In Gruben 24, CH-8200 Schaffhausen harp@beatwolf.ch
The palette of restoration features ranges from purely conservation / maintenance work over playability adjustments up to a total renovation, whereby the available substance of the instrument and its state of repair will determine the approach required.
Restoring a harp is more than even a harp repair, but less drastic than a harp renovation.
A careful restoration takes
the biography of a harp into account and allows only moderate and reversible
intervention (less is often more) so that the charm of a venerable piece can
breathe on.
As a harp restorer I reanimated the voice of numerous harps - from Louvet
and Naderman up to Holtzman and Erard, thus they are charming many happy
harpists for recordings and concerts. Even an early pedal harp by
Hochbrucker now sounds in bright freshness after I restored it in
painstaking detail work.
Harp owners are often
scared about visible cracks in their harps, but in fact these are hardly a
problem for the harp restorer. On the other hand: the truly dangerous
damages are mostly hidden to the owner’s eyes.
Even if a historical pedal harp shows large worm damages, a serious rescue
is possible in most situations. Only in the worst case a replacement of a
construction part is to be expected.
In cases where a special field of knowledge is required to restore a harp,
e.g. design painting, I shall consult with further recognized craftsmen.
All restorations are made with a five years guarantee.
Attributing anonymous
harps
As a harp expert I sometimes meet harps, which were altered once in their
life. Where it makes good sense, unskilled interventions shall be reversed;
only biographical relevant changes should be maintained. In my large harp
archives I’ll find data of comparable instruments. My database is also very
helpful in attributing unsigned harps to a makers name, thus I already made
some identifications of anonymous works.
Sale: early pedal harps
Continually I have an original single action harp or other early harps
for sale. These are restored and in well playable state, excellent for
professional use. Very interesting prices. Kindly ask for the actual list or
visit the news-page time by time:
» News
You may hear restored harps on the following CDs:
- MASUMI NAGASAWA, A. Bernardini: “Souper Galant” Louis seize harp by Wolter & baroque-oboe; Bach, Abel, Schaffrath. ET’CETERA KTC1293
- MASUMI NAGASAWA: "Amusette Douce" Six sonatas by Naderman on a Naderman Empire harp 1815. Et’cetera KTC1341
- NEW: MASUMI NAGASAWA “L’arome de l’est” Spohr, Cardon, Glinka etc. on Erard single action harp. ET’CETERA KTC1362
- ANN FIERENS & Anne Cambier “Marie-Antoinette & ses Airs” on a singleaction harp by Louvet. Catalpa 2007-1.
Downloads:
PROFILE & MUSEUM SUPPORT [PDF 35 kB]
RESTAURIERUNGSBERICHT - Louis XVI-Harfe 1791 [PDF 442 Kb]
RESTORATION REPORT - Louvet Harp [PDF 298 Kb]
YOUTUBE VIDEO; Ann Fierens: Louvet harp [1:23 min]
» Click onto the picture for slideshow.
