HARPING STYLE
Pages one and two of the manuscript are gone and the word 'or' on the top left of page
three suggests that another title was given for the song on page two, perhaps an Cailín
Donn. Page two may have held some previous notation of this tune as the setting which
survives is fairly neat in comparison to some of Bunting's other scribbles in the manuscript.
In the last page of MS 12 box II, Bunting makes the following note about his experience at
the Belfast Harp Festival.
Meeting of Harpers – 1792
difficulty in getting the people to sing
the songs also in timing the tune
&c And sitting them in the best
manner so as to give the spirit of
the melody its native effect both in
singing & performance on the Harp
to the public
This piece may have been performed in fairly even time which might have made it easy for
Bunting to notate, but Higgins may also have been used to making slight variations to the
setting on each play through and this may have proved a difficulty for Bunting with regard
to its transcription.
Higgins, a blind man from Tirawley in Co. Mayo, was about fifty five when he attended the
Belfast Harp Festival. This means that he was about forty two years younger than Denis
O' Hampsey. Higgins played the Gaelic harp using the pads of his fingers, unlike Hampsey
who played with his nails.
Hampsey's peculiar and intricate way of playing the harp 'amazed' Edward Bunting, who
observed him to have an older repertoire than that of the other harpers, 'unmixed with
modern refinements'. Importantly, Bunting mentions his technique of using alternative
fingers to stop or dampen strings and gives this particular mention with regard to staccato
passages in the music.
By implication, Hugh Higgins would seem to have availed of 'modern refinements'. The
Banks of Claudy certainly makes use of a particular harmonic feature which appears more
rarely in Bunting's notations and representations of Hampsey's basses.
Banks of Claudy
Harping style