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BY the way, I did some work on the Glanville-Hicks Sonata and
discovered that, played the “right way” I really enjoy it. While it is
notated in 5/4, it mostly works out to be in 3/4, at least by internal
phrasing, and that helped make it fall into place, along with omitting
some of Zabaleta’s mufflings and changing a couple of notes so they
would make sense. I hope to master it and perform it eventually. I
think it is an easy piece to misunderstand.As for the Spohr Variations, delightful as they may sometimes be, I
have no desire to break my thumbs in order to play them. Who has the
stretch to play those right hand patterns with a span of more than a
tenth? Besides Lynne
Aspnes, anyway.If I remember correctly, I have looked at the Brief and the Lomon. I
believe I was not favorably impressed. I was particularly displeased
with Elliott Carter’s Bariolage, or perhaps we could call it
Bar-Triage. It begins with some germs of ideas that actually have some
music in them, and he doesn’t develop them, it is very poorly notated,
and has little or no value, unfortunately, as he is a big name for some
reason. I would so much rather have a solo piece from George Crumb. Why
don’t you commission him? At least his music is compelling, expressive,
poetic, colorful and of some significance. He is getting older and
there won’t be much time left. He has shown in so many pieces that he
can write for harp with some sensitivity. I would think you would be
able to get funding for such a project, if anyone can. I looked at a
70s contemporary piece today, complete with atonal, wide intervals and
proportional notation, and I immediately noticed the complete lack of
rhythm. That might have made it interesting. Josef Tal’s Intrada might
be considered atonal and twelve-tone-ish by some, but it is very
rhythmic, and thus much more enjoyable to the audience and performer.You’ve already gotten heaps of nice replies so I just wanted to add my 2 cents that my
previous instrument was also french horn. Great sound but people in apartment blocks
don’t always appreciate your need to practice. Hence the harp….no-one ever complains even when I practice at 2am. Strangely enough I love the harp more than the
horn so it was all good.I’m a student and not very advanced one at that. But I like it when I can select a piece
for myself. I usually pick something that’s the same level as what I’m currently working
on and if possible using similar techniques. It’s pretty easy to find alternative pieces if there’s something in your tutor book, teacher recommendation that you just hate playing. I can’t see the sense in struggling with a piece that leaves you feeling flat and
frustrated if there’s another piece that can do the same thing for your technique that you
like better.I value the opinion of my teacher and as yet she is happy to help me find pieces which are both technically right and enjoyable for me. Thank goodness I don’t have a teacher with a set repertoire because I think it would be an incredibly boring way to learn.
Cheers
The video with Lucile Lawrence and Elizabeth Morse, in which she explains and demonstrates is perfect for your question. It is available for sale from harp retailers like harp.com I’m pretty sure.
The other place I could recommend studying in would be Israel-that is the closest country to you.
I definitely agree with using a pickup with an electronic tuner. I’ve been using a microphone for years — wrapped in a sheet of foam plastic packing material (or whatever you can find at a craft store) and stuck inside the back of the harp (pedal harp); the foam keeps it wedged in place in the slot. I get the cheapest mike I can find (at Radio Shack; I never pay more than $20), unscrew and discard the ball thing that’s on the end, wrap the foam around the mike (but not the end) and put a couple strong rubber bands on it to hold it on. Works like a charm. For lever harps, you can lay the mike wherever you can, as close as possible to the sound board, if the slots aren’t big enough to hold it.
Kathie Bracy
I have been a lever harp teacher for over 10 years and can assure you that you are not alone in the feelings you are having! In fact I have a similar situation that I have quite recently faced. I moved about a year and a half ago and had to start all over again getting known in my new community, trying to attract students, pick up a few gigs, etc. Things were pretty slow and so meanwhile I joined our local symphony where they let me play cello with them!
HOLA A TODOS….SOY ALEXADRA IVONNE LOPEZ, ARPISTA DE COLOMBIA…ME DA MUCHO GUSTO PODER COMPARTIR CON USTEDES EN ESTE ESPACIO…EN COLOMBIA EN ESTE MOMENTO HAY DIFICULTADES CON LAS CLASES DE ARPA PUESTO QUE NO HAY PROFESOR EN TODO EL PAIS…ASI QUE QUIENES ESTAMOS INTERESADOS EN ESTUDIAR EL INSTRUMENTO NOS ESFORZAMOS PARA COMPARTIR LO QUE APRENDEMOS DE LOS MAESTROS DE OTROS LUGARES CUANDO VIAJAMOS AL EXTERIOR O CUANDO ELLOS VIENEN…LA CLAVE EST? EN EXIGIRNOS DEMASIADO CON LA T?CNICA SOBRE TODO YA QUE CADA UNO ES RESPONSABLE DE SU TRABAJO Y DEBEMOS SER MUY MUY CONCIENTES DE NUESTRA REALIDAD Y DE LO QUE QUEREMOS LOGRAR CON EL INSTRUMENTO….
ASI QUE APROVECHEN QUIENES TIENEN SUS MAESTROS Y ESTUDIEN BIEN JUICIOSOS…PUES COMO VEN NO TODOS TENEMOS LAS MISMAS FACILIDADES PARA ACCEDER AL ARPA…
SALUDOS….
