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Try “The Sleep of the Infant Jesus” by Henri Busser (France). It has many upward glissandos for harp, and soaring notes largely on the upper two strings, for violin. In another style, an Argentine Tango by Carlos Gardel called “Por Una Cabeza”, published by Herald Music for violin and harp. Both pieces are carried by major harp music dealers.
If you want a version used at Eastman School of Music, look for “Sight Singing Manual” by McHose and Tibbs, published by F.S. Crofts & Co., New York. There we sat in Theory classes for more than one year, making the conductor’s beat with the right hand, tapping the background of the beat on our desks
Take a look at the well-known piano books: A Dozen a Day”, by Edna Mae Burnham. They are published in at least 5 levels, from Primer to Level Four.These are short, tuneful exercises, sometimes two or three to a page, with clever titles like Fit as a Fiddle and Ready to Go, Shivering in the Shower, Up and Down Stairs, and so on. The charm of the exercises, which build technique on either piano or harp, is enhanced by the fanciful stick-figures, which illustrate each exercise and relate to everyday life. Adapt the printed fingering as needed. Give “stickers” for even moderate performance; she is in lessons with you for enjoyment, not to endure an ordeal
Sherry, my own opinion, not learned anywhere or read in print, but useful to me in my own harp study and teaching: if that second phrase is not exactly like section A, then it must be A’. If the similar phrase is used later in the same piece but slightly altered from A and A’, I call it A”. Perhaps this would work for you also.
Candy,
The maker of your harp has apparently used this wood before and is familiar with its tonal qualities, so he would be the one to ask about that. I happen to have
Students are so different from each other. Emphasize what Catherine brought up: she’s only competing with herself. She didn’t use good practice discipline when she missed lessons due to snow etc., so she will reap the result of those actions in this audition. Her parents need to bring her to at least one extra, paid lesson if she is so excited about playing and doing well. Let the next-to-last lesson before the event be as much like the event as possible, with a stranger there listening, the allotted time given, and you, her teacher, writing down an honest evaluation, even wearing a different hat and calling yourself “Mrs. Brown, the Adjudicator” for example,
Besides Katherine’s good sources above, a harp composer could look into Lucille Lawrence’s “The ABC of Harp Playing”, pages 41 through 68, and also Henriette Renie’s “Complete Method for Harp, Second Book (English translation by Geraldine Ruegg), pages 205 through 225. Examples are given of difficult sections or poorly written ones
William,
Both Barbara Brundage and Phyllis Schlomovitz have written easier versions of some lovely Debussy harp solos. Your teacher can surely guide you in finding these through the catalogs of major harp music dealers. Salzedo arrangements tend to be a bit daunting for someone new to pedal harp and in your age group.
Hello Mr. Tolosa,
I am sure that if you post the area in which you live and play, the country, state and city,
Jan, when I needed a proper shipping container for a Troubadour lever harp, I contacted nearby dealers in those harps. I recall it cost somewhere near $100. including shipping. You could contact a dealer such as Virgina Harp Center in Midlothian, Virginia, to see if they have a shipping container for your harp. Or, call Blevins harps and ask for contact to another harp dealer near you.
Sam, it is passionate people like yourself who can accomplish wonderful things! Since this is a strong interest, contact several sources to reach your goal: Roslyn Rensch, Susann McDonald, Sally Maxwell (she was in charge when the Eugene Chapter (Oregon)
Molly, if you go to the link below, here is a youth orchestra conducted by Gustave Dudamel, playing that piece:
To quote briefly from the book “Henriette Renie, Living Harp” by Francoise des Varennes, translated under the direction of Susann McDonald, and published by Music Works-Harp Editions, Bloomington, Indiana:
“This book is not intended as a complete biography. It is an adaptation of programs broadcast in France”.
“Her private recordings are reassembled in two cassettes”
p. 98-99: Starting in 1926, she participated in the first radio broadcasts from the Eiffel Tower, and she made a number of recordings, first for Columbia, then for Odeon……Nevertheless, within three months all of her recordings, comprising
