Welsh harp’s journey from Italy to national icon
From its 17th‑century Italian origins to modern festivals, the Welsh harp’s evolution reveals a unique cultural legacy.
The Welsh harp, now a national emblem alongside St David’s flag, the daffodil and the red dragon, traces its roots to a 17th‑century Italian invention.
Known as the triple harp for its three rows of strings, the instrument arrived in the United Kingdom during the 1600s, having been crafted for baroque composers such as Monteverdi and later Handel.
It first appeared in London, where Welsh migrants “took immediately to its complexity and continental mystique”, according to triple harpist Cerys Hafana.
These musicians carried the harp back to Wales, where it found a stronghold in Meirionnydd and quickly became a favourite at local eisteddfodau.
While the triple harp fell out of fashion across Europe by the mid‑18th century, Welsh makers continued its production, and antiquarians of the period crowned it the Welsh harp, cementing its cultural status.
Its resonant tone, described by Hafana as “bellissimo”, is woven into the nation’s musical lexicon, most famously in the anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, composed in 1856 by father and son Evan and James James of Pontypridd.
James James, a harpist who performed in the inns of his hometown, is said to have written the melody while strolling along the River Rhondda before asking his father to supply the lyrics.
Wales remains the only Celtic nation with an unbroken tradition of harp playing that stretches back centuries, a legacy that even secured a Royal Harpist position in Queen Victoria’s household in 1871.
The role, first granted to John Thomas, lay dormant until Prince Charles revived it, now styled Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, with six Welsh musicians holding the post since 2000.
Alis Huws, the current incumbent, studied at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, continuing a line of Welsh harpists who have served the royal household.
Demand for new instruments has surged following the Welsh Government’s £13.5 million National Music Service, a programme that guarantees every child in Wales access to music education.
Derwent Harps of Ceredigion, represented by Rhys Lewis, reports a notable increase in orders as schools and families seek triple harps for lessons and performances.
The National Eisteddfod remains the premier venue to hear the harp in full voice, with soloists and cerdd dant ensembles competing each year, while the Urdd Eisteddfod showcases emerging youth talent.
Both festivals are broadcast on S4C and streamed online, allowing wider audiences to experience the high calibre of Welsh harp performance.
Cardiff hosted the World Harp Congress in 2022, joining cities such as Dublin, Prague, Geneva and Sydney in a three‑yearly celebration of harp music that featured recitals, masterclasses and workshops.
Modern artists like Cerys Hafana, Georgia Ruth and internationally acclaimed Catrin Finch continue to push the instrument’s boundaries, blending ancient repertoire with contemporary influences.
Reflecting on Llio Rhydderch’s innovative compositions, Hafana notes they are “sometimes more punk than folk”, underscoring the harp’s evolving role in Welsh culture.
The story of the Welsh harp illustrates how a foreign invention, embraced by a diaspora, can become a defining symbol of national identity, thriving through festivals, education and artistic reinvention.