World Harp Congress, Hong Kong 2017: Camac Harps present the ‘Canopée’ and ‘Art Nouveau’

News

July 8, 2017

At the dawn of the World Harp Congress 2017 in Hong Kong, we are delighted to present not one, but two new concert grand models: the Canopée, and the Art Nouveau. 

For whatever reason, the harp today is the only instrument that continues to be beautifully decorated. We are proud to continue this tradition, and honour the beautiful acoustic of our new instruments with some special artisan collaborations. Canopée is our first inlaid model, created together with Jocelyne Réal, meilleur ouvrier de France (‘master craftsman of France’). The inlays contain over five thousand tiny pieces of precious woods and mother-of-pearl, and each Canopée takes over six months to make. 

The Art Nouveau, meanwhile, is inspired by the flourishing period between the 1880s and the First World War, when artists on both sides of the Atlantic went back to nature. Flowers, tendrils, leaves and lattices are all hallmarks of the Art Nouveau style, which permeated every aspect of society. You will already be familiar with Jean Bernard Jouteau’s beautiful carving, on our Oriane and Trianon harps. He is at once an artisan, an antiques restorer and he is also an artist sculptor, with his work appearing in galleries and at symposiums throughout the world. 

At our exhibition halls at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, you can experience: 

Ebony Canopée

Inlaid Amara Macassar ebony (Diospyros celebica)

Inlays of sycamore and walnut, detailing in white mother-of-pearl

Pear Wood Canopée 

Inlaid pear wood (Pirus communis)

Inlays of sycamore and walnut, detailing in white mother-of-pearl

Cherry Wood Art Nouveau 

European Cherrywood (Cerasus avium)

Inlay strips in American walnut (Juglans nigra)

Gold Art Nouveau 

Traditional, 24-carat water gilding

Tomorrow, at the grand concerto night, Canopée will take to the stage in the hands of Isabelle Moretti. She will play the most celebrated and the most beautiful French harp repertoire, together with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. We are honoured to contribute to this performance dedicated, like our instrument, to the French sound.