Harps of the Ancient Temples

Gail Laughton - Harps of the Ancient Temples

About Gail Laughton, composer-performer:

The musician through whom this music has been realized was born into a family in which the father made harps and the mother taught the instrument. It is therefore no surprise that he was performing publicly at an age when most children are just starting to learn the technique of wielding eating implements. He was one of those legendary child prodigies paraded in front of royalty and other notables. He won his first of many gold medals at the advanced age of six. At sixteen he became a symphony harpist, and not too long thereafter broadened his area of performance to include popular, jazz, swing and folk music. He had numerous coast-to-coast guest starring appearances on radio during its golden heydays. So impressed were they, that a number of well-known composers, including Cole Porter and Duke Ellington, wrote works for him. Never, however, during this period did he neglect serious classical music.
Following a nearly five-year hiatus in his career during a wartime Army enlistment, he established residence in Los Angeles, becoming at once a recording musician of first magnitude.
All this time he continued his research and studies, not only in music, instruments and their construction, but also in such diverse fields as architecture, astronomy, philosophy and metaphysics.
A solo recording of this artist is long overdue; however, he felt that until recently the mechanics of recording failed to capture those elusive qualities, that aura of sound, that occur with the harp when the listener is in its actual presence. Now, however, after over ten years of research and the construction of a most special instrument, plus over five years of continual experimentation aimed at refining highly specialized recording techniques, he has produced and permitted release of this most unusual album.

CONCERNING THIS RECORDING

First, it should be mentioned here that the musical ideas of this work are not offered in the strict sense of composition, but rather as "tonal impressions" of the atmospheres, times and places being "visited".
The recording in general came into being under rather unusual circumstances.
All of the episodes are performed solely on the harp, with the addition of wind-chimes and finger-cymbals in two of the sections. The pentatonic, diatonic and chromaticscales are utilized wherever deemed historically appropriate.
Special techniques, including some rather complex interlocking of separately recorded tracks, became necessary at times in order to achieve the sound of several harps. This occasionally presented some challenges, which those who play or study the harp will readily appreciate upon hearing this work.

Additional information:

The harp was used extensively in almost all of the temple rituals of antiquity. Moreover, it appears from recent and more thorough examination of ancient Sanskrit texts that the harp was also used as a healing agent.

King David was able to sooth and comfort the prophets of old (such as Saul and Elias) with the beautiful playing of his small harp which he also used as an accompaniment to his beloved psalms.

The front cover of this album is taken from a page of Volume II in a series of books privately published (1809-1820) by Napoleon Bonepart as a tribute to the past glory of Egypt. At first glance this page might convey the impression that we are witness to a private recital; instead it seems more likely that the priest-harpist, by virtue of his ability to produce certain sounds and exotic resonances from the harp, is seeking to reinforce the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of his Pharaoh.

This might well be the earliest pictorial example of a music therapy session in recorded history. (liner notes)


Tracklisting:

Side 1

1. The Hebrews 425 A.D. {2:09}

2. Japan 375 A.D. {3:02}

3. Pompeii 76 A.D. {2:14}

4. Greece 300 B.C. {1:56}

5. The Mayans 700 B.C. {2:02}

6. Crete 1400 B.C. {3:13}

Side 2

1. Babylon 1500 B.C. {2:27}

2. Stonehenge 1600 B.C. {2:21}

3. Egypt 1700 B.C. {4:14}

4. Lemuria 16,000 B.C. {1:29}

5. Atlantis 21,000 B.C. {2:02}

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