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Just a note: Fb major is 8 flats, not 7, so you’d have to contend with playing all of your A flats and B double flats (A naturals) on the same strings.
I’d ask your violinist before you do that…string players would NOT like having to read in 7 flats (or even 5 sharps, enharmonically). They’re much happier in keys centered around their open strings (sharp keys, like the E Major it’s written in). Or just take it down to Eb Major if you must, but I’d just learn it as written…an average listener will not be able to discern a difference between the keys, and this way, you’ll know it in case you want to do it with a vocalist in the future in the published key.
ALG Worldwide Shipping handles all of Lyon and Healy’s shipping to and from the factory, so they are accustomed to dealing with harps. http://www.algworldwide.com.
Learning to read music is akin to learning a new language. You have to constantly reinforce what you’ve already learned, and build your skills from there. If you take a break in the learning process, you will regress rather than move forward. There are music theory books that can compliment your regular harp lessons, or “Notespeller” books that go along with piano books that may be helpful as well. I think one of the best ways to learn to read music is to internalize (read the notes, identify them, etc…), and then externalize your knowledge by writing your own music on paper or in notation software. This way you are directly applying what you have learned and forcing yourself to use your knowledge in an external manner.
I think many of us just learned how to read music at the same time we were learning to read words, so it’s just hard wired in to our brains since childhood in the same way English (or whatever first language we learned) is. The good news is that adults can learn very quickly, but you just have to be persistent and patient.
Learning any new “language” isn’t easy, but it’s not difficult either if you try and make daily progress on it. As an arranger, I’m always reminded of the challenges of reading music whenever I have to arrange for viola, which uses a “C” clef, and it makes me more sympathetic towards my students who are just starting to learn to read music (and for the young ones, words as well!). You will get there, but you have to be patient, and expect moderate, steady progress.
I would go to the craft/fabric store and get some foam padding, and either Velcro or sew it in to the top of the column cover for some extra padding. Then when you load in to the back of your car, load it on to thick foam (3″ or more) glued on to plywood with wheels, which will roll as you push the harp to load in. That’s how I do it, and have never gotten my 23’s gold column dinged up.
I have an intermediate level arrangement of Clair de lune published, available at all the regular harp music vendors (harp.com, Vanderbilt)
Debussy is listed under harp, flute, and strings, or just do a site search under “Clair de lune”. If you do a site search under “Wagner”, the Bridal Chorus and Wedding March will pop up. Same for “Handel Hornpype”. They’re easily found on harp.com (Lyon and Healy) also. Each arrangment will say, for example, Debussy/arr. Noel.
Hi Elena,
I have published arrangements of Bridal Chorus/Wedding March, Jesu/Hornpype, and Clair de lune arranged for harp with 1 – 3 instruments. They would all work well for your wedding; they are intermediate level and not difficult. Lyon and Healy and Vanderbilt carry them.
counts 1 and 2: 1/3 1/4, count 3 1RH 1LH, count 4 and 5 2RH 2LH, count 6 3RH 3LH, etc… Also at “I sall rock thee to my heart”, get some of those notes with the LH (count 2, etc…) by placing the A on count two RH with LH 1, and follow that pattern.. I hope that makes sense. These are Marjorie Call’s markings and they make the movement a lot easier to play.
Tuning your harp 25 cents higher than it was ever meant to be tuned will not only put much more stress on your neck and board than the harp was ever designed to take, but it will also probably
