My 11-year-old just got her lever harp yesterday, a beautiful Camac, and she starts lessons this coming week. She plays piano, and has been playing songs that she knows on the piano on the harp. We've been searching the Web for Celtic harp sheet music (some of the tunes she wanted are, of course, right here at The Session: >), and were wondering if anyone has any favorite collections you would recommend. We are looking at The Celtic Harp by John Loesberg, Christine Martin, and Siobhan Bhreathnach, published by Ossian, but thought we'd see if there's anything others might recommend.
Grainne Hambly has published two excellent volumes of Irish harp arrangements, ranging from easy to more advanced pieces--highly recommended. Maire Ni Chathasaigh's books are also good.
The organization "Cairde na Cruite" has published a series of harp music books--I recently bought volume 1 (beginner-intermediate level), and it's great, with nice arrangements of old tunes by people like Grainne Yeats.
All these are available from Sylvia Woods' harp center ( http://www.harpcenter.com/ ) as well as other sources easily found by a net search.
Thanks for the link, Barry. It is a very interesting site.
And yes, arrangements are fine, Rob. She is a very quick study. She has already torn through most of her piano books, and we've only had the harp in the house about 18 hours....
Yes, Doug. We looked at Grainne's Vol. II yesterday when we bought the harp, but did not see Vol. I (we saw Grainne and Billy Jackson last summer). Thank you for the link. We will check it out.
She is particularly interested in finding the sheet music to "The Dove's Return" and Lisa Lynne's "Circle of Joy." We've not had any luck searching for those online.
My daughter also plays Celtic harp, and most of the music she plays comes from online sources, such as the tunes available on this site. She identifies a tune she likes and works out the chords with either her teacher or my help. Then with her teacher's assistance, she works out the left hand part based on the chords.
My daughter does have several books that she likes:
"The Small Harp" by Alison Kinnaird
"Scottish Ballads and Aires" by Kim Robertson
"Irish Dance Tunes for All Harps" by Sylvia Woods
The latter has ornaments included in the notation, so that could be helpful if your daughter is new to that.
I would recommend that your daughter listen to CDs by Celtic harpists to get ideas for arrangements and tunes she might like to learn.
You might also consider finding a good teacher. The mechanics of technique is difficult to learn on your own. This is important for getting good sound as well as staying injury free.
Thanks so mcuh for all of the suggestions, Rob. We will check into the books. She does listen to our Celtic harp CDs (we've quite a few), and she has actually started picking up a couple of tunes by ear. We've lined a teacher who has studied in Ireland at the Irish Harp Center there in Castleconnell and will start working with her this week. It is thrilling to see her so excited. What is scary is that the 8-year-old is playing it, too, so I know what is coming...duets and another harp. And a bigger truck.
Besides the excellent recommendation of Grainne Hambly, some names for you to explore are Michelle Mulcahy, Kathleen Loughnane(Dordan), Laoise Kelly, Helen O'Hara, Welsh harpist Hillary Rushmer, Antoinette McKenna(Dublin), then she can begin listening to the classical pedal harpists, and that will raise the bar for you and her. We had to buy a "Harpmobile" when my wife got her 73.5" harp weighing 86 lbs.
Better to invest in harps than automobiles. Harps don't rust or go out of style and their value holds if you take care of them. Buy a good protective case and don't buy cheap strings.
Did you know that harpists are preregistered.........?
Thanks for the suggestions, Whistle Baer. We will check into them, too.
As for investing in harps and vehicles, I suppose I could go ahead and get the two-horse trailer and give each child a slot for her harp...and put the equine in the back seat. And I swear the case weighs almost as much as the harp. She can tote the harp around, but put the case on it, and Mom or Dad has to carry it. And we don't mind a bit.
Harp players may be interested in the Harp & Claymore collection, but not for the arrangements. While "Harp" appears in the title, the arrangements are pure Victorian piano pieces, and most are unplayable on the harp. However, the melodies can be extracted and arranged successfully for harp. Of course, that can be said of most of the tunes here on the Session.
I hope she gets into learning tunes by ear soon. At her age, it should be easy. And making her own arrangements, too.
Harp camp! http://www.harpscholar.org All sizes and shapes of harps, and I would venture to say, campers age 8 to 80.
The Swannanoa Gathering, Celtic week: http://www.swangathering.org/index.html
Since she can read music already, and at the rate she's going, she should be able to hold her own in the "adult" classes, including the non-harp classes.
Your teacher will probably have some other suggestions for sheet music, workshops, and artists to listen to.
Thanks for the great info, Tracie! We attended Swannanoa's Celtic Week last summer, and next year she will be old enough to take classes. Those all look like wonderful activities, and they are all in our neck of the woods to boot.
Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
My 11-year-old just got her lever harp yesterday, a beautiful Camac, and she starts lessons this coming week. She plays piano, and has been playing songs that she knows on the piano on the harp. We've been searching the Web for Celtic harp sheet music (some of the tunes she wanted are, of course, right here at The Session: >), and were wondering if anyone has any favorite collections you would recommend. We are looking at The Celtic Harp by John Loesberg, Christine Martin, and Siobhan Bhreathnach, published by Ossian, but thought we'd see if there's anything others might recommend.
Many thanks!
