New Age Harp
Located in 2 routes
New age centered on the harp — concert, Celtic or specially modified electric harp — whose rippling arpeggios, glissandi and bell-like resonance create a serene, angelic, celestial atmosphere. Pieces are consonant and flowing, often layered with soft synths, strings or light percussion, and recorded with lush reverb to emphasize the instrument's shimmer. The mood is heavenly and soothing, ideal for relaxation, healing and ceremonial settings; it cross-lists with the harp/celestial/angelic-ambient family.
History
Harp new age was popularized by Georgia Kelly, whose Seapeace (1979) became a widely used relaxation and therapy record, and above all by Swiss musician Andreas Vollenweider, whose modified electroacoustic harp and Grammy-winning Down to the Moon (1986) brought the instrument multi-platinum, crossover success. A wave of specialist harpists — Hilary Stagg, Peter Sterling, Kim Robertson and others — supplied dedicated new-age and healing harp catalogs through the 1990s. The style endures in spa, wedding, meditation and celestial-ambient wellness settings.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Wikipedia article: Andreas Vollenweider
- AllMusic album entry: Down to the Moon
- Global Pacific / Heru Records artist histories