The Emergence of the Double-Action Harp as the Standard Instrument: Pleyel's Chromatic Harp and Erard's Double-Action Harp

by Chen, Lee-Fei

The primary purpose of this essay is to provide comparisons between Pleyels chromatic harp and Erards double-action pedal harp, in order to find the factor leading to the emergence of the double-action harp as todays standard instrument. This essay includes biographies of Gustave Lyon and Sébastien Erard, historical background, literature, criticisms, influences, performance techniques and as well as musical examples demonstrating written techniques of Pleyels chromatic harp and Erards double-action pedal harp. In addition, this essay also includes a list of earlier twentieth-century works for the chromatic harp.