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Alison was just looking at the specs for the delight and couldn’t believe it’s only 10.6 lbs! that’s amazing, they sound very nice on the demo too, and pretty.. congratulations..
would you get a double strung over a cross strung Allison? They both look really hard to play to me .. I have trouble with single strung most of the time : )
congratulations on your new harpmobile! sounds like good protection from crazy drivers. I was hit by a big pick up truck from the rear a couple of years ago, it drove right over the top of the back of my car.. never will I drive a small car again. The Yoga and chair mats are great ideas to protect the harp in a car.. thanks.
thanks Jennifer, I don’t think I would enjoy a lap harp if I had to be very focused on holding it steady, which makes them trickier to play than a floor harp. I don’t like the look of legs on lap harps much so that’s why I was thinking of the knee bones. I saw a picture of someone playing a Shanti with the knee bones and that harp looks huge to balance like that. I’d like that workshop with Harper Tasche it would be ideal to play a small harp comfortably without needing legs or knee bones. I’ve seen video’s of people playing them while seated on the floor and that looks fun.
I never understood why my stave backed Dusty feels like a larger harp than it is. I didn’t notice that it’s wider at the top. It makes a difference to sit at exactly the right height, If I sit a little too low it’s awkward. Guess I know why that is now : )
I love the way children think, a golden harp! Do you find the knee bones make the Christina more comfortable to play? I like the delicate sound and they seem just the right size and shape for comfort.
Allison, I went to Somerset last year and it was a little overwhelming, and I didn’t have enough time… hopefully next year I will be able to take it all in. It’s amazing to see so many different harps and harpists all in one place!
Briggsie, I love the way you describe your “Eve’, how you were able to expose children to the Harp and how you played it for your Mom. I think a lap harps beauty lies in the memories we have of the people we shared them with and the experiences we have with them. It’s really wonderful that you were able to bring peace to your Mom by playing your harp. Thank you for sharing your harp and your story.
thanks Allison, your post made me smile.. I know you’ll find a nice lap harp someday. Your mention of bringing your harp to the creek is making me want Spring NOW!! can’t wait. May just get a good carrying case for the Aziliz so I can take it out more and try the harps at Somerset before choosing. Spring – Harp fever .. hope it’s not contageous
hi Patricia, yours sounds like a very special lap harp. I like the idea of getting a lap harp from an individual luthier rather than a factory harp, it makes it more personal. But I also like a couple of factory models. Looking at the bardic 22, which is tiny enough to take back packing, but not sure if I can find enough music to play on it, nice an bright for traditional too, and also the triplett Christina and the Lewis Creek Nightengale, which would make wonderful Therapy harps as well. As usual it comes down to a decision based on what I play to use the harp for, hope I can decide by spring, I have spring-harp fever : ) thoughts of playing the harp outside running rampant through my mind. I have the Aziliz which is wonderful for most circumstances though so not sure I really ‘need’ a lap harp.
Hi Jerusha, not on youtube but here is a sample clip from Amazon of Bouchaud playing it..
I’ve heard recordings of other arrangements and it’s just not the same.. you can play it as a sample without buying the song for .99 cents.. to hear the embelishments..hi Jerusha, Bochaud’s arr of Carolan’s Concerto is 2 pages, so for me that was a lot to memorize. It’s one of his trickier arrangements, I can’t find a good performance of it on youtube. Depending on the arrangement this tune could be anywhere from advanced beginner to advanced intermediate. His arr is probably med-adv intermediate. I’ve been working out of his Panorama de la harpe cetique vol 2 almost exclusively since August. One of my favorites is Roslin Castle. The grace notes in the hard version are chilling! His arr of Princess Royal in vol1 has harmonics and is so divine. . my biggest struggle has been not to work on too many tunes at the same time. I have not started with his Pieces Classiques Vol 5 yet, but am looking forward to it!
Andee, I struggle to keep songs under my fingers too. I used to spend all my time just trying to keep what I learned fresh and had no time to learn anything new! I think (hope) it gets easier over time to retain more, because I need focused time to work on new pieces too.. I’ve been trying to figure out just how much time I need to spend on the learned stuff to keep it, at this point I need to play a piece a couple times a week at least before it starts to deteriorate..
I’m glad to hear you play Carolan’s Concerto too, it’s long been a goal of mine, isn’t it a fun tune? I hope to learn to arrange tunes myself someday too.
Hi Jerusha, Stairway to Heaven sounds beautiful on harp, I’ll have to look at that arrangement. Lately though I’ve been caught up on Carolan’s tunes. I finally memorized Carolan’s Concerto! I had to stop working on everything else to get it memorized and was worried about loosing the other tunes I had under my fingers.. It’s fun to play it very fast but I am trying to slow it down and work on a couple rough spots. The arrangement I’m learning is Domining Bouchard’s. I want to memorize his arr of La chanson de la mariee next. I can’t seem to play this music fluidly unless I memorize. Also been working out of Harbison’s Level three and and the ornamentation in Blind Mary and memorizing The Princess Royal. Bouchard’s arrangements sound more contemporary, sometimes dark and jazzy and I like the way they sound on the Dusty. Harbison’s are so beautiful in their simplicity, they sound so bright and the melody really shines, her music is perfect on the Aziliz.. thanks for starting this thread Jerusha!
hi Jill, there are many rental programs, some of them have a low monthly fee, and although they are touted as rent to buy, you do not have to buy the harp, but if you do all or part of the money goes towards it. As far as your list goes, many of those things come with the harp, such as the dust cover and tuning key. Others are cheap and one time purchases that can be spread over time. Also if your daughter wants to play lever harp versus pedal harp the cost and maintenance comes down, nylon strings are cheaper than gut and break less, there are many variables. Your list looks like worst case scenario, as if she could be both a lever harp addict (guilty) and a pedal harp professional at the same time. It does not have to be as costly as your worst fears. Most of us fall in the middle, a nice little gently used pedal harp or a decent lever harp are all we require. Not all of us have big concert grands and SUVs to hall them in with multiple lever harps, matter of fact I don’t know of anyone who spends every dime on their harplust. We do tend to get carried away on this forum but this is a harp forum after all, who else would you expect to find other than the worst harp junkies here?
I wasn’t sure what it is about my Aziliz that I love most, so I held back on that one. Nine times out of ten it’s the harp I pick up rather than the Dusty. Why? because it is a fun harp to play, it makes me smile, the small size is very comfortable, and it’s pretty too. The salvarez strings are very responsive, round of tone, harp has a nice sound for any type of music from classical to jazz to traditional. It’s not drop dead gorgeous like the Dusty but it is a blast to play.
hi Jennifer, I just checked out Beth Kolle’s books and The Northern Folk harp has an accompanying CD. I enjoy unusual harmonies and modes, which is why I think I have been stuck on the french school sound for so long, so am looking forward to trying some of her books. I have two family members that I try to coerce into playing violin and mandolin with me and she has arrangements as you mentioned for harp and C instrument. Thanks for mentioning her books!
