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My favorite for quintuplets is Car-los-Sal-ze-do, naturally. For septuplets, I like pa-ra-leg-al-ass-is-tant. My sister learned ta-ki-ta for triplets and ta-ka-dee-me for quadruplets. Miss Lawrence used not-diff-i-cult for two against three. Miss Chalifoux used something like puddle-uddle-uddle for spelling out a chord.
My favorite for quintuplets is Car-los-Sal-ze-do, naturally. For septuplets, I like pa-ra-leg-al-ass-is-tant. My sister learned ta-ki-ta for triplets and ta-ka-dee-me for quadruplets. Miss Lawrence used not-diff-i-cult for two against three. Miss Chalifoux used something like puddle-uddle-uddle for spelling out a chord.
When you are opening the hand to place, it makes sense to extend the pinky, but it most certainly comes in to assist the fourth finger when playing. It is possible to extend it without tension. The lessons in the Salzedo Method are a starting point, a part in a progression of learning that should ideally be completed to be completely understood.
When you are opening the hand to place, it makes sense to extend the pinky, but it most certainly comes in to assist the fourth finger when playing. It is possible to extend it without tension. The lessons in the Salzedo Method are a starting point, a part in a progression of learning that should ideally be completed to be completely understood.
When you are opening the hand to place, it makes sense to extend the pinky, but it most certainly comes in to assist the fourth finger when playing. It is possible to extend it without tension. The lessons in the Salzedo Method are a starting point, a part in a progression of learning that should ideally be completed to be completely understood.
Yes, Walter liked a rubber-plastic combination pedal wrapping. I can only guess that the wing nut is for attaching a lamp, holding the neck together, or hanging something.
I never heard of any, but who knows? Probably in some contemporary works. I have heard many European orchestras and harpists, that is what I base my opinion on. I’ve not heard as many English harpists, mostly Osian Ellis. I do not equate capability, talent, musicality etc., with strong playing.
I think singing is almost necessary for a harpist, but what is more helpful than music is dancing, ballet and/or ballroom.
That’s why, your harp has a polyurethane finish, not lacquer. Nevertheless, applying anything chemical to it will have an effect, if invisible. So, I would not use tape. Perhaps string tied around the pedals would hold them. I know how difficult it is. Somebody should invent a tool that will wrap around the pedals and hold them in place, then be removable as you put the base back on. How about a very thin metal framework, Carl? They make pie slicers you push into the pie and pull out, if you cut one in half, it would be something like what we’d need, a semi-circle with arms to hold each pedal, then you pull it out backwardsly as you have the base positioned. Who’s gonnna make it?
By 1984, the funding for the arts was declining seriously, and many groups began folding, such as American Philharmonic Orchestra, Affiliate Artists, and later, the National Endowment for the Arts Touring Program. Public Television (before cable) stopped consistently broadcasting serious culture, and the networks by that time had stopped altogether, except for a rare appearance on the Tonight Show by a violinist or singer, and those declined in frequency until they were extremely rare by the time Johnny Carson retired. Cable television attempted to broadcast culture but gave up after just a few years. Bravo, for example, began as an all arts channel, but now is a no-arts channel. Other attempts have failed to make enough money and changed or shut down as far as I know. They are also not available in all cities. A large number of people were casually exposed to the classical arts through television and radio, and maintained a relationship, going a few times a year to concerts to hear favorite pieces or performers. Those people have disappeared with the programming, it seems to me. The FCC required cultural programming by the networks until cable came along or thereabouts, and not requiring any was a cultural disaster. As long as the Republicans were in office, post-Reagan, the funding for the arts declined. Ironic, that a former actor would have that effect on the country, but he did. The spirit became meaner and greedier, and you can see that reflected in television programming. The warm and kind comedies like the Mary Tyler Moore show gave way to ever-harsher humor, ridicule and gross insensitivity, until you have South Park and the Simpsons; Desperate Housewives and insanity of reality television.
I was discussing the Angelaires recently with Liz Ilku, a longtime member, and how many adventures they had, and what a great series it would make. I said, it would work better as a reality show, with all the possibilities for backbiting and so on, and she said they always got along beautifully. Well, there goes today’s entertainment values…We can always be proud of our roles as harpists making the world a more beautiful place to live. It is more important than ever.
By 1984, the funding for the arts was declining seriously, and many groups began folding, such as American Philharmonic Orchestra, Affiliate Artists, and later, the National Endowment for the Arts Touring Program. Public Television (before cable) stopped consistently broadcasting serious culture, and the networks by that time had stopped altogether, except for a rare appearance on the Tonight Show by a violinist or singer, and those declined in frequency until they were extremely rare by the time Johnny Carson retired. Cable television attempted to broadcast culture but gave up after just a few years. Bravo, for example, began as an all arts channel, but now is a no-arts channel. Other attempts have failed to make enough money and changed or shut down as far as I know. They are also not available in all cities. A large number of people were casually exposed to the classical arts through television and radio, and maintained a relationship, going a few times a year to concerts to hear favorite pieces or performers. Those people have disappeared with the programming, it seems to me. The FCC required cultural programming by the networks until cable came along or thereabouts, and not requiring any was a cultural disaster. As long as the Republicans were in office, post-Reagan, the funding for the arts declined. Ironic, that a former actor would have that effect on the country, but he did. The spirit became meaner and greedier, and you can see that reflected in television programming. The warm and kind comedies like the Mary Tyler Moore show gave way to ever-harsher humor, ridicule and gross insensitivity, until you have South Park and the Simpsons; Desperate Housewives and insanity of reality television.
