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What's on your music stand? (September 2018)

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Home Forums Coffee Break What's on your music stand? (September 2018)

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)
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  • #220675
    Veronika
    Participant

    We used to have these threads some years ago and when I joined this forum I went through all that I could find. I find it a very good way to discover new pieces. (And I’m also curious about what other people are playing.)

    I’m currently learning Bernard Andres’s Danse d’Automne no. 1 and Kola from his Epices. Those are long term projects for me!

    I’ve also been playing Dance of the Night by Meg Robinson and Clear Sky by Catrin Finch.

    #220681
    Sonya Wiley
    Member

    Probably too much is on my music stand! i’ve added two new exercise/etude books to my collection, 25 easy studies, Kastner and Mitch Landy’s Music for Harp Students. Pozzoli studies no 41; Salzedo 5 Preludes, no 1; Elegy, Kathy Bundock Moore ; Little Fountain, sightreading from new Christmas Eve book, Sunita Staneslow.

    #220686
    Jerusha Amado
    Participant

    Hello!

    I am the originator of the “Music Stand” idea. I haven’t started one of these threads in a long while, but it was always fun to do so!

    I’m working on new arrangements of some standards–“Embraceable You” and “When I Fall in Love”.

    You have a lot on your plate (or stand), Sonya! What do you like the most of what you’re learning?

    Veronika–What is “Dance of the Night” like, and what kind of event would it be suitable for?

    #220718
    Veronika
    Participant

    Jerusha, the piece has a kind of new-agey feel, which I mean in the best possible way. It’s a good show-off piece for intermediate players (like me), because it’s not too difficult but it sounds really nice. It’s great when people ask you to play them “something on the harp” – so far everyone has really liked it.

    Here’s a part of the first page and a (synthetic) midi file: http://www.megrobinsonmusic.com/dance-of-the-night.

    I don’t know about events, but I’d say informal events for audiences that don’t expect classical music.

    #220719
    Jerusha Amado
    Participant

    Hi Veronika,

    I just listened to the clip of “Dance of the Night”, and it is SO beautiful! Thanks so much for telling us about it.

    To others in our harp community– Let us know what’s on your music stand!

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Jerusha Amado.
    #220722
    tanyanoel
    Participant

    How fun, ok currently on my music stand – Toccata (Sabre Danse) by Susann McDonald, Two Guitars by Linda Wood, Pavane by Faure.

    Also a several shorter pieces for an upcoming Harp Ensemble concert at the Scottish Highland Games – Baloo Baleerie, Barbara Allan, Blythe Blythe and Merry Was She, Highland Mary – All Arranged by Kim Robertson, and Harry In Winter from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire arr by Dan Coates and lastly Walk In Belfast by Janet Harbison.

    #220723
    naisha
    Participant

    Woow love these kind of threads! It’s actually my first post on this forum, nice to meet you all 🙂
    Anyway, I don’t even have a harp (yet) but I do have a music stand, so now there I have a polynesian song I’m arranging for ukulele, called Ua Vai Api. I know it’s a bit off topic, but we’re on a coffee break, right? 🙂

    #220732
    Jerusha Amado
    Participant

    Hi Tanya–I love the songs that you’re learning that were written by Miss McDonald. I use them for gigs as background music.

    Hi Annie–What kind of harp would you like to play?

    #220736
    naisha
    Participant

    Hi Jerusha! To be honest, I’m still doing research so it’s still soon to say which harp I’ll end up buying, but at this moment I’m leaning to small one (26-29 strings) because the light weight and portability sounds really good to me, as I said, it’s still soon 🙂

    By the way, today I’ve changed the music on my stand, I’ve put Mozart’s Lacrimosa from when I played it on the violin with my town’s orchestra years ago. Not because I’m playing it again (I think I couldn’t do it if I tried, Omg that was crazy difficult!), but because it brings me good memories. And why not, a real sheet music looks better and more decorative than a draft in a notebook with lyrics full of arrows, crossed out chords, tab fragments… ^_^

    #220748
    Veronika
    Participant

    Jerusha, I’m glad you like it! It’s one of my favourite pieces.

    Annie, welcome to the forum! A ukulele arrangement is absolutely on topic – the topic is what’s on your music stand, not what harp music is on your music stand! 😀

    #220755
    evolene_t
    Participant

    Hello all!

    Wow, Veronika, love even the midi version of Dance of the Night and it seem to be about my level, so I think I’ll take a jab at it too!

    Annie, you might want to look into Double-Strung harps if portability is a concern, and you still want to play a great range of music… There’s a sub-section on this forum called “Mine’s a triple” if you’re interested. Love the ukulele practice though 😉

    On my music stand, I haven’t taken up any new pieces recently because of work starting again.
    I’m polishing off a version of “Sally Gardens” that was a big piece to chew since I had to adapt it to a 26×2 strings double-strung harp. And I’ve taken a jab at the “Skye Boat Song” for double-strung by Carolyn Deal.

    I was thinking of picking up “Carol of the Bells” for double-strung, as well as Yiruma’s “River flows in You” for single, for which I have scores.
    Actually, my problem is not getting the scores, it’s finding the time to practice!

    Furthermore, I’m adapting some French classics by ear to adapt with recorder. Takes me a lot of time by always very fun!

    #222171
    Rachel
    Participant

    I have a couple of things circulating. For challenging lever harp music, I have “Blue Orchid” by Savourna Stevenson (excellent jazz piece), “The Garden Path” collection by Christa Grix, “The Coombe Road/Session at Fintan’s” by Michael O’Sullivan, and “Blue Dream World” by Inge Frimout. And, for holiday music preparations, I’m trotting out Mitch Landy’s “Christmas Medley”, since I have to work on the harmonics; I like the way the pieces flow into each other (and they are pieces played less often at the holidays).

    #222177
    Jerusha Amado
    Participant

    Evolene–I’m so impressed that you’re learning to play a double-strung harp! And the tunes you’ve chosen are very enjoyable to play. I play “Sally Gardens” and “Carol of the Bells” at gigs.

    Rachel–I love that you’re tackling “Blue Orchid”. (Savourna is a talented songwriter and harpist!) I don’t have the music but would like to try it. What level is it at, intermediate or advanced? Also, can you tell me where one can purchase it?

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by Jerusha Amado.
    #222179
    Rachel
    Participant

    Hi Jerusha, Blue Orchid is a challenging piece, but much of that comes from learning the lever flips. The edition I have is older (the lever flips were given their own clef), but the newer edition on Savourna’s site has the standard two clefs: https://www.savournastevenson.uk/product/blue-orchid/. There is also a fabulous video of Alys Howe performing this piece on Youtube. I have also seen the sheet music listed at Creighton’s Collection and Clive Morley Harps. It is worth the work!

    #222180
    kathy-chanik
    Participant

    Hi Jerusha and Rachel, I also love playing Blue Orchid by Savourna Stevenson. I learned it several years ago and have been “polishing” it ever since. Getting it up to tempo and all those lever flips is very challenging! I also like some of the little extra bits she adds to this tune on YouTube, so I’ve transcribed those as best I can and added them to the arrangement. And I love her pieces Un Buachaille and Emily’s Calling, also brilliantly played on YouTube. I got as much of her music as I could from her website. It’s all pretty crazy hard tho!

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