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Thanks, Susan. I do not have very much training in Music Therapy, but I have played harp for many people in the hospital, including ICU, in nursing homes, and for persons under Hospice care. One needs to be very attentive and watchful of the person/persons being played for. If they are able to respond, they may ask you for a certain piece, song, hymn, or style of music they like. I learned long ago that if you are playing for a certain person and other people are in attendance, it is probably not a good idea to let the others make requests–you are playing for the one who is ill or under Hospice care. The exception of course would be if someone told you the favorite piece of the person you are playing for–I have had that happen, and have had good response from the patient when they recognized their favorite piece.
Others more knowledgeable than I may respond, and I look forward to reading their posts.
My best to you all,
BalfourWelcome to another male harpist! So glad you are enjoying Harp Column–I love it too. Where else could you find this kind of a community of caring harpists who are so varied in the types of harps and music they play? Some of us are “old” and some very young, as it takes all types and ages of people to “make the world go around.” Please tell us more about yourself–cute profile picture, by the way! My sweet wife and I love ducks!
My very best to you,
BalfourHello, Athena,
I think your idea of the Celtic selections for that setting would be very nice. Sylvia Woods has several books of her own arrangements that would be very useful, I think. I use them as “Fake Books,” adding my own improvisations to help make them interesting, but many of them are nice just the way they are in her books. Her Disney collection has proven to be one of my most-used resources, too!
Best thoughts,
BalfourI enjoyed listening to The Eternal Dreamer on YouTube last evening. It is indeed gorgeous, Carl! I know I had it in a collection, but I cannot put my hands on it. I guess it is “old age” setting in, ha, ha! I have been retired from teaching for over two years, now, and I did give my last remaining students a lot of my music, to neaten up this little house. Now I wish I had some of that music back–it always happens! 🙂
Best regards to all of you, and thanks for helping make this a stimulating forum,
BalfourCarl,
Do you have an edition of The Eternal Dreamer that you would share? I cannot seem to find mine–probably lost in a move or lent to a student who did not return it!Thanks, and it is so good to read all the posts from everyone!
BalfourWhat I meant to say was “the pedal position makes the C flat when you play the C string” and you just accept that without trying to play the B string. I hope this makes sense, now!
What great posts, friends! An interesting addition concerning my C flat–B natural mental “hang-up” on the harp–I have no problem whatsoever with F flats being E’s! I guess everyone has their own little problems. I just have to get my head straight and play C’s when I see C flats, no matter what the pitch is by the pedal position.
I had just played the Offrande on the piano to see what that chord in M. 4 actually sounded like with the B natural and the B flat at the same time, so I was still in that “mode” when I tried it on the harp and kept playing B for C flat. I finally did what Gretchen suggested and rewrote the chord with the C flat, and now I don’t miss it! Thanks, Gretchen!
I agree about Salzedo’s harmonic indications in the wrong octave also–I have to rewrite them to show where to actually play them so I don’t play them in the wrong place!
On the other hand, if you play the Offrande on the piano, notice the harmonics. You have to play them “up an octave” to hear what they would sound like on the harp! This would be true of all harmonics written in the “normal” manner.
My best to all of you,
BalfourI think, after considering all these “requests,” that I will have to say that I believe “Happy Birthday” to be the absolute winner–the most-requested piece ever! What do you all think?
Gretchen, after practicing that spot a hundred times, it is now smooth–my C flat sounds as good as my C natural, ha, ha!
Carl, I will have to dig out The Eternal Dreamer and the Berceuse Russe and relearn them. Both are very beautiful!
Tacye, that was “food for thought.” I have always had to explain to students about the correct notation for something, regardless of what it sounds like, or looks like. One of my favorites is the fully diminished 7th chord. The interval from the lowest note to the highest is a Major 6th. It is, indeed, and sounds like a Major 6th. But it is written as a diminished 7th interval, as in from C up to B double-flat instead of A. (from C to B is a 7th, from C to A is a 6th) Therefore, the harp student would expect to see an A there, not a B double-flat, which is “impossible” on the harp.
Carl had a good point. The great composers had to write in conventional theory/harmony notation, not misspelled notes for the harpist! It would always be a good idea to see the original which was written in accepted notation, then compare it to the edited version for the harpist which is written to make pedaling easier!
I personally find it hard to play a C flat on the harp, because keyboardists have to automatically play a B there, so my tendency on the harp is to play a B string when I see a C flat. Gretchen, that is what made that spot awkward for me–I just had to get my head straight about it, ha, ha!
My best to all of you,
BalfourHi, Gretchen and Carl! I just saw your “multiple posts,” and that has to be the only practical solution. I appreciate both of you offering this great advice. I will practice it and get it smooth, after I memorize it, of course!
Best to you both,
BalfourSorry, Lyle, I have only played a Chicago Concert Grand, not a Concertino. The CG was a very nice harp, especially for the price, with a smooth, even tone throughout the range. The Concertino is a very nice size, more like my 85GP, but with all 47 strings instead of 44. I hope someone else will reply and share their thoughts!
Best wishes,
BalfourThanks so much, Gretchen, but I could not get that to work satisfactorily. There is a beautiful C natural sounding in the RH of M. 16, followed by a C natural in the LH on the “and” of the 5th beat and tied to the 6th beat! I had to change to C flat on the first beat of M. 17, which was not entirely smooth. This applies of course to M. 4, and M. 3 has a beautiful C natural on beat four, sounding until M. 4. I will keep practicing it to see if I can get it smooth. Anyone else have ideas?
Gratefully,
BalfourI agree whole-heartedly, Biagio–Music Makers always has great service! I did not build my Large Gothic from a kit, so I do not have experience with doing that, but they built her beautifully!
Hello, Hearpe and all,
I think you got a really good deal on that little harp for $299! In view of that, you really should keep it and enjoy making beautiful music on it. It does look really nice in your photos, and the neck and pillar look strong. My Large Gothic 36-string has a little “lean” and “curve” in her neck and pillar now, so it is completely normal for harps to do this. Now this problem does not seem like such a big deal, and I am sorry that I advised you to send it back without considering all the facts.
Enjoy playing this little beauty!
Warmest regards,
Balfour