# Posted on April 16th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Harp players may be interesting in this online collection:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/harpclaymore
# Posted on April 16th 2006 by barrysmith90
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Do you want fully arranged pieces or just melodies?
# Posted on April 16th 2006 by rob zouk
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Grainne Hambly has published two excellent volumes of Irish harp arrangements, ranging from easy to more advanced pieces--highly recommended. Maire Ni Chathasaigh's books are also good.
The organization "Cairde na Cruite" has published a series of harp music books--I recently bought volume 1 (beginner-intermediate level), and it's great, with nice arrangements of old tunes by people like Grainne Yeats.
All these are available from Sylvia Woods' harp center ( http://www.harpcenter.com/ ) as well as other sources easily found by a net search.
# Posted on April 16th 2006 by tedium
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Thanks for the link, Barry. It is a very interesting site.
And yes, arrangements are fine, Rob. She is a very quick study. She has already torn through most of her piano books, and we've only had the harp in the house about 18 hours....
Yes, Doug. We looked at Grainne's Vol. II yesterday when we bought the harp, but did not see Vol. I (we saw Grainne and Billy Jackson last summer). Thank you for the link. We will check it out.
She is particularly interested in finding the sheet music to "The Dove's Return" and Lisa Lynne's "Circle of Joy." We've not had any luck searching for those online.
Many thanks again.
# Posted on April 16th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
My daughter also plays Celtic harp, and most of the music she plays comes from online sources, such as the tunes available on this site. She identifies a tune she likes and works out the chords with either her teacher or my help. Then with her teacher's assistance, she works out the left hand part based on the chords.
My daughter does have several books that she likes:
"The Small Harp" by Alison Kinnaird
"Scottish Ballads and Aires" by Kim Robertson
"Irish Dance Tunes for All Harps" by Sylvia Woods
The latter has ornaments included in the notation, so that could be helpful if your daughter is new to that.
I would recommend that your daughter listen to CDs by Celtic harpists to get ideas for arrangements and tunes she might like to learn.
You might also consider finding a good teacher. The mechanics of technique is difficult to learn on your own. This is important for getting good sound as well as staying injury free.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by rob zouk
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Thanks so mcuh for all of the suggestions, Rob. We will check into the books. She does listen to our Celtic harp CDs (we've quite a few), and she has actually started picking up a couple of tunes by ear. We've lined a teacher who has studied in Ireland at the Irish Harp Center there in Castleconnell and will start working with her this week. It is thrilling to see her so excited. What is scary is that the 8-year-old is playing it, too, so I know what is coming...duets and another harp. And a bigger truck.
Many thanks again.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
That's "lined her up with" a teacher...: > )
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Besides the excellent recommendation of Grainne Hambly, some names for you to explore are Michelle Mulcahy, Kathleen Loughnane(Dordan), Laoise Kelly, Helen O'Hara, Welsh harpist Hillary Rushmer, Antoinette McKenna(Dublin), then she can begin listening to the classical pedal harpists, and that will raise the bar for you and her. We had to buy a "Harpmobile" when my wife got her 73.5" harp weighing 86 lbs.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by windybaer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Better to invest in harps than automobiles. Harps don't rust or go out of style and their value holds if you take care of them. Buy a good protective case and don't buy cheap strings.
Did you know that harpists are preregistered.........?
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by windybaer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Thanks for the suggestions, Whistle Baer. We will check into them, too.
As for investing in harps and vehicles, I suppose I could go ahead and get the two-horse trailer and give each child a slot for her harp...and put the equine in the back seat. And I swear the case weighs almost as much as the harp. She can tote the harp around, but put the case on it, and Mom or Dad has to carry it. And we don't mind a bit.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
There is a Mel Bay publication (MB 95433) called "Celtic Music for Folk Harp" with decently "graded" arrangements by Laurie Riley and Leslie McMichael
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by windybaer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Harp players may be interested in the Harp & Claymore collection, but not for the arrangements. While "Harp" appears in the title, the arrangements are pure Victorian piano pieces, and most are unplayable on the harp. However, the melodies can be extracted and arranged successfully for harp. Of course, that can be said of most of the tunes here on the Session.
I hope she gets into learning tunes by ear soon. At her age, it should be easy. And making her own arrangements, too.
Harp camp! http://www.harpscholar.org All sizes and shapes of harps, and I would venture to say, campers age 8 to 80.
Southeastern Harp weekend in Asheville NC. Workshops, concerts, harp vendors and harp tasting:
http://www.southeasternharps.com/
The Swannanoa Gathering, Celtic week:
http://www.swangathering.org/index.html
Since she can read music already, and at the rate she's going, she should be able to hold her own in the "adult" classes, including the non-harp classes.
Your teacher will probably have some other suggestions for sheet music, workshops, and artists to listen to.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Tracie
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
Thanks for the great info, Tracie! We attended Swannanoa's Celtic Week last summer, and next year she will be old enough to take classes. Those all look like wonderful activities, and they are all in our neck of the woods to boot.
Thank you again.
# Posted on April 17th 2006 by Gaelic writer
Re: Suggestions for Celtic harp music collections
There's a company called Taigh Na Tend based in Scotland. They have a few books with specific harp arrangements - have a look at http://www.scotlandsmusic.com/celtic-harp.htm.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by telyn