From l. to r.: Nadia Birkenstock’s “Valse dans les Vignes” is “charming;” Diana Stork’s “Dangerous Waters” is now available as a solo and a harp and cello duet; and Sylvia Woods has made the Beatles classic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” accessible on lever and pedal harp.

For those who play both lever and pedal harp, it’s convenient to have music that can be played on either instrument. Most lever harp music can be played on pedal harp, but the reverse is not usually true. Here are two original compositions as well as a Beatles classic that will accommodate both types of harp. 

Nadia Birkenstock has written and published a charming piece for lever (or pedal) harp, “Valse dans les Vignes.” Lever harps will need B strings tuned to flat. Inspired by the Alsatian Vineyards in the northeast of France, the composer intended this to serve not only as an uplifting concert piece, but also as an etude for the left hand. 

It is available through Harp Column Music where you can listen to a recording, and you can also find a video of Birkenstock performing it on YouTube. The music covers the range from fifth-octave B to first-octave F. There are just two lever or pedal changes, but there are no markings for them. The first one is easy to execute on lever harp, but the second one requires a very quick, last-second lever flip.

An eight-measure intro precedes the lilting main theme. The theme includes some delicate grace notes for ornamentation. This theme returns several times, sometimes in D minor and sometimes in F major. These major and minor themes are interwoven by sections that include meter changes (2/4 and 3/4), an ostinato in the right hand, and left-hand harmonics. 

There is no fingering suggested. The left hand often plays a I–V–I pattern. The left hand also plays various scale patterns of eighth notes that require accuracy and facility to play cleanly. The music is suitable for the intermediate to advanced player. It ends in F major. 

“Valse dans les Vignes” has an upbeat vibe throughout all seven pages. Have a listen and hear for yourself. 

Diana Stork wrote a piece for harp several years ago called “Dangerous Waters,” but it was never sold commercially. It is now available not only as a solo, but she recently released a new version for harp and cello. The cello part was written by Dan Reiter, principal cellist of the Oakland Symphony. The harp part can be played alone as a solo, and it is a striking piece, but it sounds much more ominous and powerful with the cello. The cello adds a foreboding presence—as if something menacing is lurking. Reiter used a motif several times of two adjacent notes going back and forth that is reminiscent of the theme from the movie Jaws.

Stork describes this modal composition as containing elements of African polyrhythms, flamenco scales, and soulful melodies. There are no lever or pedal changes, so the harp part is suitable for both lever and pedal harp. It encompasses the range from first-octave A down to fifth-octave G. Fingering is not provided. The left hand often has to cross over the right hand at a very swift tempo. The time signature changes several times, and it is a little rhythmically challenging. It is energetic and fast-paced. For these reasons, this music is most appropriate for the intermediate to advanced player. 

Downloads are available from several vendors as well as Harp Column Music where you can listen to the solo harp part, the cello part, or the harp and cello version. Print versions are also available directly from the composer through her website, harpdancer.com. An urgent intensity pervades the five-plus minutes it takes to play, and the two instruments complement each other. If you’d like to add some drama to your repertoire, try “Dangerous Waters.” 

Sylvia Woods has done a terrific job arranging George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Okay, so one arrangement is not interchangeable with the lever and pedal harp for this one. But, you get three separate arrangements when you purchase this: one for lever harps tuned to C major or F major, one for lever harps tuned to B-flat major or E-flat major, and one for pedal harp. 

The pedal harp arrangement and the C and F-tuned lever harp versions start out in A minor, transition to A major, and go back to A minor. For lever harps tuned to B and E-flat, the music starts in G minor, transitions to G major, and back to G minor. For both lever harp versions, several levers are pre-set at the beginning of the piece to accommodate the key changes with a minimum of lever movements. In fact, only four levers are moved during the piece, and they are easy to manage. Woods uses both written instructions and diamond-shaped notes to indicate the lever changes. The lowest note is sixth-octave C, but that can easily be moved up an octave for harps without those low strings. 

For the pedal harp version, the pedal changes are marked below the staff. Chord symbols are provided above the staff on all versions. This facilitates embellishment for those who like to improvise, although this must be done cautiously on lever harps with various levers pre-set throughout the harp. Fingering is included as are lyrics within the body of the music. For those unfamiliar with this haunting tune, the lyrics help the player to put the emphasis on the melody. 

The arrangement is not difficult and should be playable by an advanced beginner or lower-intermediate player. Kudos to Sylvia Woods for expanding the pop repertoire for all harpists. •