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If you like stability of the Manhasset, but want to protect your harp, I have found no better stand than the Portastand “Troubadour” model. It’s covered in cordura. If you buy the optional cordura lip cover (which I would recommend), then the entire shelf is covered. I take it to gigs and it also can go up high enough for a violinist for example. You can often find the stand cheaper on other sites, but the lip cover I had to buy directly from portastand.
For something more modern and fun, I love Toward the Sun (there are several videos out there so you can check it out): https://www.harp.com/product/toward-the-sun-2-harps-1-pedal-1-lever/
I bought a Red Eye after seeing Martha Gallagher perform with hers. It does a great job with my 5-octave Dusty (which has a pickup installed), and it’s easy to use. There is a version for two instruments called the twin: https://www.fire-eye.com/new-page
The Nightingale is sweet, but might not be too challenging for you. For peaceful music, I really enjoy “The Dawning of the Day” collection by Laurie Rasmussen; she has a CD of the same name so you can hear samples. For more varied music, the suite “Blue Dream World” by Inge Frimout has some beautiful movements (and some that have more energy); perfect for lever harp at a more intermediate/advanced level. I also highly recommend Swan LK 243 by Catriona McKay (should be easy to listen to online): http://www.catrionamckay.co.uk/scores/the-swan-lk243.html
Whitney Dobyns’ “Christmas Present” collection is excellent. There are interesting harmonies and more driving rhythms (particularly The Holly and the Ivy) that are real crowd-pleasers. Mitch Landy’s “A Christmas Medley” is also very good and well received when I have performed it; best of all, if you play the whole suite, you end up with several minutes of music. I know Melody’s carries both of those.
And Elizabeth, I should have included your wonderful collection of solos for level/pedal harp, which includes Damselfly and The Downstairs Spider, two of my favorite pieces!
Hi Carl, if you let me know when the lever harp edition is available, I can post something on the Yahoo harplist for you. It’s an online forum. I choose not to have the e-mails delivered to my e-mail inbox, so I just read them online, but it does give you the option to receive them as a digest. You do have to join the group to post, but it’s not too hard to do that. However, like I said, I’d be happy to post something for you! I’ll watch for the edition when it comes out. Will Melody’s carry it? That’s a store that carries a lot of lever harp music!
Carl, I’m very excited about the lever harp edition. Have you considered submitting a copy to the Folk Harp Journal when it’s ready so that it can be reviewed in an upcoming issue? That would be a great way to get the word out to the lever harp community (in addition to the Yahoo harplist).
I can recommend some more intermediate to advanced original lever harp music. Some of these are from European composers, but they are not hard to find online to order and they are well worth it:
Blue Dream World – suite by Inge Frimout; beautiful music in a high-quality publication (with artwork), and each piece can literally flow into the next and she lists the planned lever changes as you go. It comes with a CD of the entire suite. I love this one!
Laura Zaerr – she writes amazing complex music just for lever harp. “A Living Tradition” is an easier collection compared to her others, like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Wondrous Rivers and Viewpoints”. You sometimes need to write in the lever changes on her music, but it’s worth it and not hard to figure out. For an example of her music, listen to River Right Rhumba.
Kathryn Cater – Grassy Fields is one of her more challenging works. A Walk in the Woods, My Gallery, and all of her animal-themed books are interesting intermediate pieces, with different styles. Don’t be turned away by the kid-friendly covers on her music books!
Performance Solos for the Harp – by Jeannie Chenette. I use her Progressive Solos book with my adult beginners, but the Performance Solos book is at the intermediate level and has great pieces.
Blue Orchid – by Savourna Stevenson; this composer has been writing challenging music for lever harp for quite a while, but is less well known in the US. You can find a few videos on youtube to get an idea of her style. I know Creighton’s Collection carries her music (and some of the other harder to find collections).
Swan LK243 – by Catriona McKay; available as a download on her website (includes both intermediate and a gorgeous advanced version)
Valentia Suite – by Michael O’Sullivan (Fat Rock Ink). I would get the hard copy if you’re buying the whole suite; I particularly like The Coombe Road – Session at Fintan’s (a full video of that piece is on youtube)
Nataliana – by Deborah Henson Conant (Spanish style piece, no lever changes, but it is challenging)
Latin Groove – by John Metras
Easy Swing – by Jakez Francois, includes a ragtime piece!
Phosphorescence – by Alys Howe
Ratatouille – by Clemens Krijger; an unusual book with illustrations; each piece is only a page long, but in a different style and very interesting. It comes with a CD.One thing to consider, which has nothing to do with sound, is that only a new harp bought from Dusty or from a licensed store will give you the 5-year warranty.
I had a student be my page-turner for weddings so that she could observe and also servie a practicel function that was easy to explain to the couple
Many of Kathryn Cater’s works are fun, harpy, and just 2 pages long, and her pieces are in all different styles.
Several places to buy them (a few listed below), I don’t see a package deal though:
http://www.thorharp.com/pages/cd.htm
http://www.folkharp.com/taxonomy/term/705/0
Buy directly from Pamela here: http://pamelabrunermusic.com/harp_books.phpFrom what I’ve seen of the books, you
