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Nice imagry. My teacher, Mrs. Harris, used to say to “carry the note” up. I imagine I am actually holding the sound in my hand and manipulating it physically.
I agree with Carl. All that matters to me is that they want to learn, and that they make progress.
Their goals in terms of their music and where it fits in their life in terms of priorities is their business. If they have a goal and want advice on how to achieve it I am more than happy to offer guidance, but that they should make a priority of music over, say, being on a school sports team, or school work itself, is really none of my business.
When I take on a student I do so to teach music. That doesn’t give me a right to pry in to their personal life and try to influence their life decisions. I may tell them if I think they have what it takes to become a professional musician, and if that is what they want then what they need to do in order to achieve that. But the decision, their thinking on it, and their life outside of my lesson time with them are their business and I have not right to interfere or pry.
Have to say, I generally agree with Carl… to a point. Except with a caveat. When he says L&H is the way to go if you are going to be a professional harpist in N. America I can agree if professional means classical orchestral harpist.
However there are other professionals out there who either don’t play in an orchestra or don’t play classical music (solo wedding jobs, playing in a jazz combo etc…).
So if you are a classical orchestral harpist then L&H is probably the way to go.
But I still think that Camacs are generally just as good quality in terms of longevity and durability (perhaps even greater durability). And for any number of other setting are just as, and in some cases better suited than a L&H.
L&H make great harps, and their reputation is well deserved. But… A lot of people recommend them based simply on the fact that they are the most common and what is most familiar.
Camac may not have been around as long, but they are certainly an established company, and their harps have, overall, a very good reputation.
So I wouldn’t let reputation, or even the preferences of your teacher, make the decision for you alone. Certainly they can be worked in to the consideration, but the fact is that both companies make good, reliable instruments, so it’s not like going with one over the other is an invitation for disaster or getting a poor quality instrument.
Rather, I think you should look at the actual harps and compare them to see which you like best. There are significant differences in general between Camac and L&H harps that have to do with everything from the design to the materials used. The ergonomics are different, and the sound is different.
Saying one set of characteristics is better than another is really subjective and different people will have different opinions.
Personally I like the sound of both even though they are different, and would have a hard time determining which one I would want based only on that. I actually hope to purchase a new harp within the next three years and have seriously been considering the Athena and the 85CG.
I haven’t completely made up my mind yet, but as of this time I am leaning towards the Athena. Looks wise I like them both fine enough, but the ergonomics of the Athena I think works a little better for me. I have large hands and the way the strings on the Athena splay out a little as you go up the octaves feels more comfortable on my hands. Also I like the lighter weight of the Athena.
Now as mentioned the big drawback of Camac harps is that a lot of harp techs don’t know how to work on them. They have significant innovations in their construction, and if you don’t specifically know what you are doing a tech could cause damage. So if there is no one in your area who can work on them that may be an issue in case something major needs to be done.
On the other hand, Camac harps are designed so that a lot of the maintenance can be done at home. For instance, no pedal rods. The cables that they use to replace the pedal rods not only are much less likely to break (in fact I have never heard of them ever breaking, but you never know), but can be regulated by the harpist at home in a few minutes. That is a nice advantage.
So there are tradeoffs to both, but ultimately you need to get the harp that both appeals to you in terms of the tone and which feels comfortable to play. Tradition is fine to take into consideration, but you are playing a harp, not a tradition. Play the instrument that suits you best.
Either way you will be getting a fine, high quality instrument so you really don’t have to worry about making a “wrong” decision. Only making the best decision for your needs and wants.
I agree with Saul. A harp is meant to be played. If you are away at school and the harp is just sitting there what is the benefit of owning it?
Any pedal harp should be insured, and that should cover any problems that MAY occur at school.
But the truth is that there is little more reason to expect a problem at school than at home. Who knows what may happen to the harp at home while you are not around.
Get a good, padded, cover for it if you don’t have one, and take it to school with you so long as you have enough room for it (many dorm rooms are a bit on the small side so you may need to see if the school has a practice room that locks where the harp can be kept).
I couldn’t imagine going off to school and not having a harp for four years.
Asking the college is not rude, but are you going as a music major? If the harp is not involved in some way in your major I doubt they are going to spend money on renting one for you.
You should still probably have it insured. All of my lever harps are insured along with my guitars and my flute.
Hi Kay,
Well, I have been playing for somewhere between 15 and 20 years. To be honest I don’t really remember the exact year I started, so probably about 17 or 18 years would be more accurate.
I studied in NY with Ruth Berman Harris. I originally was interested only in Irish harp, but at that time finding someone who specialized in Irish harp was hard. I was lucky to find a harp and a teacher at all. Fortunately I found a wonderful teacher. Although she was trained as a classical harpist, and had made a bit of a name for herself in Jazz during the 40’s and 50’s, she was very open to what I wanted to do and worked with me. In return I opened my own mind up with regards to classical music.
I have since worked on my own as well has taking many workshops and just trading info with other musicians. I have taught several students of my own and gig mostly in private venues part time. I attempted playing full time but found that I don’t have that much dedication, and to really make a decent living you have to do a fair number of weddings. I hate playing weddings.
I like a regular pay check and a certain among of assurance that I will be able to pay the rent.
So I play out on a part time basis and have a full time job in the wonderful world of information security. I find it a good balance.
