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This arrangement is from Jill Justice. You can purchase the music from her website at Justicesystemmusic.com. I just purchased it myself a few weeks ago.
Hi Kay,
I was curious about the song you mentioned and checked youtube to see if I could find it. I’m not sure if this is the same version you heard but give it a try. About 18 seconds before the end of the video it shows the page of music by Hugh Hagood Hardy, a Canadian composer. I was able to freeze the frame and do a screen shot of the music. You might be able to do this too. It was written for piano but looks like it would work. Anyway, if you can’t find it anywhere else then this might be worth a try. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89KY-8Y6vK0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
You can also just go to youtube and type in Hagood Hardy Jennifer’s Song 1976?
Of course, if there is a copywright infringement by doing this, then I wouldn’t do it but I’m assuming its okay. Now that I think about it, it would be a lot easier to just buy the piano music and try to adapt it to harp.Sonya- I’m so excited for you! I just got my new L&H pedal harp this past July and I was also very nervous about tuning it. I did make a rookie mistake so I’ll share with you. I forgot to check that all the strings were properly positioned over the bridge pins. One of my bass wires had come off and when I was tuning I managed to break the string. I didn’t have a spare available either. Also, I got so anxious to get it tuned that at first I started tuning flat but forgot to make sure all the pedals were up. I had moved some of them when I was checking everything out and forgot to set them back to flat. It’s a wonder I didn’t break a few more strings. After my first tuning I didn’t have too much trouble keeping it in tune. I also only tuned once a day and it settled in pretty quickly.
So glad I posted. As I had hoped, I’ve gotten a lot of good suggestions from a variety of perspectives. Lyn and Tayce, you are correct about the perfectionist in me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told that by people. Not knowing any other harpists, I guess I have subconciously been comparing myself to my teacher. She has over 50 years of professional experience! What was I thinking? She always challenges me with new pieces and at the beginning I think to myself, “Oh, if I could just play that piece, I’d feel like a real harpist!” Then when I finally learn the piece I think I was crazy to think it was so hard and that I need something a little meatier to feel like a real harpist. I start the whole process over again with the next challenge.
I guess I was thinking that I had to be able to play like a professional (that is, as well as my teacher) to play in public. I suppose I do have some songs I could polish up and play: “Rouet”, “Gimblette”, and a couple of Salzedo pieces like “Song in the Night”, as well as the carols from the Sylvia Woods books. Several of you suggested I commit to a time and date for a public performance and stick to it. I think that is good advice. (Although, even if I play something in a nursing home I think I’ll pick someplace several counties away. Ha!).
Carl, thanks for reminding me about my practice technique. My teacher is a stickler for that. Too often I try to learn a piece just to be able to find the correct strings quickly enough to make the piece sound fluid. That doesn’t gain me much. My teacher won’t let me play past the first measure if I don’t play it with the proper technique. She always says she prefers I can only play a few measures using the proper technique over playing an entire piece from memory without the correct technique. So lately, I’ve slowed down and used pauses while watching hands and fingers more carefully. I think it is helping.
Finally, I’ll just share something with everyone. None of my friends or family (except husband and children) know that I’ve ever even touched a harp. I’ve kept it a complete secret! Maybe its time I invited them over and gave my first performance. (Gulp!)
Thanks again for everyone’s helpful replies. You all are the greatest! Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. I truly appreciate all the expert advice.
Andy, I’m so glad you mentioned this. I don’t know why I couldn’t find it before. I ordered it and am looking forward to trying it out. Sounds perfect. Thanks!
