What's On Your Music Stand? November 2019

[Jerusha Amado]

Hi Stardust,

I went to YouTube to look up Tiffany Schaefer. She has quite a number of instructional and harp music videos on her page, in case anyone else would like to check her out.
Here is a link to a video of three of her Christmas tunes, played at the intermediate level: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPmn5jNUT2Y
Thank you for telling us about her!

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Jerusha Amado.

[Jerusha Amado]

Hi Howard,

I agree that “Christ Child’s Lullaby” is very beautiful! It isn’t as well known as many Christmas tunes, but it definitely should be performed more often. I always include it in my Christmas harp gigs. I hope that you do learn it on the harp in the future!

[balfour-knight]

For anyone interested, I just found a simple, fake-book version of “Christ Child Lullaby” on p. 35 of A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS FOR HAMMERED DULCIMER by Maggie Sansone, published by Mel Bay. The book has neat Scottish-style melody arrangements of 28 carols. I have used it in the past for harp and hammered dulcimer duets, a very beautiful combination!

Happy Holidays,
Balfour

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

I’m playing the harp part for Engelbert Humperdinck’s Dream Pantomime from Hansel und Gretel this week. I did not know that this opera is a Christmas tradition in Germany, even though the only connection to Christmas is the gingerbread house that the witch lives in. So, if any of you have solo harp arrangements of Evening Prayer or the Sandman’s Song from this opera, they’re appropriate for Christmas! (I made my own arrangement quite some time ago of the Evening Prayer. It’s full of pedals, but it’s slow.)

[Jerusha Amado]

Hi Balfour!

A duet of hammered dulcimer and harp for “A Christ Child’s Lullaby” sounds so wonderful! Is there a video of this? I would love to see it!

Hi Elizabeth!

So good to hear from you!
I’m not familiar with “Evening Prayer” and “Sandman’s Song”. Are they at all doable for a 36-string lever harp?

[balfour-knight]

Hi, Jerusha and all!

Thanks for all your kind words. I do not believe there is a video on-line of me playing harp with the hammered dulcimer player, but, you never know! The videos “sneak” on there where I least expect them, you know!

Another favorite of mine for this time of year is “Lo, How A Rose,” very beautiful on pedal and Celtic harp. I do a variation of descending arpeggios (Hasselmans-style!) on the second or third verse. Be sure to use lots of fluid, rolled chords throughout the first verse, then maybe a short interlude before the descending arpeggios–it is very effective.

Happy Holidays and Harp Hugs,
Balfour

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

The Evening Prayer is too chromatic for a lever harp, I think.

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