Repertoire suggestions
HCM Summer Music Challenge
Jun
Summer is here, and it’s the perfect time to learn something new. Not sure where to start? Choose one of our suggestions below, or challenge yourself to pick something from each category!
(Titles marked with an * are playable on lever harp.)
Something by a famous composer
You can’t go wrong adding something by one of these famous composers to your playlist, so why not start by choosing a selection from one or all of these collections.
Lucy Bunce
Laura Sherman
Maria Luisa Rayan
*Mozart Melodies
by Wolfgang Mozart, arr. Lucy Bunce
This medley of three famous Mozart melodies can be played separately or together as a suite. Included are “Papageno’s Song” from The Magic Flute, movement II from his Flute and Harp Concerto, and movement III from the Horn Concerto.
*Bach For All Harpists
arr. Laura Sherman
Looking for a new J.S. Bach transcription? You’re sure to find something that suits you in Laura Sherman’s massive collection, which also includes extensive notes on Bach’s ornamentation style. If you’re not interested in the whole collection, each piece is also sold separately. (Note: only some of the pieces in this collection are playable on lever harp. See the table of contents image for details.)
Chopin Preludes
by Frederic Chopin, arr. Maria Luisa Rayan
Rayan has adapted four of Chopin’s most famous piano preludes for the harp. If you’ve never played these gorgeous melodies, now is your chance!
A work written in the last 10 years
Scared of contemporary music? Don’t be! These harp-friendly composers will have you loving new music in no time.
*Solitaire
by Gary Carpenter
Gary Carpeter’s Solitaire is a set of five pieces for advanced lever harp, but includes minimal lever changes. The first, third, and fifth pieces are dance-inspired, while the second and fourth pieces are more meditative. Learn one or all five!
*Paper Birds
by Romy Wymer
This slow and thoughtful piece has a wandering melody. It uses extended techniques with unexpected jazz harmonies to create interest for both the player and the listener.
Harlem Suite
by Maurice Draughn
Maurice Draughn’s three-movement Harlem Suite was inspired by poetry written during the Harlem Renaissance. It’s rhythmic, jazzy, dreamy, bluesy….we could go on.
A genre you wouldn't normally play
Do you always gravitate towards the same ol’ same ol’ when it comes to choosing music? Challenge yourself to pick a genre you would not normally play.
Tamsin Dearnley
Amanda Whiting
Christine Mazza
*Pig Ankle Rag
arr. Tamsin Dearnley
Want to try an upbeat rag? This fast-paced tune comes from Pig Ankles: A Grotesque Intermezzo by American composer Mamie E. Williams. “[It’s] that rare thing in harp music—a delightful ragtime piece with no lever or pedal changes, so you can just concentrate on your fingers,” says Dearnley of her rendition.
*When the World Paused
by the Pedal Sliders
Curious to try some jazz? This collection of 11 original solos by Amanda Whiting of the Pedal Sliders keeps lever and pedal changes to a minimum, allowing you to concentrate on rhythm and improvisation. (Don’t want the whole collection? Each piece is available separately.)
The Little Shepherd
—by Claude Debussy, arr. Christine Mazza
Do you shy away from the classics? Why not give this beautiful work by French composer Claude Debussy a try. It’s the fifth movement in his Children’s Corner suite, and it has been artfully adapted for pedal harp by Christine Mazza.
A new version of an old favorite
Ailie Robertson
Brook Boddie
Cindy Horstman
*The Parting Glass
arr. Ailie Robertson
Robertson has reimagined this traditional Celtic air with beautiful open voicings and mixed meters. Best yet, she has provided two versions so you can choose your level. Caution: the haunting melody will stay with you long after you’ve finished playing!
*Amazing Grace
arr. Brook Boddie
It’s hard to make a tune as familiar as “Amazing Grace” sound new, but Brook Boddie has done just that with his beautiful and unique arrangement of this timeless hymn. You’ll want to add this one to your repertoire.
Scarborough Fair
arr. Cindy Horstman
Cindy Horstman’s jazz influenced rendition of “Scarborough Fair” will make you fall in love with the piece all over again. Horstman manages to stay true to the original character of the folk tune, while making it new and interesting at the same time.
