What with all the talk of classical guitars, violins, violas etc, I got a real hankering for some harp talk! So tell me guys, where are you? What are you playing at the moment? What harps do you have? Have you performed recently? Any trials and tribulations you want share?

Not a harpist, but I was very tempted after a visit to the Telynau Teifi workshops. Does anyone here play their harps and if so what do you think of them? They look like lovely instruments and it was nice to see that they are made by craftsmen and not the result of a production line.

I would think they're all to busy tuning their instruments to find time to post here.

I was very tempted by their Eos when I bought my first hrp. It did sound very nice, and it was slightly cheaper than the Pilgrim Clarsach I ended up with. However, it was a lot heavier, and being a pretty big bloke I needed legs to go with it, which unfortunatley they couldn't supply in a hurry. If I ever go back to the folk harp I will seriously consider getting it though.



Cheeky!!! It only takes me about 20 minutes once a week to tune all 47 strings!

Ah well, I suppose I could try and kickstart the conversation. As a very green player I've only recently gotten used to rolled chords, thanks to a lovely piece called 'Amaryllis' from the book 'Old Tunes for New harpists'. Now I'm oing back to all the pieces where I used to pluck the chords and rolling them instead, to great effect! My tutor has shown me how to play arpeggios on the left hand over the melody, and they're coming along well. It's like patting your head, and rubbing your belly, but I'm getting there! Also, my tutor is helping me through Pachelbel's Canon, the first piece of music I've played more than 2 minutes long. It's all good, and I'm loving it. I knew I made the right decision with that Venus Penti! My partner is still struggling with having a grand concert harp in the living room though...

How is everyone else getting on?

I have a pilgrim clarsach and am desperately trying to save up for a concert pedal harp!! You know what I'm playing at the moment - Joanna Newsom! I'm doing a concert at an old folk's home in January so I'm working on some repetoire - mostly some scottish jigs, reels, slow airs etc... and a couple of classical grade pieces - working on Grade 5 and going to take the exam sometime next year Hmm...problems I am having? When will I ever have time to practise!




I do - and its the best instrument ever!! Please take it up...I'm sure they are endangered instruments



You must have it down to a fine art - although I am getting a new tuner for christmas and am dead excited (sad I know!!) but I tried it out and it works so much better than my old one!



Oh I absolutely love Pachelbel's Canon It must be my favourite piece at the moment! There are so many versions though...I am playing Syliva Woods advanced version...what about you?

Hehe - I'm on the easy solo version, in the same book by Sylvia Woods! However, I'm only learning certain parts of it, as my tutor found she'd mucked about with it too much, and some parts were unrecognisable. I think her exact words were 'I feel insulted as a musician' when she was going through it with me. She's highlighted the parts she feels are close, and is going to write up the rest for me later. My tutor is so cool!!!

Here is her version of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1sVuYSZ3Y

Thanks, I was really tempted and Tenynau Teifi are not far from home, or rather my parents' home.
My husband and I seem to be having a race to fill the music room - he's winning so far with a piano and a harpsicord (takes even longer than a harp to tune). The other plan is to get my sister to learn and then we can do flute/harp duets.

Is it best to start with a folk harp?

Great idea! I'm off to a flute/harp recital hopefully tomorrow morning, which I am very much looking forward too.



That is a very good question! It depends if you want to flick levers to change key, or pedals. Also, folk harps are generally a LOT cheaper than decent pedal harps. With a pedal harp you can pretty much play anything, but with a folk harp there are restrictions. As you can only sharpen each string you have to tune it to E flat to allow you easy access to the most keys via the lever flips. That's not something you have to worry about on a pedal harp. Tune every string flat and set the pedals to middle setting for C and away you go!

Another consideration is space. A reasonable sized folk harp is easy to tuck away somewhere, but a grand concert pedal like mine won't sit quietly in a corner. It sucks up space more than the kids toys. It has taken my partner six months to get used to it's presence, and there was ructions the other day when she realised there'd be no room for the Xmas tree this year!

It is usually wisest to hire each for a wee while, as you may not like playing either harp anyway! I didn't personally, but I don't regret my decision to blow my entire savings in the slightest!!

Does anyone else have any pros and cons about folk and pedal harps?

I don't think I count as a harpist, but I have a 22 string harp (with a full set of levers) and I can pick simple tunes out on it. It's fun to mess around with. :-)
Rather less fun to tune it though...

T.

Lovely! You're so lucky - a wish I had a teacher like yours ... or even just a teacher




It really depends on what you want to do with it - if you are planning on ever playing classical music or playing for weddings it may be better to just dive in and get a pedal harp. And as Shaolin_monkey said, hiring is definately a good idea for at least a couple of months.



Hmm...a pedal harp or a christmas tree, tricky one! I know what I would prefer!!



Yes, it is immposible to play a lot of pieces on a lever harp - I know from experience but I feel sorry for pedal harpists at the EIHF wheeling their massive instruments around whilst I just put mine on my shoulder and off I go! Btw, has anyone else been to EIHF or planning on going next year?

The harp is a useful and versatile instrument -all you need do is take a long piece of tinsel and wrap it spiralling round the column...

...and don't forget to put the fairy on top and presents underneath

Sorry shaolin monkey - I am a bad girl and prone to hijacking.

I don't play the harp, but have a couple of friends who do - one actually teaches it. They're very beautiful instruments, and given an infinite amount of time, money and space, I'd learn it.

I'm slowly coming down from the high induced by the recent ROH Ring cycle, which had an outrageous number of harps in it - six at the end of Das Rheingold, so it looked something like this:

Ok, ive finally jumped in! I really couldnt afford a pedal harp, so decided to go for a cheap one on ebay, may well be a mistake but its so cheap its hard to resist. At least its not an EMS one. have a butchers and see what you think, il let you know what its like when it arrives!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...N:IT&ih=015

Cheers, keep on harping!
JonB

Well done for getting a harp! Let us know how you get on when it arrives. There are quite a few good beginners books out there for the harp
Happy harping

Good one mate! I hope you enjoy learning it as much as I am! I moved quickly from a lever to pedal once I realise how amazing the instrument was, and hope you feel equally enamoured.

I'm not a harpist, but I just wanted to drop in and say that a harpist came to an Irish music workshop that I play in last night and gave us a talk on the history of the harp, played a few O'Carolan airs (a bit dull to be honest, but I don't really like his music much) and then some astonishingly fast reels with jazz based chords to back it up and then, my favorite, a set of slip-jigs in e minor. He also accompanied me for a gaelic lament.

It was really fascinating to hear about the history of the harp in Irish music, to learn about this man's journey from classical to trad and to hear this wonderful instrument so close up - it was really magical to listen to.

Good work harpists! Keep the fire burning.

Allan
(so pleased I have no more time or money, otherwise there would be yet another instrument clogging up more over subscribed music room... )

Ditto my 34 string!