Very advanced classical rep for lever harp

[barbara-brundage]

Hi, Anita. Besides my stuff there is “Telynn” by Houdy, Epices and Danses d’Automne by
Andres, a good deal of Hovahness, St. George’s Watch by Laura Zaerr. She has a piece in
‘Dancing with the Stars’ which is based on the big arpeggios in Au Matin. The 6th book of
‘Classiques de la harpe’ by Bouchaud includes “The Harmonious Blacksmith” and some
Bach and Sweelinck.

There is a huge amount of baroque music that can be adapted as well. Just listen to
someone like John Manno. Some of the pieces from the first stage of Israel last time were
written for hook harp and are quite playable on a lever harp although I personally find
them musically a bit tedious.

Unfortunately there aren’t a lot of big classical pieces published specifically for lever harp
yet. You’ll be surprised what you can do if you put your mind to it, but you’ll probably have
to do some arranging/adapting to get that amount of advanced music.

Other advanced arrangements of mine are the Loeillet and the Haydn Theme and
Variations (in 18th century music) and Rumores de la Caleta by Albeniz, which is in
Classics on Request 3.

[barbara-brundage]

Oh, I forgot to say that Anne Marie O’Farrell plays “Watching the Wheat” by John Thomas,
although I don’t know how. “The Minstrel’s Adieu’ is adaptable, of course. Also forgot to
mention the Glinka Variations if you drop the one in harmonics.

[barbara-brundage]

Oh, and don’t overlook the transcription of Soeur Monique in “Medieval to Modern.”

[anita-burroughs-price]

I am seeking classical repertoire for very advanced lever harpist. I
know of Barbara Brundage’s “Claire de Lune” and “First Arabesque.” It
needs to be musically substantial, not holiday related. The pieces
need to be over 3 minutes. We are building two 50 minute programs, so
I am grateful for your suggestions.

Thanks.

Anita Burroughs-Price

[Tacye]

The exam syllabi at http://www.abrsm.org and http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk (click on music) are graded repertoire lists which may give you some ideas, though the lever harp lists are less varied than for pedal.

[Laurie Muirhead]

Anita,

[anita-burroughs-price]

Thank you all for your gracious assistance. I have already ordered 11 new books.

Keep the suggestions coming!

Anita

[barbara-brundage]

For the Handel Concerto you might also look at the edition by Ank van Campen that Salvi
publishes. It’s a bit fuller. (You can play the first and third mvts of the Grandjany edition if
you omit the enharmonice doublings and subsitutions.)

[unknown-user]

There is also an excellent volume of serious contemporary music available for lever harp from the UK.

[barbara-brundage]

Another one that I forgot to mention is the Godefroid “Romance sans paroles (Bois
solitaire)”, which works very well indeed if you transpose it up a step. There are just two or
three places where you have to leave out the bottom note of an octave.

[Rachel]

I know this is an old thread, but it’s a great list of music.

[unknown-user]

The Rachmaninoff choral “Ave Maria” – play the piano rehearsal part on the harp as written – there are no lever changes – it is quite lovely

[Alison]

I can suggest Three Diatonic Preludes (Buxton Orr/OUP) and Deborah HC’s Natalia. Also you could find ideas in the Trinity and AB grade lists, at grades 7 and 8.
see http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=1054
and http://www.abrsm.org/?page=exams/gradedMusicExams/latestSyllabuses.html

[cynthy-johnson]

That YouTube version

[cynthy-johnson]

Oh, I just remembered … it was “Swan LK 243” by Catriona McKay

[Author]

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