate sound suitable for folk, early classical, and contemporary new-age music. Pianoteq 9 introduces a new Italian Triple Harp, rooted in the Baroque era, featuring a characterful and delicate timbre perfect for basso continuo. All harps in the pack allow pinch harmonics (flageolets) and glissandos, and include a diatonic mode with seven pedals to change string pitch for play in any key.