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Have you ever gotten heavier-gauge gut strings for pedal harps from Bow? I don’t know any way to obtain them. My highest gut strings are 4th octave E and D, but they are too thin. Which manufacturer uses Perlon? You can email me if you don’t want to say publicly. I know at least one who uses Tynex.
Unfortunately, your ears have gotten used to dull, thuddy wire strings. The brilliance of new strings is something you have to adjust to, but the sound is certainly desirable. You may have to play them with more care, though, as they will be much more responsive. They will also increase the brilliance of the rest of your strings. They are the foundation of the “angelic choir” we love so much.
They’re not posted on the internet, though full scores are, and have been re-published by outfits like Kalmus, so it is odd that parts are not also equally available. Apparently, they still have to be rented.
I bet not too many people know that Hindemith wrote An Old Irish Air for choir and harp. Quite a nice companion piece to this. Cynthia Otis made a superb recording of the Brahms.
There are a few or several professional harp and instrument movers in New York City, and they should be able to handle the stairs, though they will charge extra for it. I don’t have their names, but one service is called Boxcar, I think. Can we compile a complete list here? Somebody sent me a name once, a husband of a harpist or friend, I think. I could use the names, too. You can have friends do it, if they are strong, but train them first.
Aloe will soften your skin. She needs to toughen it. Ammonia, acids, harsh things will do that. You need to increase the amount of oil in your skin, too. Lanolin products will do that. But I suspect there is more to this. Are you doing a lot of dishes? What time of day do you practice, and what have you been doing with your hands before that? If your skin is wet, just washed too thoroughly, then you will have more problems. Using a very fine sandpaper might help in some way. If none of that helps, then perhaps it is in how you play. Do you place your fingertips on the strings in the same place all the time, or does it vary? Maybe you are putting too much flesh on the string. The thickest part of the finger might never callous. You should be playing toward the edge of the finger, on a diagonal across the edge of the fingertip. Look more closely at how you play the strings. If all else fails, ask a dermatologist.
It’s all about your eyes and how they move. To sight-read, you need to read as you play, then you need to read one note ahead, then two, then three, then four, etc., then you need to look at one whole bar at a time, and you have to practice this regularly. Ask someone who can follow a metronome to stand there with a sheet of paper and have them cover over what you have just played, and they can force your eyes to move ahead by moving the paper sooner. You have to learn to place your fingers by interval without looking. You have to be able to trust that. You have to learn to play in the dark or with your eyes closed.
You definitely need to replace any tarnish-resistant strings with standard silver and copper strings. The t-r strings definitely dull the responsiveness. New strings will sound wiry compared to worn-out old strings. The harp needs to become accustomed to your touch and vice-versa. I never felt the lowest strings on my harp had enough focus until a metal stirrup was added for reinforcement. Then they not only had all the power needed, the 1st octave gained in volume as well. And yes, you must tune the harp every day!
I stick to keeping them below the system with the pedal markings, so between the staves is clear for dynamics and tempo changes, unless there is no room. The middle area can get so cluttered, some parts end up unreadable.
Gretchen, it did read to me like you were vaunting Ms. Kibbey over Ms. Agresta, hence I felt a need to correct the impression. It’s just a matter of syntax.
