Friends Near and Far

Notes from the publisher

Original pieces for harp, intermediate in difficulty and always interesting. For a full range lever harp or pedal harp, very few accidentals. “Epithalamion” is a wedding recessional/fanfare in the key of C, appropriate for modern weddings, too. “Lullaby for Carmen” is in the key of G mixolydian, easy, flowing and relaxing. “The Witches’ Tea Party” is in the key of A minor with parallel 4ths and 5ths, in 12/8 time going to 4/4 and back again — very effective. “Nemed: The Sacred Grove” is contemplative and flowing music in 3/4 time hovering around A minor and E minor, ending in C major. “Duet for Dafydd” has jazzy rhythms in 12/8 changing to 4/4, then a return to the 12/8 jazzy feel. Basically in A minor with a G-sharp accidental. This duet can be played on harp and keyboard or two harps. There is a solo version, as well. The neo-medieval suite “The Feast”, inspired by the book Fast and Feast by Bridget Henisch, contains the following: “The Procession of Courses” is a trumpet type fanfare imitating the heralding in of individual courses of food. “The Lovers Glances” (lovers not seated with each other steal glances during the long meal) is a wistful piece in 3/4 time, key of D minor. “The Dance” is a presto movement in the key of A minor in 3/4 changing to 6/8 time with tympanic sounds. “The Sotelty and the Wafer” (the cook’s pièce de résistance), the final piece in this suite, is a stately and bright 4/4 in the key of F Lydian. Last but not least in this very diverse collection, “The Eve of St. Agnes” suite is based on Keats’ medieval fairy tale of lovers whose families are enemies, running away together into a bitter January night. “St. Agnes’ Eve” in the key of A minor, has harmonics and tremolo. “The Dancers” in D Dorian has a drone bass throughout with dotted rhythms in the RH. “Madeline Dreaming” is in 3/4 G Mixolydian with large flowing chords in the RH. “Into the Storm” is a flowing 3/4 piece in the key of A minor with a tremolo at the end. The Keats poem follows this suite. A diverse and brilliant collection. 44 pages. Table of Contents: Ephithalamion, Lullaby for Carmen, The Witches’ Tea Party, Nemed: The Sacred Grove. Duet for Dafydd, Solo for Dafydd, The Feast: A Neo-Medieval Suite, The Eve of St. Agnes.