Celtic Nyckelharpa

**1938 Observer** · 7th April 2011, 22:55

Celtic Nyckelharpa Project - Pinch of Snuff

Gavin Pennycook, Rob Truswell and Esther Kuck play the Pinch of Snuff at Ceilidh Culture, Edinburgh, April 2010
From the CD 'Celtic Nyckelharpa', out soon

I've just read a review on Gavin Pennycook and this unique instrument in "The Scots Magazine" of February 2011.......... Gavin reckons this is the first CD totally devoted to Celtic music on the Nordic instrument

**miolchu** · 10th April 2011, 08:01

According to Wikipedia, a nyckelharpa (literally "key harp", plural nyckelharpor or sometimes keyed fiddle) is a traditional Swedish musical instrument. It is a string instrument or chordophone. Its keys are attached to tangents which, when a key is depressed, serve as frets to change the pitch of the string.

The nyckelharpa is similar in appearance to a fiddle or the bowed Byzantine lira. Structurally, it is more closely related to the hurdy gurdy, both employing key-actuated tangents to change the pitch.

The rest of the article can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyckelharpa

**FriedaKateM** · 10th April 2011, 15:33

The instrument was quite interesting, especially liked the bow, as it seemed one would not have to bow as in "long bowing". Looks like a cross between a violin & an auto harp. Thanks Gordon!! Joan