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Hi, Jeffrey. Yes, these were really popular, but for now the only way to get one would be if you can find a used one. His daughter, harpist Becky Nissen, said a few years ago that his family were planning to start production again, but as far as I know nothing ever came of it. There are lots of people who’d like to put this cart back into production, but the rights to the design are with his family.
If you want to try to contact Becky to see about the current status, she’s in Myrtle Beach. She used to be at myrtlebeacharpist.com, but I don’t think that site is current anymore. She is on linkedin (as Rebecca Nissen).
You’re welcome, Kailee. I forgot to mention that if you feel brave enough to try to figure out your own version, there are also a couple of people who’ve recorded their own lever harp editions (not published, as far as I know). Carol Thompson and Susan Scott both have lever recordings in itunes, and there may be others.
Hi, Shelby. The first thing to do is take the harp into another room to be sure it’s not a sympathetic vibration from something else in the room. They can seem to be coming very clearly from a particular point in the harp sometimes.
Hi, Kailee. There are actually about four published versions for lever harp now. I have one, Adlais has one, and there’s at least one other, maybe two. I don’t care for some of the suggestions in the RCM syllabus–with a little effort you can play the whole piece, although the levers are challenging at the end of the last variation. For the ABRSM they require the Adlais lever harp version, which I haven’t seen, since I’d already figured it out, so I don’t know how that compares to the RCM suggestions.
Kathy is very good at this, but I must confess I’m absolutely abysmal at it, even after a lesson on them with Grainne. She did try to console me by remarking that pedal harpists often have a hard time.
Another good audience piece that uses this to much effect is Laura Zaerr’s Celtic Concerto.
Just out of curiosity, Sam, are you using windows? I’ve noticed that there’s usually a considerable difference in google results on windows vs. mac, although I’ve never been sure just why that is.
You know, Sam, google is your friend:
>Rhapsodie pour la harpe, Opus 10 (1923) by Marcel Grandjany (1891-1975) The Rhapsodie marked Grandjany’s debut as a composer of solo works of symphonic conception. Its intended use was as a recital opener to “impose the harp,” as his teacher Renié, to whom the work is dedicated, had advocated. The theme of the Rhapsodie is based on a Gregorian chant (Salve Festa Dies) which is sung at the conclusion of the Easter Vigil for the newly baptized. To a devout Roman Catholic, this melody has enormous emotional significance – it is Grandjany’s love song to his Mother Church, but as with all of his compositions, it transcends traditional music for the harp and reaches, through its large design, emotional input, and appropriate technical challenges, another plane rarely visited in our repertoire.
and there’s a great deal more info available, too.
Easily, no. Doable, yes. Not something to try at home, but if you want to spend the money and you can find a harp tech who will do it, it’s possible. I forget the hole situation with those old levers, but most likely it will be necessary to fill the holes where they attached and make new ones for the newer levers.
Unfortunately, the manuals for the cube amps specifically say not to use rechargeables, although I’m not sure why.
Keep in mind that the limo weighs as much as most lever harps–that’s one heavy amp!
If you have a pedal harp, Eleanor’s arrangement is very nice and not difficult. There’s a key change that makes it very tricky with levers, though.
As a followup to Catherine’s post (thanks, Catherine!) you can get just the Romanza as a download from harpcenter.com, if you don’t want the whole book.
