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My harp is a LH85 E and it is currently strung with Cancedo gut. I am very satisfied. They wear well, are easier for me to see, and they have survived adverse climate and lots of transporting of the harp this past year (the same strings haven’t been on the harp for an entire year). I would like to continue using them; only the expense keeps me from continuing to replace with Cancedo gut.
On a platform in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa; it turned out to be a beautiful day with a great view and the sound carried well.
I have at least 4 Robert Maxwell albums (yes, vinyl) and enjoy all of them. The harp sheet music I have of “Ebb Tide” shows a young, dashing Robert Maxwell and that is how I think of him.
Glad to hear of your good results from surgery, David Ice. Your arrangements are among my favorites and they get lots of mileage from me.
“Fascination” is in Ray Pool’s Fake Book. Also in the December 1979 issue of “Sheet Music Magazine.” Louise Trotter includes it in her “Easy Fake Book for Lever Harp.”
Harp has been taught in the Omaha (Nebraska) public schools for more than fifty years. Samuel Thomas was a music teacher who became the music supervisor for the district; his wife Mary Alice was a vocal music teacher and the harp instructor. Sam arranged, through the years, for the purchases of harps. I began my harp instruction (over 40 years ago) with Mary Alice as my first harp teacher.
While playing through a piece from a Laura Erb ‘pop’ harp book (now out of print) I recognized the main theme from Passacaglia at the beginning of the piece. Then her arrangement cleverly morphs into “Love is Blue.”
First–how do you get copyright permission for an arrangement? I realize composers such as Beethoven, etc. are no longer around but many of his works are copyrighted by publishers.
Karen C
Yes, I had a similar experience while playing for a garden wedding. There was a tornado watch (meaning conditions are right to produce a tornado).
Very advanced; may be observed on YouTube and other web sites: Alice Giles performing “The Crown of Ariadne.”
There is a book of harp solo pieces described as “for young musicians” that seems appropriate for advanced beginners or for someone wanting to use a variety of contemporary harp effects.
It is Haiku for the Harp by Susann McDonald and Linda Wood, c.1986, published by Music Works and available from Lyon and Healy at http://www.Harp.com for $15.00 (price I paid for it a year or so ago).
Some of the effects used in the solo pieces:
A. Hasselmans piece, “Will-o’the-wisp” (Follets) is in the collection Album of Solo Pieces for the Harp Volume I
Around 1968 Itzak Perlman stayed at our small State College (Wayne State College in Nebraska). He presented a recital and also gave lessons to the string majors. He ate with us in the cafeteria and friendly to all the students. It seemed “normal” at the time and now I am amazed that I had the opportunity to spend time with such an amazing person and performer.
Another time I was called to substitute for a harpist to play background music during a pre-nuptial dinner. The godmother of the bride was Tricia Nixon Eisenhower; she and David Eisenhower were at the dinner. Afterward she came up and asked me if I would like to hear a story about Ike & Mamie’s wedding and of course I responded, “yes.” She said Ike & Mamie Eisenhower had a harpist at their wedding (I think in Colorado) and they requested “Home on the Range” as one of the songs, because of having ranching backgrounds. What a great story, and I thought she was gracious to take the time to tell me. Most often a person doesn’t meet the honored guests when playing dinner music.
