Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Kay, Carl Swanson, with text and many pictures, has six pages of advice on how to carry and how to transport a pedal harp, in his book: A Guide For Harpists: Care, Maintenance, and Repair of the Pedal Harp. My copy is copyright 1984, published by Boston Editions, P.O. Box 1086, Boston Massachusetts 02146.
Jennifer, in my 1924 Wurlitzer catalog, there are pictures and descriptions of pedal harps with 43 strings (one), 45 strings (three), 46 strings (two) and 47 strings (two).. If you count the number of strings on your harp, that should narrow the identification down somewhat.Also, the two 47 string models would be offered with a “true Gothic” column, or a “Colonial” column. Of the three 45-string models, all veneered in curly maple and of “Grecian” column design, the highest note is “F” for two of the models, and “G” for the other one. The 46-string harps seem quite similar but one has more elaborate carving, and was more expensive by $200.
Christian, I don’t know and perhaps someone else will post the answer. However I listened to the song she sang over the internet just now, by putting the title into a search engine. You are so accomplished a musician that I think by listening a few times, you could do your own arrangement. The song is very repetitive and has easy harmony. Good luck!
Sharon,
Please let your orchestra director know of the 74-page book: A Harp in the School:A Guide for School Ensemble Directors and Harpists.” Published by American String Teachers Association in 2006, it is spiral-bound and has just what he/she needs, and also what a middle school harpist needs! It is available from the Bookstore section of http://www.astaweb.com, and after 6 very helpful chapters by contributing excellent harp teachers, the Appendix in the back is like a gold mine of information. Consider then, getting two copies and you will never regret it; it smooths the way for player and director. The harpist will gain much more than the private weekly hour-long lesson can hope to give, in the way of source information and helpful hints!
Amy, now that the Dilling lever harp is going to be in production again, according to its harpmaker, Arsalaan Fay, you might wish to contact him and be put on his waiting list. This is because Mildred Dilling, renowned “First Lady of the Harp” in the 1940’s and later, needed a more portable harp for accompanying a singer on a tour they would take, and found an excellent harpmaker/designer to make one for her with single action in the harmonic curve instead of all the machinery needed for a double action
Eliza, go to http://www.pilgrimharps.co.uk and click on Full Harp Index (their catalog of harp music).
The piano was “born” from the harp. I took a picture of a harp with the keyboard growing out of it, which is in a German museum. Later after that strange instrument, the harp part became horizontal, was surrounded by wood, and after a few other developments, became the “grand piano” model used today.
Zack, since you have internet, type the name Benjamin Creighton Griffiths into a search engine box. This is a young man in Wales who began harp earlier than 7 years old, who is now perhaps 12 and playing beautifully on a pedal harp. It would be good for you and your daughter to see some of the early videos posted of his playing. His mother is a professional flute player and I’m sure that
Stylized acanthus leaf wreaths and scrolls were used on not only harps but also fine furniture for centuries.
Margaret, I suggest that Carlo Paessler (1774-1865) was probably the composer and that the original Rondo from which Grandjany took the music to arrange, was a poor enough copy , in those days, that C was easily mistakenly believed to be an E. The only way that could be proven would be to find the Rondo in a list of Carlo’s compositions. One could do research at the Library of Congress, or Sibley Music Library in Rochester NY, but otherwise except in some important music library in Europe, it might prove fruitless.
