Re: The Worst Harp Player

[unknown-user]

I think you might only find Ruthenia in a historical atlas, or a very detailed one that gives regional names. It is somewhere toward the southeastern Polish border, and was once briefly independent, I think. Don’t sweat it, and watch some Marx Brothers movies like Animal Crackers.

I haven’t been feeling all that well lately, and I noticed that it does affect what I post, so I apologize for ruffling so many feathers and putting so many beaks out of joint.

The question of plagiarism is an interesting one. Composers often borrow from each other, but usually just fragments of this or that. Grandjany must have felt he transformed the material enough that it couldn’t be considered an arrangement or transcription, or something else. I never heard of Glissando before. Holywell or Morley are the only sources I know of in England.

I am getting much too busy now, putting the Harp Music Festival of Philadelphia together, so I won’t be able to post anymore, or shouldn’t, until this summer.

The question of recording time is complicated. Recording is the first step, editing is the second and more time-consuming and expensive, then production. I was offered a session by a good label, but they wanted me to record everything in two afternoons on consecutive days. I had to pass on it, because I knew I needed more time or more time between sessions. I think it takes several hours, perhaps eight or more to produce a one-hour cd. Studio costs vary considerably depending where you go. It could be anywhere from $40-$150 an hour, and 10-40 hours of editing time at the same rate. If you are signed to a major label, they may not charge for the recording time, but they may charge it against your royalties. It is much cheaper to record in Eastern Europe, but you have to get there, and bring your harp along. That’s what I know about recording.