Favorite Music

[Barbara]

I'd love to see what the rest of you have worked on for music that you particularly like.

I'd like to start off with a piece some of us are working on in Kindred Harps called Les Agneaux Dansent (Dancing Lambs) by Marcel Grandjany and published by O. Pagani & Bro. Inc, New York, N.Y. It is arranged so that it can be played either as a 3 part ensemble or as a solo. It is fairly easy, especially when played as an emsemble piece, and offers a good chance to work on playing with two hands. We are all enjoying it a greal deal.

[Leigh Griffith]

So far I have liked almost everything we have done with Heavenly Harpers and Kindred Harps. One exception would be Katie Bairdie. I have to admit that a little goes a long way on that one, and that one goes on way too long for my liking. One of the most beautiful pieces, I think, Is The Nightingale by Deborah Henson-Conant. It comes with several variations, and even the most simple is gorgeous.

[Barbara]

I have found the collection 22 Favorite Hymns for 22 Strings aranged byPamela Dorian and edited by Mary Radspinner to be very useful when playing at church. It gives very nice, but playable arrangements of a good assortment of hymns with each hymn arranged in both C and G. The choice of two keys is an especially useful option when working these in with other music. Even though arranged for 22 string lap harps, the arrangements work well on any harp. In the year that I have had this colleciton i have used it many times.

[Jen Brophy-Price]

On the contemporary side, I've been enjoying Meg Robinson's compositions. I have Falling Snow, Fate, and Dance of the Night so far... All three are pretty and harpy, although I have to say that I like Fate the best. (Falling Snow also makes a very nice warm-up exercise, as it's mostly rising triplets with some extra right-hand melody.)

Another good series is Bernard Andres' Marelles/Ribambelle/etc... (There are four or five of them that advance in level- I don't remember all the names.) Each piece works on different skills, but they are all very nice tunes in their own right.

For exercises, since that was a topic of discussion at the last harp circle, I like Deborah Friou's "Harp Exercises for Agility and Speed." It has a good variety of exercises for one or both hands, as well as a few songs that build upon the previous concepts. It's a nice book to warm up with before actually playing.

[Barbara]

I like the Friou book, too, Jen, and several o fus us it. Every new piece of music I try is my current favorite and right now I have just discovered Homeward bound (Marta Keen for SATB chorus) arr by Angi Bemis. Bemis has some good arrangements of things like Over the Rainbow. The above piece is one that I have used with chorus and the harp arrangement captures that lovely quality that is so appealing about the choral arrangment.

[Jen Brophy-Price]

Interesting that you mention the SATB chorus piece... I've recently been reminiscing about Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, which I sang in All-Aroostook several years ago. I'm thinking about picking up a copy of the chorus arrangement and re-arranging it for harp. We'll see if it actually happens. =)

[Barbara]

That would be challenging, but great. I directed that with Houlton Community Chorus years ago, and with some High School choruses. The accidentals might be a killer for lever harp, can't remember for sure. Nice thing abaout arranging for 2 or 3 harps is that you can pass the accidentals around. Do you do a lot of arranging? I enjoy arrangind pieces for harps and have done some for our harp group. Love to see your arrangement when you get it done!

[Jen Brophy-Price]

I've only done a very little bit, but it's been a lot of fun. I've never done something for multiple harps, though, so we'll see how this goes.
First, though, I need to get my hands on a copy of the music again! (Much quicker and more accurate than trying to piece the harmonies together by ear.) All the sources I've found for it require the purchase of at least six copies. It wouldn't be a big expense, but I'd feel odd having five copies left over!