I was discussing the Angelaires recently with Liz Ilku, a longtime member, and how many adventures they had, and what a great series it would make. I said, it would work better as a reality show, with all the possibilities for backbiting and so on, and she said they always got along beautifully. Well, there goes today’s entertainment values…We can always be proud of our roles as harpists making the world a more beautiful place to live. It is more important than ever.
By 1984, the funding for the arts was declining seriously, and many groups began folding, such as American Philharmonic Orchestra, Affiliate Artists, and later, the National Endowment for the Arts Touring Program. Public Television (before cable) stopped consistently broadcasting serious culture, and the networks by that time had stopped altogether, except for a rare appearance on the Tonight Show by a violinist or singer, and those declined in frequency until they were extremely rare by the time Johnny Carson retired. Cable television attempted to broadcast culture but gave up after just a few years. Bravo, for example, began as an all arts channel, but now is a no-arts channel. Other attempts have failed to make enough money and changed or shut down as far as I know. They are also not available in all cities. A large number of people were casually exposed to the classical arts through television and radio, and maintained a relationship, going a few times a year to concerts to hear favorite pieces or performers. Those people have disappeared with the programming, it seems to me. The FCC required cultural programming by the networks until cable came along or thereabouts, and not requiring any was a cultural disaster. As long as the Republicans were in office, post-Reagan, the funding for the arts declined. Ironic, that a former actor would have that effect on the country, but he did. The spirit became meaner and greedier, and you can see that reflected in television programming. The warm and kind comedies like the Mary Tyler Moore show gave way to ever-harsher humor, ridicule and gross insensitivity, until you have South Park and the Simpsons; Desperate Housewives and insanity of reality television.
I was discussing the Angelaires recently with Liz Ilku, a longtime member, and how many adventures they had, and what a great series it would make. I said, it would work better as a reality show, with all the possibilities for backbiting and so on, and she said they always got along beautifully. Well, there goes today’s entertainment values…We can always be proud of our roles as harpists making the world a more beautiful place to live. It is more important than ever.
You’re talking about the RUSSIAN school, right, Carl? They’re the only people I’ve ever heard who play the way you describe. Tasteless playing is bad no matter what school it comes from. And there are tasteless players in every school, right?
As for amplification, a harp amplified is not a harp, it is a synthesized sound, and it is crap to my ears. A harp can NEVER be amplified in an orchestra, because the whole point of an orchestra is that it is all acoustic instruments. The conductor should have learned to balance the dynamics better from your demonstration, and to place you differently on stage, and maybe you could find a more resonant instrument, Sid. That’s my feeling. There’s no tasteful way to amplify a harp with an orchestra. When electronic instruments play with an orchestra, there is such a gap in the types of sound being produced. The speaker you use also necessarily limits the origin of the sound to its small position, where a harp radiates from a much larger space. And what if you got feedback, or spilled water or something? Fried harp and harpist sandwich!
We have been getting more European conductors in America for some time, and I think that partially explains their hiring preferences, as they have much less experience with STRONG players who can be heard. Nevertheless, Salzedo-trained harpists do get hired, despite your hints otherwise. There are other trends at work, too, where we don’t have as many strong, senior teachers at work as we used to have, but we will once again very soon, I think.So, to answer the question much more directly, I had two or three teachers when I was younger, depending how you count. I then began my advanced study with Lucile Lawrence, whom I consider my major teacher. I had ten lessons with Alice Chalifoux who was quite helpful by contrast, but within the same technical family. After that, there was no-one else but Miss Lawrence, partly because I couldn’t find anyone else who would be complimentary but compatible and acceptable, and partly because I never ceased learning from Miss Lawrence. She was always amazing and wonderful and completely challenging. She always taught for the long-term benefit, and more or less expected committed students to always have lessons. Just because you finished a degree was no reason to quit learning. It takes as long as it takes. For me, it just took gradually longer and longer to prepare the next lesson as I could do more and more preparation on my own. My last lesson was in 2004 in her last master class. She frowned on what she called “shopping around” going from this teacher to that one. Such players generally seemed to end up in a muddle of approaches with no clear way of playing. And those who decided to play however they felt like after leaving school seemed to compromise what they had developed, so I trusted her viewpoint. The only alteration I have made over the years is to refine what I do and to do it more effortlessly. I would love to have a coach now, just to help me prepare better. I do think that should continue, just as singers always have coaches.
