New Stamps on Music

 

Date of Issue : 27 March 2014

Iceland Post issued a set of two stamps on  Europa 2014 theme “ Native Musical Instruments”. The stamps feature stone harp and Electromagnetic harp.

Stoneharp:

In 2001 the artist Páll Gudmundsson in Húsafell created a new musical instrument, the so-called stoneharp. The harp consists of stones, each of which forms one tone in a three and a half octave instrument. The stoneharp is composed of rhyolite stone slabs. This instrument is probably unique in music history. It was used in the composition Odin’s Raven Magic which the Icelandic band Sigur Rós performed along with musicians and singers.

Electromagnetic harp:

The innovation awards presented by the President of Iceland in March 2013 included a new musical instrument, the electromagnetic harp created by artist Ulfur Hansson. Utilizing hand woven magnetic actuators (solenoids) that feedback through 26 strings on the inside, the harp is a completely acoustic electronic instrument. Cables, coils and electrical system are inside the body of the instrument itself. It has a characteristic tone and timbre and is controlled either via open sound control or by a touch keyboard.