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John, talk to the folks at Harp Centre Australia (http://www.harpcentre.com.au) about
Sherry, look at Exercise 32, page 138 in Grossi. I’ve renamed it Chorale in my copy, and for years suggested it to brides for bringing in the bridesmaids, before her chosen Processional. If played grandly, like a triumphal march, it has been so useful for that purpose. Then, played softer and more gently, it works well as a meditation piece elsewhere either in wedding or other church services, such as during Communion. Another exercise I’ve found useful is No. 14 on page 120. This is good in background settings, in-between easy-listening pieces that have a known title. To make it longer, simply modulate to a different key and start varying it a little. Helps to start students improvising, I’ve found!
Misty, sorry I don’t have a clear answer, especially as it’s a recession now in the U.S. and many students are dropping out these days from private music lessons. One thing you could try, however, is contacting a nearby elementary school and offering a free mini-concert and demonstration of the harp. Such an educational approach might bring a new student to your door. At the very first encounter, then, (mine are free) you could explain honestly the demands and delights of learning to play harp. I include snips of DVDs of accomplished players as well as of a young player,
Edella, you might also talk to the folks at Remenyi House of Music, in Toronto. Susana Remenyi emigrated from Hungary and is a fine concert harpist and teacher. Perhaps she will have information about dealing in harps, or perhaps that store doesn’t carry them, for a reason.
Tacye, in each American Harp Journal, published twice a year, there is a section entitled Recent Publications and Recordings. All printed music, audio and video recordings issued within the past three years are eligible to be listed. Recent issues have as many as four full pages listing these works, so it is where many of us scan the names of composers/arrangers/performers to find new music in which we might be interested. No review of each is printed; we might contact the printed source for more information, before a purchase.
Sidney, you are correct that there is one measure missing (Prelude No. 1 in C, by Bach/Kondonassis,in “The Yolanda Kondonassis Collection”, pages 24 and 25. But the missing measure belongs between
Are you in the USA or another country? That would affect the seller’s price, since outside the U.S the person selling the harp would have had to pay shipping and handling, and perhaps also customs duty. Inside the U.S. it is my opinion the price is too high for a Troubadour harp with no modern levers. In the 1970’s those harps had push-up levers that moved the string out of alignment with its neighbor. Easier to make mistakes plucking an unwanted string
A friend in another country ordered a Voyageur Harp from Musicmakers, with the lowest cost levers. The harp was then built for him by a guitar craftsman, very well, but within the first two months of playing, three levers broke. The company replaced them free, and their service was outstanding. However, please get first class levers, more expensive surely, but more reliable.
On the 19 inch screen on my desktop, using Sibelius 5, up in the toolbar there is not only a magnifying glass to click on, for adjusting the size of music, and also a zoom feature, but also a drop-down feature to select a particular percentage zoom factor. The music tould then appear as small as 12% or as large as 1600%. I’m wondering if this wide selection of magnification would satisfy you, even on laptop screens with a display of 13 or 15 inches.
Jade, yes, follow your passion for learning harp . Take lessons locally but also go to http://www.musictheory.net for a free interactive site so that your teacher’s lessons will become more meaningful. It would not hurt to invest in “Beginning Harp Book” and companion DVD by Phyllis Schlomovitz, to supplement weekly harp lessons. There are other DVDs out there but that late harpist studied with Henriette Renie in Paris and so her book reflects thorough pedal harp technique whereas the others seem to come from Celtic influences. The main thing to invest in, however, is your time at the harp. Try to break up your practice time into several sessions per day,
Three harp CDs I received this Christmas are special joys: one by a Puerto Rican harpist with some of my carol
