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That’s great! My little brother always wants to play the harp when I bring one home (which is not that often, since I go to school almost 700 miles away). I think he has some natural ability or affinity for music, and I would love to teach him harp. He’s only 7, so I have some time. I’m pushing my parents to get him into piano lessons, but he’s a little too wild sometimes! I know lots of harpists with siblings that play, and I think it’s great. I know one harpist who has two younger sisters that play also. They started with her and moved up to her former teacher. They play together on a pedal harp, a prelude, and a lap harp – small, medium and large. I think that’s totally adorable! Good luck!
I have the new Salzedo Duo recording, and I really like it. Parvis by Andres is definitely my favorite piece. I also got to hear them play it at the AHS conference.
I played one at the science musuem (don’t remember the name of it) in St. Louis a few years ago. This was before I ever started playing harp, so I was really excited about it. I was a bit disappointed, though, to find that the part of the harp that should have sounded lower was the high range, and vice versa. I was flabbergasted that some clever scientist who created it could have missed such a basic concept (big end = low, small end = high). I’m sure he never saw a real harp. It was about the size of a lap harp, and was bright, bright yellow. I also couldn’t see the lasers. It would be interesting to find one again and see what I could actually play on it. It also had one button that changed the MIDI sound that came out, which made for some pretty funny-sounding glissandos…
Great topic, Sam!
I’ve found that with both left and right hand harmonics it helps to avoid stopping the string until the precise moment it is played; i.e. I don’t place and then play the string. Also, especially in the higher octaves, I find that the space between the thumb and index finger in the right hand is very small (mostly because the strings are shorter). And for the unfortunate instance where I have to play right hand harmonics in the 4th and 5th octaves, I increase the space between thumb and index finger, and I direct my index finger more downward so it is more parallel to the string I am playing (thus putting more of my finger on the string to stop it). I also keep my thumb curved at all times. To make them louder, I put more pressure with the index finger, and give it a little push on the string as I play it.
I much prefer left hand harmonics, because they are easier, seem to be more resonant, and look so much nicer. I’m lucky that harmonics have never been a huge challenge for me, and I love playing them.
I have also wondered – when the left hand has to play an unusually high harmonic (like above 3rd octave G), is it possible to change the position so that it mirrors a right hand harmonic (stopping the string with the index finger, instead of with the side of the palm)? I have seen this in one piece, Parvis by Bernard Andres, where this would be helpful in the first harp part. Any thoughts on that?
Vince
That’s funny, I was sitting right next to Diane at the Moretti recital! Haha – I remember we were amazed by her feet, in those bright red heels!
It was great to meet people from the Harp Column, but I didn’t get to meet everybody (I realized I didn’t know what some people look like!).
Her playing was fantastic, and she was so relaxed and at ease. I spoke to her briefly (in French) at the reception, which was really nice. I am so glad I was able to go.
Whitney, you can really fit a Salvi concert grand in a RAV4? Salvis in particular seem larger, as I learned when I borrowed my church’s Diana and had to put it in a Honda Element and get it up to my second floor apartment! I love Toyotas, and I’ve been eyeing the 4Runner, but I thought the RAV4 would be far too small. They are definitely cheaper too. Good info, now I know I can look into a newer model RAV4, especially since I’m planning to get a semigrand for my first harp. Thanks!
VinceI have never danced, although I really admire ballroom dancing and classical dance. My harp teacher and another harp teacher I know were both in ballet.
I think of a lot of music (especially 20th century) in terms of dance or movement, which helps me with phrasing and things like that. Of course, I try not to dance while playing…in fact I don’t like to move too much 🙂 I also think that ballet had a significant impact on Salzedo technique (especially through Nijinksy), and I find that fascinating and creative. Harp is an instrument that requires a certain amount of choreography, with pedals/levers and moving around the strings. When I carefully coordinate all my movements with what I’m playing, it helps my rhythm and helps me tie the piece together. I think in that aspect, dance can help with harp playing.Thanks to everyone for your responses! The ‘Harp 101’ session went well. I’m not sure if she’ll want to continue, but she may come back to it in the future. I tried to emphasize the fact that the harp is a versatile instrument and can be used for different purposes, whether it’s in the orchestra or just for personal enjoyment in the living room. I played the Chanson dans la Nuit for her and her mom, and they enjoyed it. It’s a good piece to use for demonstration because it has so many effects and sounds in it, and it’s a catchy piece. I definitely brought up many of the points you all suggested, although I wish I could have had something physical to give her to take home. I’m going to try to get her a cd of harp music, which would be nice for her to have anyway. I hope I get to see her again and really help her learn the harp! I’ll keep you guys posted 🙂
Thanks!
