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Brenda,
Wow, wasn’t that the best? Everyone I’ve talked to is still buzzing from that event. The workshops were great, the setting was beautiful, and I learned so much! My two favorite things about the whole weekend were 1) the workshop with Janet Harbison where she taught everyone the Ceili from Titanic and 2) the vendor hall! It was really hard to come back home.
Becky
Michaela,
While I am not local and do not own a Thormahlen (yet!), I felt like I had to reply to this post. I went to the Southeastern Harp Conference last weekend in Asheville and tried pretty much every kind of harp there, and nothing compared to the Thormahlens in my opinion. I had wavered a lot before as far as what floor harp I should save up for, but I am completely set now. I am planning on buying a Serenade as soon as I can (don’t have enough $$$ for a Swan or Cygnet) and I am in love with the sound and look. I spent every free minute between workshops rushing back to the vendor hall to play their harps!
I would, however, like to vouch for the folk gut strings. Personally, I found them more comfortable and the sound made a huge difference to me. They sound very warm and go all the way down to the second to last octave, so you only have one octave of wire strings. The nylong-strung harps (at least the Serenade, I’m guessing the other models are the same) have wire strings in the last octave and wrapped wire in the second to last octave. It’s a nice transition into nylon but at the same time it hurts my fingers a bit because it’s a lot of wire! Anyway, if you don’t mind the extra string cost, you like to play a long time in each sitting, and you prefer a warmer sound, go for the folk gut! I was very surprised to prefer it myself, but I am 100% sure I will go for that option when I am ready to buy.
If you want a good sound sample, check out the Music page on the Thormahlen Web site. Sharon has some great music that she composed herself and she also has some CDs by other artists that were recorded on Thormahlen harps. I just got a CD yesterday of Laura Zaerr called A Thousand Dreams Away–it is one of the best CDs I’ve ever purchased! She plays a mahogany folk gut-strung swan. I would highly recommend buying it a) for some great music and b) to hear how beautiful these harps really sound. Cynthia Douglass is also wonderful on the harp, and she plays a nylon swan, so that might be a good way to compare the sound of the different strings. But, remember, it’s entirely up to you. All their harps sound great and I don’t think you could go wrong with any of their models or string types. I just thought I’d put in my two cents as far as what worked best for me.
Good luck to you and I hope you get the harp of your dreams! Let us all know how it turns out.
Regards,
BeckyI bought a Thormahlen Serenade in the first month I began taking lessons, and I can’t say enough good things about it. The tension is just slightly less than the L&H Prelude I take my lessons on.
I’ve just started considering lessons on pedal harp, and only for that reason I haven’t purchased a Swan. You will not be disappointed.
Hi Tony!
This has always been my favorite piece of Deborah’s. This past March I had a lesson with her just to learn this. She told me that she was planning on publishing the piece but everything was really jumbled up. She must have given me 4 or 5 versions of the piece, each with varying diffuculty within. Eventually we worked out which sections of which versions made the “best” baroque flamenco. Of course the problem with this was that much of the middle of the piece is simply improvisation.
A week or two ago, I attended a recording of “From the Top” with her at Jordan Hall in New England Conservatory and she told me that she’s not exactly sure how the DVD will be set up but shes hoping that there will sessions with her and some students, teaching the piece to them. She said she might even consider me for the DVD! (but i might be overqualified because ive been exposed to the written piece before) The DVD definately seems worthwhile getting because of the techniques that one really needs to see to be able to execute. It should be valuable to all of us that have always wanted to play the piece!
~Sam
Christian- I LOVE the photos that you post with your notes. This one makes me feel as though I’m in sunny CA. (Wish I were)!
I think Gayle Levant is much too young to have played on I love Lucy!
If Nancy Youngman’s husband’s name was Pickering, perhaps Maryce is a daughter.
Dear Ms. Aspnes,
I’ve been searching for the trio as well, contacted Leduc, and they made me forward my quest to the French National Library, again with no success. I would be interested in a copy as well, if you can provide me with one. Just let me know you requirements. I have an address in the US, if it makes it easier.
Thank you
Sofia RisticHi Brenda! I was not able to attend the classes – but I did make it to the shopping – and spent waayyyyyy too much money on music! ha! I thought it was a really good turnout with regards to the vendors that were there… Don’t know if you saw it, but at the Michigan Harp Center booth – they had a gold Lyon & Healy style 14 pedal harp that they had totally re-done/re-necked/etc… That really caught my eye – and was not something you see everyday! (here’s a link if you want to see it…).. So glad you had a great time – and hate that I couldn’t attend the classes! Kind regards! William
http://www.michiganharpcenter.com/catalog/item/6374408/6194982.htm
Here’s an attempt at posting the photo… fingers crossed that it works! Kind regards – William
