Music for lever harp that is NOT classical, folk, Celtic, etc.

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This topic has 27 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 8 months ago by barbara-brundage.

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July 23, 2010 at 6:46 pm #158596

Alissa W
Participant

Hello everyone!

July 23, 2010 at 11:09 pm #158597

jennifer-buehler
Member

If you want that much chromatic flexibility you should have a cross-strung!

July 23, 2010 at 11:59 pm #158598

deb-l
Participant

I really like Natalia by Deborah Henson-Conant, it’s more modern and very different.

July 24, 2010 at 12:04 am #158599

Karen Johns
Participant

I love “Summer Rain” by Frank Voltz, and the book “Midsummer Meadow” by Pamela Bruner, especially “Forest Stroll”, “Dragonfly Waltz”, “Pacific Waves”, and “Gathering Dusk”. Also, Deborah Henson-Conant’s “Nightingale”.

Karen

July 24, 2010 at 11:38 am #158600

sherry-lenox
Participant

Bernard Andres? As Jennifer pointed out, chromatic music requires lever changes.

July 24, 2010 at 12:12 pm #158601

jennifer-buehler
Member

Great suggestion Sherry!

July 24, 2010 at 2:58 pm #158602

Alissa W
Participant

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

July 25, 2010 at 3:54 pm #158603

jennifer-buehler
Member

Darhon Ree-Rohorbacher does some interesting harmonic things in some of her pieces.

July 25, 2010 at 7:43 pm #158604

Stephanie
Spectator

I highly recommend Bernard Andres-his music has some neat and beautiful chords as well as some great melodies.

July 26, 2010 at 7:57 pm #158605

Rachel
Participant

Bernard Andres has amazing music, and as others have noted, much of his much requires no lever changes but

August 1, 2010 at 8:41 pm #158606

roger-day
Member

The type of harp makes a big difference. Some have a long dwell which produces a certain amount of dissonant roar under the music when certain things are played. Some strings might be damped when this occours.

Other harps have a shorter dwell, and producing a whole note may require several hits to sound right. Yet, this type harp can do certain things better.

Another factor is percussive attack. A longer string for a certain note will have more string tension. More string tension tends to produce a clear ringing sound, but a much weaker ping sound when the string is plucked.

Also the type of wood and soundboard shape may be a factor.

August 2, 2010 at 9:11 am #158607

Kathleen Clark
Participant

I play a lot of Kathryn Cater and Mary Lloyd at City of Hope because both of their compositions fall into this category for me. Kathryn’s music was discussed in an earlier post on this thread. Mary Lloyd pieces I play are The Journey, Wishing, Unknown Paths, The Gentle Rain, Peaceful River, and Waiting for Heaven.

Both Cater and Lloyd books are published by Afghan Press and available on the internet through Melody’s Traditional Music and Harp Shoppe.

August 3, 2010 at 4:28 pm #158608

Ann
Member

As Jennifer suggested, check out books by Verlene Schermer, including the Tunes With A Twist series and especially Cool Chords And Groovy Rhythms. These books are available through Sylvia Woods Harp Center website. Try this page: Schermer on Harp Center

August 18, 2010 at 9:08 pm #158609

jennifer-buehler
Member

I just picked up some Joyce Rice pieces that I heard at HarpCon and they definitely have some interesting harmonies with a minimum of lever changes!

August 19, 2010 at 1:42 am #158610

rod-c
Participant

Alissa:

Jan Jennings has a nice book of pop tunes. It’s called: Pop Standards for the Lever Harp. Most online music stores will have it.

Here’s a link. http://www.aharphaven.com/store/product_detail.asp?alpha=2088

It has songs like Unchained Melody, Theme from Ice Castles, Can’t Help Falling in Love…

The arrangements are for lever harp; if you’re an intermediate student, you will be able to play these pieces. I have the book and really like it.

Best,

Rod C.
Author

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