VinceThe best person to talk to is Rebekah Passmore with Harps International. She is in Dallas. I’ve rented a harp from her, and she is a wonderful person and great to work with. I rented a Camac Athena from her, and it was a great harp. I am used to Lyon Healy and Salvi, but I liked the Athena. I am just south of Dallas – I go to Baylor, which is in Waco. What school are you from?
PS – You can contact Rebekah through the website for Harps International: http://www.harps-international.com/harp_mfs.htm
Good luck!
VinceThere is a neat piece called ‘Hot Cucumber’ by Jakez Francois (owner of Camac Harps), and you can hear it on their website. I believe you can order it from either Vanderbilt or the Harp Connection, or maybe both. It has some neat pedal slides, but it’s not fast and is very charming. Actually, I need to order it and learn it myself!
Good luck!
VinceIf the ballet you are referring to is the Ballet SM on youtube, with the little girls, the music is the Dance of the Hours from the opera La Gioconda by Ponchielli.
Well, as weird as my dreams usually are, those that involve harp aren’t so much…but I frequently have dreams in which I find old, neglected harps in a school or somewhere, and wanting to play them but not being able to. I think when I first had that kind of dream (which was long before I began learning harp), it was a manifestation of my desire to learn it, and not having access to any harp. I knew my school district owned harps, and in the first dream, I found them in a big room in my elementary school, but they were dusty, broken and missing many strings. I remember waking up wishing I had a harp, even if it was dusty and broken. I guess that is a little weird…lol
I don’t have my own harp yet, but when I do I’m almost certain I’ll have dreams about it.
I did have one other dream involving my harp teacher and forgetting a school harp (the gold one, no less) at home (which in reality is 640 miles from my campus), and freaking out about it. I don’t know why I had taken it home, anyway. I had to pretend someone randomly stole it and then put it back…I guess that’s almost a nightmare?
Hi, Ivan! I do in fact go to Baylor, and if you didn’t already know that, that’s a pretty good guess! I sent you an e-mail, but in case you didn’t get it, you can e-mail me at aeolian_flux at yahoo.com. Thanks!
Leigh, where on Earth do you live? I guess for a Texan those temperatures are hard to fathom (but I really dream of living up north anyway!).
I love the idea of New Year’s harp resolutions! Being a clarinetist and relatively new to the harp (year three), I’m always trying to commit myself more and more to the harp because I love it so much. I think 2008 will be a good harp year for me (my teacher might let me play harp on a recital at school; I’m studying with her teacher over the summer, sort of like my own personal Camden experience; we’re having a studio recital at school – which was my idea; and by the end of the year I will have decided what I will do after graduating with my bachelor’s degree). Exciting stuff!
My resolutions are:
– be consistent with my technique when practicing, not letting anything slide
– practice my Lariviere exercises (very painstaking)
– not look angry when I’m playing (believe me, I’ve videotaped myself)
– meet as many harpists as possible (always enjoyable)
– get my own harp!
– share my love of harp with as many people as I canI had a chance in 2007 to do the latter, since I got to play harp for lots of people at home who had never seen or heard one (there are no harpists that live in my hometown – El Paso, Texas), including my family and my church, and that was so rewarding. I rented a harp through Harps International, and Rebekah Passmore and Peter Reis were so helpful! It has been great to have a harp to practice on for the 4 weeks of vacation (a long time, I know, but I needed it!). I hope my teacher will be pleased with my work over the Christmas vacation. Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I haven’t posted much lately, and as always, I’m excited about and infatuated with the harp! Happy new year to everyone!
Vince
