Irish Harp

We attended an interesting program this evening featuring a harpist and author named,  Linda Kaiser, who has written a biography entitled Pulling Strings:  The Legacy of Melville A. Clark

It was interesting to hear the stories she told and view the memorabilia she has collected.  There was a picture of the four Clark children taken in 1892, all standing and playing the harps of that era.

The harp pictured is a small Irish Harp, made by Clark.  (to be portable and easier for small people to play!) This is the Clark of Clark Music in Syracuse.  I've been in the contemporary Clark Music store, and in fact, we bought our beautiful piano there.   But I was unaware of Clark's very interesting history.

Here is a review of the book:

Beginning with an account of Clark’s musical family, Kaiser chronicles the founding in 1859 of the Clark Music Company, of which Melville Clark became president in 1919. Originally just a tinkers shed, the business ultimately moved into a six-story building in the center of Syracuse. The music company celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2010. Clark also combined his talents as a gifted musician and astute entrepreneur to start the first Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.



I would add that the first performance of the Orchestra packed in three thousands folks, and turned away five hundred more.  It was the 21st day of January.   It must have been very cold!   But central New York natives are hale and hearty!  Syracuse has never had a shortage of talented musicians.