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The whole idea of wind and water makes me shudder, are you sure the venue is safe for your harp, why not take a clarsach ?
I always start with 2nd fingers, then introduce the thumb and do ‘walking ‘ exercises for a few weeks, before any tunes. You can plan the process, but not the rate of progress and at that age her concentration won’t last more than 10 minutes . Teach her the alphabet of the scale and then keep reinforcing that so that she knows the names of the notes, No doubt you will have to undo what she has learnt on her own, I found the hand position and posture the most difficult to instill but with a lot of patience and persistence it seems to be working, but always needy of reminding. Read the paper on Kodaly on the web to understand why words and rhymes are so necessary, and just enjoy it! !
Listen to Garrighor Keillor’s quips about intrumental players, (quite a long monologue) and how he says that
well maybe but furniture is probably more forgiving or has legs and edges to take the jolts, the harp has a long back and so ask yourself, “how would you feel if it cracked” ?
There is very interesting survey published by JYA Huang of University Canterbury, New Zealand, which crystalises the kinds of steps which I can recognise and do almost by second nature when learning new music and indeed have wondered about their usefulness when passing them onto pupils. The comparisons between French and Salzedo methods very useful. Plenty of scope for new ideas and technique, too long to print, so browse online. It reveals why learning new material can be such a slow processand reinforces the particular challenges of learning harp music. It’s aimed at advanced players but I had used a few already in teaching a 6 year old (before finding this) and had pondered on just how much method she can benefit from (such as two hands together, moving to next location quickly) and retain.
I am always happy to break of from playing to explain and answer questions, but some guests try to mow you down and impale you. The very worst guest, was a guy who came over & told me he knew all about the harp and 8 pedals and who stood way too close. When asked to move he went round to stand on the other side,of the harp, again up close and in my line of sight thro’ the strings. He was determined to pluck a string and I particularly dislike the thought of a stranger’s sticky or slightly grubby hands on the harp. When I said not to as his hand encroached he asked why not? I was feeling very angry and worked up inside, so took a breath, calmed down and must have said “okay then” out loud as I was about to continue, at which point he thought he had my approval and reached out again. ‘No, don’t touch the harp”. He persisted “So what would happen if I did ?” and later once home I realised that the punch line for next time, is “well have you ever seen a harpist explode?” After that he stood towering over my stand right in my mental space but that I will not tolerate again.
and once the harp toppled over on a sideways incline and there was nothing on the exterior to grab, so I tied some lengths of of lightweight rope between the handles and they are still there.
I haven’t thought about redesigning the sections, but I have made reinforcements…. I agree the column velcro is too noisy when trying to unpack or leave. For the top, I made sleeve liners, one with horse rug canvas, the second sail cover material, so strong waxed cotton, to go over the mechanism first, length of say 2 feet in order to protect the covers from the tuning pins with extra padding to cushion/’absorb’ pins at the neck end and the crown end A long time ago I had the exterior of the cover reinforced with leather around the neck area, once the wear started and I think Salvi’s have copied my idea !!! I use foam pipe insulation down the edge of the soundboard which lies in the car, Pilgrims also sell similar. Plus I like more padding around the edges of the base which get rolled onto hard road surfaces etc as I load the harp. A quickie cover sounds like a good proposition,
A stool Danielle, only ever a stool, of a corresponding height for the size of your harp and the height of your upper body. Best go looking in second hand furniture shops or purloin from your family… I would warn you that a cup shaped stool with a lip is most uncomfortable on the underside of your thighs, so best to have a flat or round topped stool. I certainly have a collection of stools here.
Yes cracked it, as in broke the back of it, but not perfected; the advantage for me is that I listened to as a teen in the 70’s on Marisa Robles’ World of the Harp LP and 5/8 is never problem for me, like Grandjany’s Pastorale. In the C-minor, best not to fall into trap of playing a skippy tune but dwell or plod on the last two 1/8 notes. I love the lyrical section, so original and couldn’t get the two main themes outta my head so practised it compulsively, having purchased it 17th April. Chords are taking time to bed in but nearly there and the tricky moves are becoming familiar now. In truth there are probably still hesitations that wouldn’t pass in a performance. I don’t know La Del at all, will find it on youtube no doubt. Would like to hear Viejo Zortzico on the piano, where it probably belongs…
I also play in a brass band, the culture and attitude of some of the players irritate me and some of the arrangements are lousy, but I keep at it, simply because I’m still fond of the genre and I discovered when younger that playing music with others and sight reading, keeps your brain
To learn three against two, it’s easier to sit down and tap on the top of your thighs with a finger from each hand. This develops the motor skills. I picked this tip up from another classmate. The first piece. I remember distinctly, was in Grandjany’s Arabesque, probably with 3 in the right hand, and whenever I come up against a challenging one, or 3 against 4, I still use my legs to tap on. Your ears need to be able to listen to each hand seperately. A metronome can be useful to set one rhythm to think against , or if necessary, set two metronomes going and focus on each hand…!! However I reach for the metronome only very occasionally when I realise I am struggling, or need to check how slow I am against a marked tempo.
Playing an instrument which you can carry into the rehearsal room, at the last possible minute, is what I like to do…!
No stress, no unwrapping, no worries and a quick exit.
