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The neck and column definitely affect the sound. The heavier they are, the less the harp will resonate. While they resonate less, they still contribute and lend support in some way. Adding more metal changes the sound as well. Weight is a major factor in a harp’s sound.
If you compare the size and weight and sound of Lyon & Healy harps, Venus harps and Salvi harps, you may hear the difference, at least with harps made in say, the 1980s. The models have changed somewhat since then. Lyon & Healy concert harps once weighed 78 pounds, as I recall, now they are around 82, while Salvis and some Venus harps are noticably more heavy.
The problem is when people can’t distinguish between carbon fiber and wood, or use them indiscriminately, and as there are already carbon fiber pedal harps (in part), it is already a problem if you care about the difference. Camac harps have a carbon-fiber layer in the sounding board. I think that is why they sound quite different in certain ways.
Loving an instrument, to me, is about loving wood, because I have only ever played wooden instruments, even flute (or maybe ebonite isn’t wood). Wood responds to its player and changes according to how he/she plays, the fibers actually change their alignment. I somehow doubt carbon fiber does that. I use plastic in a generic sense for synthetics. Is the carbon petroleum derived? I thought they were working on using kevlar, which I thought was flouride. Maybe I missed a thread that explained it all. Carbon fiber is fine for some playing or synthetic sound, but I won’t readily accept it for concert playing. The response is different, with some real limitations. But then, I only “accept” one kind of harp, with
As Salzedo used to say, “speculate on the harmony,” meaning, play the right harmony is the main thing.
Are you talking about the original edition? I have it in Annie Louise David’s collection, and it may already be there.
Dewey Owens also has a very thorough collection. If you know the tunes, Jewish songs are mostly in A minor or D minor.
Well, that raises an interesting factor. The universe runs on order and chaos at the same time, and that must be a factor in competitions as well. Perhaps the challenge is in accomodating the chaos factor, and identifying where it will crop up.
I noticed an art song competition recently with no upper age limit, that was very heartening to see. The Bloch Competition has no age limit, but you have to perform Bloch, and he wrote no harp solos.
If I sell mine by the yard, will it be possible to compare? How else can you measure music? Depth of pile?
I have thought of this before. I think we should have a swap meet, swap list/site. Maybe I can figure out a way to put it on my website.
I got a new bench from Harp Connection that I am pretty happy with, and it was inexpensive. Esthetics are very important with the harp, and I don’t think chairs look good with it, or benches where you can’t see the legs, like the folding ones. I don’t see any need for special ergonomics. You need the right height, some padding, and posture should take care of the rest, it seems to me.
I don’t like using it on a laptop, even with a fairly large screen. The larger the screen, the better. With the extra elements that show, like the number pad, mixer, etc., in Sibelius, a laptop is not as compatible as a desktop monitor. To be really comfortable, I would have to add a large-screen monitor.
Thankfully, I know my standing ovations aren’t mandatory, because I didn’t get one last year, and I did this year, and which piece I play last makes the biggest difference. I think my record is 8 out of 10 performances with standing ovations. A lot of it has to do with the way I sequence pieces.
I’m pretty sure Frasier used an actual harpist who actually played, if it’s the scene in his apartment, with the harp by the grand piano.
Your post is unclear. Why can’t you perform what you know? It will fit with the orchestration in exactly the same way. The original score only gives the melody and bass, which is only the bare bones. One does not only play those lines, you are expected to complete the harmonies according to the figured bass, and add something to that as well in baroque practice. Only a competition could specify a particular edition, seems to me.
