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This post has made me think of my first (adult) experience of learning by ear.
I was at the Historical Society’s Conference this past summer and one of the workshops taught by Nancy Thym was on Historical Dances, Renaissance Branles. I had never been taught a piece by ear so I was pretty nervous. The class was taught first by singing the tune for us la-la-la, then we all would sing along while she moved her hand up and down to indicate note changes, then we learned the dance steps, danced while singing and saying the steps (first the man, then the woman, then the man – the man – the woman), then we went to the harps and she taught us the piece in several sections (sart with your third finger on note such and such).
I don’t think I have ever learned a piece so fast! It was an amazing eye opener and an absolute blast. I don’t think there was a single person without a huge smile.
I don’t even have a harp yet but I had a weird dream about harp last year Xmas.
I dreamed that I somehow got the money to go to a music store and I bought a big dark brown lever harp, perhaps a Salvi. Then I brought it home and tried to play it but I didn’t know how to pluck the strings properly so it didn’t sound right. I told my mother that I must have lessons and that I wanted to study with X because she was reputed to be a good teacher but her lessons are very expensive. My mother said that there was no money unless I sold a kidney or something. Then, (this is a dream remember) all the strings on the harp fell off. I couldn’t figure out how to get them back on. I was in despair.
Finally, I dreamed that I was sick(this part is real, I was suffering from a cold), crying and wandering in the rain at night trying to think of a way to pay for lessons wondering if I should sell a kidney or something and then I woke up.
How would you interpret this?
Hi Patricia
Can you let me have those contact details for Rebecca Harris please.
My daughter has been learning the harp at St Marys College but is leaving and wishes to continue her classes. Thanks for your help
Donna
I just got a chance to try these levers at the Dusty Strings Harp Symposium. For two reasons I would not use them:
Sound: there was some disagreement about this, but to my ear they very slightly muffle the tone. It may not be significant in performance, but listening “close up” I preferred the Camac levers (which were installed on an identical harp for comparison).
Usability: they get a zero here for two reasons. First, they are hard to grab because of the round shape. Second, and most significant, they are extremely confusing visually. You can see through the ring-shaped handles, which makes them almost disappear. It’s almost like an optical illusion where you aren’t sure whether to trust your eyes.
Thanks all for the suggestions.
Umm, I live in Asia and there are no Irish organizations here and hardly any Irish people too! Or any harps. I made a point of introducing myself to the local teachers during the harpfest and they are aware that I’m on the lookout for a cheap harp but none of them have harps for rent.I’ll try to study chord inversions!
Other than hustling to earn the money, there’s nothing much I can do. I’m going to attend the student recital soon of the teacher I hope to study with(when I’m rich). And the one and only Thormahlen owner in my area said I could come and see her harp. I hope that would keep my spirits up until I can get the money together.
Thanks for your reply, Tony! I haven’t been practicing the guitar much since I stopped taking formal lessons years ago but I used to be a fluent sight-reader. I also played the violin for a while but that’s also a treble clef instrument.
I think I should drill myself on the bass clef. I could play the notes right off the page but since I never studied music theory formally I didn’t really understand how the music worked together and I think that’s why I always had trouble playing by heart. I have my old theory books but they were written to be used with a teacher’s help and not the easiest stuff to digest. When I was a teen, I just memorized enough to pass my exams without
Thought I’d this thread off – with two possible harp events this week on tv:
1. The old re-run of the I Love Lucy show with Harpo Marx playing the harp will be shown on TVLAND (according to DishNetwork guide) at 12:30pm (noon-ish!) Eastern Standard time – in case anyone wants to tivo/record it… That’s Oct 28, 2008… Country: USA
2. Wednesday night (Oct 29, 2008) on PBS – Great Perfomances will present the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra’s Opening Gala (Doug Rioth – principal harpist). I believe the time is 9pm eastern standard time…. Country:USA
Thanks! Kind regards – William
Not a “dumb” question at all, William! I want to have a small photo of Jamet framed as a Christmas present for my teacher. I will do a search to see if I can get the CD also.
Thank you for the suggestion. I try to get her something she’d really like. Last year I gave her gourmet anchovies, but your suggestion
Hello Ann – This might be a dumb question on my part – but do you have his cd? There seems to be a nice picture of him at the harp on the front cover… Here’s a link (his cd is further down the page on this link..) Hope this helps? Kind regards William
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ElxlqFAZvg
this is my favorite: the music of
