In Valle Argentina, inland from Taggia, someone fell in love with the sound of Celtic harps and decided to start making them. Thanks to the assistance of the Montalto Ligure municipality, which provided him with a workshop space, Andrea Novella opened the Bardic Strings laboratory, specialising in the production of harps and other handcrafted instruments such as Irish whistles and transverse flutes. Everything derived from Novella’s passion for Celtic culture, with its myths and legends, which inspired his fascination for the Gaelic harp, a traditional instrument from Scottish and Irish folklore. Going back to his family’s roots, Novella moved to Montalto Ligure in Valle Argentina and decided to open a true artisan’s workshop. Here he handcrafts models he has devised himself as well as instruments specially designed for his customers.
Anyone who has tried any of the Celtic harps produced by Bardic Strings has appreciated that they possess an unusual homogeneous timbre between the low and high strings, a rare and essential quality for use with an amplifier. The doors to Andrea Novella’s artisanal laboratory are always open, not just to professional musicians, but also to anyone wishing to discover an unexpected Celtic atmosphere in Montalto Ligure.
[Ilaria Grigoletto]