I play a fairly eclectic mix of music, from Classical to Jazz, Folk to Celtic, and a fair amount of popular music as well. I also play the guitar, piano, flute and glockenspiel, and find some of my greatest insights in regards to music comes when I try to transfer what I learn on one instrument to the other.
For me music is more a love than a career, although it does help pay the bills, and as time goes on I find I gig less and play more for my own enjoyment and that of my friends and family. I may eventually change that in 20 years when I retire and can devote more time to it without having to worry about that regular paycheck.
Overall I have my teacher to thank, the many harpists I have met and worked with who have taught me a lot, and a lot of good books for having learned a bit about not just playing the harp, but about the history and modern applications of this great instrument.
Anyway that?s it in a nutshell. I am far from the most educated person regarding the harp here (never attended a conservatory but did take a lot of music and theory classes as electives in college), and I am certainly not the best player. But I do what I enjoy and find it all very satisfying.
Oh, and if there is anyone who’s knowledge and experience I envy around here it is Saul. I don’t always share the same opinion as him on things more related to personal taste, but if you have any really serious questions to ask he is the one I would go to. I’m good for the easy stuff, but Saul really knows his buisness.
Well, it’s a bit clich?, but you can always play the first movement of Handel?s Bb concerto. It really isn’t hard to learn, will almost certainly be recognized by your auditioners, and is easy to find. Both Melody’s and Sylvia Woods carries arrangements of it.
It’s a good piece to know anyway. A bit overplayed, but it is kind of a standard in harp repertoire and you most likely will be asked to play eventually anyway. May as well learn it now. You could have the music sent overnight and have it in a day or two.
I agree with Barbara. Typically people want to “Borrow” music to make copies, and I have a real issue with that. I would bet that most arrangers and composers of harp music don’t necessarily make a lot of money off of that, and if anyone is going to benefit from their work they should pay for it.
Also I have been told, and have always followed, the old advice about lending books, and think that it applies equally well to sheet music. Never lend a book. If you are going to give it to someone else give it free and clear as a gift.
There is plenty of inexpensive music a student can buy. I also like the choice of using Fun From the First and agree that if you can afford a harp and lessons you should be able to afford the two volumes and they are perfectly good books to start with.
The idea of students trading music that they no longer will use is a good one so long as it is made clear to them that it is both legally and ethically wrong to make copies to keep if they are doing so.
What it comes down to is that the basics (method books and introductory music) are things the student really should have of their own so they can make notes and use as reference. After that they should be acquiring their own music to build their own music library.
I don’t know about music written specifically for 26 string electric harp (didn’t even know anyone made electric harps with only 26 strings).
Some music I would suggest that you could easily alter to fit on a 26 string harp and sound great on electric harp are some of Deborah Henson-Conant’s compositions such as New Blues, Natalina, and Nightingale.
Also highly recommend by me for this type of harp are the arrangements by Verlene Shermer in her two books Traditional Tunes With a Twist (vol I and II). These are traditional tunes arranged for lever harp with a Jazz twist to them that makes them very interesting, and which takes advantage of the unique tone of an electric harp.
Elaine,
My best estimation of the levels of the music I listed would be:
Famous Arias by Puccini for Lever or Pedal Harp – Intermediate to Advanced
Traditional Tunes With a Twist – Intermediate with a few pieces that are advanced
More Traditional Tunes With a Twist – Intermediate with a few pieces that are advanced
Concerto en si bemol (Handel’s Bb Concerto) – Advanced
Baroque Music for the Harp – Beginner to Intermediate
American Classic Pop Vol. I and II – Intermediate
Andrew Lloyd Webber Arranged for Harp – Intermediate
With the Traditional Tunes With a Twist books some of the pieces I would consider advanced because of the complex rhythms.
Carl,
The hornets’ nest has been stirred up more times than we can count.What more can any of us say that we haven’t said before? None of us has gotten anyone else to budge in their opinions.
Besides, some of those past threads are monuments to our collective stubbornness and orneriness. It’s only right that we should direct people to them so that they can be admired by many.
All I know is that I no desire to repeat myself. I have said what I have to say on the subject, as have most of us. Going through it all again would just be a non-productive use of our time.
Right now I am having lots of fun with the following books of music for lever harp:
Famous Arias by Puccini for Lever or Pedal Harp – Suzanne Balderston
Traditional Tunes With a Twist – Verlene Shermer
More Traditional Tunes With a Twist – Verlene Shermer
Concerto en si bemol (Handel’s Bb Concerto) – O. LeDentu
Baroque Music for the Harp – Deborah Friou
American Classic Pop Vol. I and II – Ray Pool
Andrew Lloyd Webber Arranged for Harp – Sylvia Woods
I find this all very interesting. I have never developed calluses on my fingers from playing the harp.
When I took up the guitar I developed them on my left hand fingers, and found that they can, indeed, interfere with playing the harp, so I file them down when they get too developed.
But if I stop playing guitar for a while they go away and the harp does not cause or maintain them.
On harp I experience absolutely no discomfort when I play despite the lack of calluses. I never even realized other people did develop them from playing harp until a few years ago when another harpist mentioned it.
I guess it just goes to show how we are all built differently and that a one sized fits all approach to playing an instrument does not work out best.
