ADELSON Robert: Erard, The Empire of the Harp

Sébastien Erard (1752-1831) is considered the father of the modern harp, and with reason. His two major contributions to the construction of the instrument are still the basis of today’s models: the mechanism of forked discs that shorten the vibrating length of the strings by a semitone; and the double action, which allows the harpist to play in all keys. The Erard firm’s hegemony resulted not only from the evident musical and technical superiority of these inventions, but also from their ambition to market these instruments across the globe. Through the business and family archives, as well as numerous rare instruments, this book tells the exciting story of this Erard empire.

Read Mike Baldwin’s review in the Historical Harp Society Bulletin.