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Trifocals since I was a little kid. Thick as coke bottles. Can’t wear the no-lines kind, but my hubby does and loves them. I am OK with reading as I play as long as I can put my music exactly at the right spot. I’d just love one of those clamp-on music holders because they look so nice, but it would be too far away. Also need huge lights around me. As long as I’m fairly close to the strings I can see them but I’m still working gradually to get used to the double strung.
It was terrible to have a stand partner when I was playing viola because I always had to have the stand adjusted for ME. I finally started to sit last in the viola section so I could be by myself.
How sad that Lionwood had to give up making harps. I’ve never heard a single negative or even neutral comment about them. There should be enough buyers for all excellent harp makers. Yours is beautiful!
OT- Don’t know if anyone gets animal channel or not. There was a show about some naturalists who raise orphaned Devil pups, and they ARE cute until they learn to bite!
My mother was an amazing woman, fiercely independent, an excellent manager, meticulous house keeper, great cook, the list goes on and on and on. My father was a clever craftsman who could do anything with making or fixing something that had to be done anywhere. Between them they saved a good bit of change. Most of it went to her care, and the last 5 years she was totally dependent on me, a role she despised, but came to tolerate.
She was always given to paying her debts, so when she died leaving a small amount to me, I had enough to buy a really fine harp. I have actually purchased 3 really fine harps, but in a year or maybe two, I will buy THE harp. It will have to have 32-34 strings and be embellished with a carved rose to honor their memory.
……and I have a birthday gift certificate that will go right to that recording! Thank you for reminding me Barbara!
AND, if you are on the fence, there is some wonderful contemporary music written for lever harp, and approaching some of that work is my goal. Unfortunately I was not able to hear Laura Zaerr’s new piece at Somerset, but my teacher did look at one of her (LZ) books for me, and said she thought I would be able to start some of the pieces in about a year.
So no one should ever be ashamed to feel one way or another, or to stay on the fence. It’s all good.
A little OT but I was standing next to the Rees display at Somerset when some poor person had the bad luck to knock down a whole row of Harp-Sharpsicles that were on stands, looking very pretty all in a row of different colors.
She helped put them back up and they were all just fine. Pretty tough little instruments. Definitely need good protection to go into a luggage hold though.
Thanks Elizabeth- Also an excellent way to practice. Quite naturally I think, slow timed glissing is much harder than just starting somewhere and letting rip, so this gives more structure. My teacher said I was doing fine when she heard the piece at my lesson, but she wanted to be sure that I was observing duration and beat.
I was wary of trying a double strung lever for this reason so I’m taking it slow with trying to keep my eyes open while I play it.
I just realized in reading these posts that the problem is changing focus from the music to the strings, isn’t it? In order to read my music I have to keep it right under my nose anyway so that helps me a little. When I play viola it’s very difficult for me to be a stand partner, except of course for the fact that it’s then the conductor and the music, not looking at the viola.
I had bought stick on magnifying lenses but they didn’t work for me either, so I have returned to my childhood propensity to memorize everything. I guess this precludes learning highly technical music but maybe I’ll be able to wear contacts by then.
Was that the harp that the young lady was playing in the back left? It was lovely! I thought it had very nice tone.
As a teacher there isn’t a nicer thing than a heartfelt note expressing your appreciation for her efforts.
A gift certificate in any denomination is a thoughtful gift. I always remember what I’ve bought with student gift certificates.
I certainly do appreciate all the comments my question has received. I have found that at my typical snail tempo when learning a piece that I can now play the glissando both ways.
It’s terrific to have inputs from people for whom I have a great deal of respect. Thanks so much!
