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http://www.ukharp.net/ Hope this helps!
I do several versions of scales with the metronome on, and increase the speed to the point where I am challenging myself. I throw in some chord inversions, hand-over-hand arpeggios, Salzedo’s Conditioning Exercises, one-handed arpeggios, then if I have time, I’ll open up Larivière at a random page. I also use bits of tricky orchestra parts or concertos as warm-ups sometimes.
http://www.ukharp.net/ Hope this helps!
Cliona Doris
As far as I know, Salzedo did not write cadenzas for this concerto. He inserted the Reinecke cadenzas (with cuts, I believe).
I love these books by Philip Johnston. I already have his first two but i may have to get this one too.
Yes, Sam, you’re right. For memory, you have to play slowly enough to really observe what is going on. Practising requires different strategies for different goals.
I find that harp gatherings and conferences are a great way to experience lots of new or unfamiliar repertoire. I keep a pen handy and write down my comments about the pieces I like in the margins of the programme so that I don’t forget afterwards. Usually, the music that is featured is being sold at the exhibits, too.
If you want to find a room-mate, no problem! We are happy to help find you someone to share a room with. Email whc2011-registration@icsevents.com or helene@icsevents.com and they will help you find someone to share with.
There’s a very pretty Intermezzo for Flute and Harp by Michael Conway Baker, which is intermediate level. Your flute-playing friends probably all have books of repertoire with piano parts, and many will work on the harp. Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits by Gluck works well. The Meditation from Thaîs by Massanet is for harp and violin, but can be done on flute. Bizet’s Intermezzo from Carmen is for flute and harp. If you google flute and harp or look for it on Youtube you will probably get many ideas.
Though not harp-specific, I highly recommend Philip Johnston’s The Practice Revolution or Not Until You’ve Done Your Practice (for the younger kids). I also love Dr. Carrol McLaughlin’s Power Performance. As far as recordings go, there are so many to choose from and now you can browse the internet and listen to some tracks before buying.
To build up speed, take a very small section of music and play it as fast as you can, hands separately, and stop. Gradually, you will train your fingers to move more quickly than they are used to. Once you have done this with only one hand at a time, you can put a bar together at this high speed. By building these little “bricks”, you can connect them and eventually get the whole phrase, then the whole piece, up to speed. Your muscles and tendons cannot be pushed past their current limitations, but you can expand these limitations with this method. It takes some time, though. If you try to rush this process too quickly, you can hurt yourself, so give yourself lots of time to learn the piece. The other impediment to speed is simply not knowing what comes next. Once a piece is memorized, it is much easier to play it faster.
