Rupert's Fun Facts
Rupert is Katie's teaching assistant. His imaginative contribution to lessons is always welcome.
Now Rupert is making his debut in writing, with some novel ideas about harps and harping.
There are lots of different meanings for the word harp - it can be a type of musical instrument, the name of a star, a kind of sea shell or even a verb.
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The invention of the harp, as told by Homer, Katie and Rupert
The first days in the life of a god are often eventful. Hermes was the son of a Maia, a goddess who lived in a cave on Kyllini, and Zeus, king of the gods on Olympus. Gods, like most animals, are up and about from the start, and so on the day he was born Hermes set out to on his adventures…
‘As he stepped out over the threshold of the high-roofed cave, there he found a tortoise, and gained ten thousand blessings. Hermes was the first to make the tortoise a singer. He encountered her at the courtyard gate while she was grazing on the thick grass in front of his home, waddling on her feet as she went. When the luck-bringing son of Zeus saw her, he laughed and said these words:
“A sign for me, already, and a very lucky one! I’m not complaining. Greetings, lovely being, beat of the dance, companion of the feast: pleased to meet you. Where did a mountain dwelling tortoise get that beautiful toy to wear, that shining shell? I’ll pick you up and take you home. You will help me and I will not dishonour you, but first you will bring me luck. Better to be at home, since it’s riskier outdoors. For you will be a protection against evil influence while you live, though if you should die, then you’d make beautiful song.” '
Hermes on the Tortoise by Ludwig Keiser
Kunsthaus Zurich
The scene that followed may be upsetting to animal lovers and tortoises, so Rupert, like the kindly carnivore he is, insisted we cut it. Suffice it to say, before long Hermes ended up with a hollow tortoise shell that made an excellent resonant chamber, and with a few additional features became the world’s first lyre also called a phorminx, harp or kithara.
After all this creativity, Hermes was feeling hungry, so he went to look for something to eat. He stole the cattle of his half-brother Apollo, the archer god, the son of Zeus and Leto. But Apollo tracked Hermes down, dragged him from his cradle, and carried him off to face the consequences. Things were getting a bit out of hand, when Hermes had an idea…
White kylix depicting Apollo and the lyre, Delphi
Photo by Dennis Jarvis
‘Easily, Hermes softened glorious Leto’s son, the Far-Shooter, just as he wish to, even though Apollo was stronger. Taking the lyre in his left hand, with the plectrum he tried each string turn. Under his hand she rang, breathtaking. Phoebus Apollo laughed, delighted. The lovely cry of her ineffable voice went through his soul and sweet desire stirred in his heart as he listened… Love, against which all arts fail, seized the heart in Apollo’s breast, and speaking winged words to Hermes he said:
“Cow killer, artful labourer, companion of the feast: this thing of yours is worth fifty cows!” '
And thus Hermes paid for the cattle with the tortoise shell lyre he had made.
Harps in ancient cultures
Harps of one kind or another have been in existence for thousands of years. The first known harps originated in ancient Sumer in southern Mesopotamia and in Egypt around 3,000 BC. These instruments were mostly either bowed with strings running from one side to the other of the bow shape or angular with strings cutting across the corner of the instrument, although there are some images of frame harps which have a fore pillar.
Angle Harp Egypt Museum 2019
Typically these early instruments, called balang in Sumer and benet in Egypt would have had up to seven strings. In later instruments the number of strings increased.
Harpists in ancient Egypt were highly esteemed and the names of several such as Hikino and Nebnefert have been found recorded over the ages.
Egyptian Bow Harp
Metropolitan Museum New York
2 September 2025
Fans of the Harry Potter books will be well aware that the first book in the series centre’s around the existence of the Philosopher’s Stone, a stone which is the source of the Elixir of Life. Hermione, Ron and Harry realise that the stone must be hidden at Hogwarts and they believe that someone is trying to steal it. However, the staff at Hogwarts have devised various hazards which any potential thief must overcome. Before the trio can reach the stone to confront the thief they must get through the Devil’s Snare plant, catch a flying key, play a dangerous game of Wizard’s Chess and solve a riddle about potions.
But first they must get past Fluffy, the huge three headed dog belonging to Hagrid, who guards the entrance to the secret hiding place. Hagrid has let slip that Fluffy can only be calmed by the sound of music. When Harry and his friends begin their quest, they find Fluffy slumbering on a trap door with a harp playing magical music to keep the dog asleep.
Like many others Rupert wonders if he might not have enjoyed being at Hogwarts.
18 August 2025
Congratulations to Katie’s former student Bethany Coggon who was awarded the inaugural Royal Welsh College Brooch for Harp Excellence by RWCMD President Dame Shirley Bassey at the College’s annual dinner in June.
The brooch, formerly used by the Official Harpist to The Prince of Wales, has been given on permanent loan by the King, who is Patron of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. It will be awarded annually to the harpist who achieves the highest mark in their summer recital.
29 July 2025
Aeolian harps are very ancient musical instruments, they are formed when strings are stretched between two or more fixed points. The sound is produced by wind moving over the strings. In some cases the strings are stretched over a sound box, but they can also be arranged simply to allow air to move past the strings. The instrument is named after Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds.
Metropolitan Museum, New York
Aeolian harps are mentioned in the Bible in Psalm 137 where the the poet says "By the rivers of Babylon ... on the willows we hung up our harps".
Prof. Henry Gurr
21 July 2025
Thomas Moore was an Irish Catholic, the son of a Dublin grocer. His poetry and songs were popular in Regency England. In 1807 Moore wrote "The harp that once through Tara's halls" which reflects the loss of Irish culture under English rule in Ireland.
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The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls,
As if that soul were fled. —
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory's thrill is o'er,
And hearts, that once beat high for praise,
Now feel that pulse no more.
No more to chiefs and ladies bright
The harp of Tara swells;
The chord alone, that breaks at night,
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus Freedom now so seldom wakes,
The only throb she gives,
Is when some heart indignant breaks,
To show that still she lives.
14 June 2025
Harps are like tulips -
Tulips don't shout for attention; they bloom in quiet grace.
21 May 2025
Katie McClaughry - Wedding Harpist