This article extra is part of the feature article A New Attitude About Etudes in this issue.

Making etudes part of your daily study starts with finding the right collection for you. Check out these lists of etude books for beginners to advanced harpists. While not a comprehensive list, you’ll find most of the collections harpists use in their daily development.

Beginning to intermediate etude books

Bochsa & Swanson; ed. Carl Swanson and Judy Ross, Bochsa Revisited: 40 Easy Etudes, Op. 318 Volume 1. Edited and updated versions of these famous études, with variations and technical tips. Lever and pedal.

Anne Sullivan’s desert island etudes

“I love etudes of all kinds, and I use a rotation of them in my practice. But if I had to choose only three etudes to keep me and my harp company on a desert island, these are the ones I would choose, and some alternatives if you don’t want to work that hard.”

Anything by Bach. Bach’s music engages my mind and my soul and there’s nothing better for my fingers. I work through the Bach/Grandjany etudes regularly. (Alternative choice: Six Chorales by Bach arr. Lucien Thomson. Suitable for lever harp.)

Etudes from Salzedo’s Modern Study of the Harp. These etudes are technically challenging and musically complex and rich. (Alternative: Treasures of the Celtic Harp, by Kim Robertson.)

La Source by Albert Zabel. I never get tired of playing those rich, rippling arpeggios. (Alternative: Nataliana, by Deborah Henson-Conant. Arpeggios and much more. Lever or pedal harp.)

Bouchaud, Doming: Harpe d’or. A thoughtful collection of short pieces and etudes to develop beginning technique. Lever and pedal.

Damase, Jean-Michel: 10 Etudes faciles et progressives. Ten easy to intermediate studies with the distinctive Damase sound. Lever and pedal.

Grossi, Maria: Method for the Harp (Metodo per Arpa) with the addition of 65 easy and progressive little studies by Pozzoli. Nicely graduated exercises and études with a pleasant musicality. Lever and pedal.

Shaljean, Bonnie: Etudes for Concert or Celtic Harp. 33 studies by Shaljean, Czerny, Krumpholz, Nadermann, Godefroid, Weippert, Bochsa and others, edited, transcribed and arranged by Bonnie Shaljean. Lever and pedal.

Van Campen, Ank: Tutor for the Celtic Harp. A collection of exercises and etudes for adult or children beginners. Lever and pedal.

Intermediate to advanced etude books

Alberti, Freddy: 10 etudes progressives et techniques. These études are designed to enhance speed and agility in addition to musical sensibility. Lever and pedal.

Bochsa, R. N. C: 50 Etudes, Op. 34. In two volumes. Challenging etudes in the 19th century style. Pedal.

Concone, Luigi: 30 Etudes Progressives. In two volumes. Progressive in difficulty and challenging. Pedal, and some suitable for lever harps.

Damase, Jean-Michel: 12 Etudes. Tuneful intermediate études. Pedal.

Dizi, Francois Joseph: 48 Etudes for harp. Advanced intermediate studies. Pedal.

Pozzoli, Ettore: Studies of Medium Difficulty. Etudes that are musical as well as technically challenging. Pedal.

Kastner, Alfred; ed. Kathy Bundock Moore: 25 Easy Studies. Intermediate level studies that are musically interesting. Lever and pedal.

Lawrence/Salzedo; Method for the Harp. Contains 15 preludes that develop finger and harpistic techniques, including the famous Chanson dans la nuit. Pedal.

Shaljean, Bonnie; 12 Preludes for Concert or Celtic Harp. A valuable collection of original etudes in a variety of keys and styles. Lever and pedal.