Hello Ann, and welcome from the west coast too. I'm interested in how you are
transferring music from the lute to the harp. I too love the lute, though I
don't play it myself, and I'm thrilled every time I find a good transcription
that I can play on my triple harp. Do you write your own transcriptions, or do
you have other sources, or both?
Again, welcome to the HHS.
Flory Nye-Clement in No. California

Hello, Ann, and welcome!
I joined this group a while back, but I am a rather silent member; I read all
the posts but usually just "listen" to what others have to say.  But it is nice
to know that there are many across the country (and across the world!) who love
early music.  I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and have played Celtic harp for
over 10 years and added a bray harp a couple of years ago.  I love medieval
music, but am also a fan of renaissance music (especially Dowland and Playford).
I am in the Early Music Ensemble at the University of New Mexico - an one-credit
class offered in the fall and spring semesters that consists of UNM staff,
community members, undergrad music majors, and grad students.  I play harp in
the class, but also sing, play recorder, and try my hand at viols, rebecs,
crumhorns, lute, etc.  I would LOVE to get to the Boston event someday.  It
would be great if we could all meet and play together in the future.
Best,
Kathy Mille Wimmer


--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, VirginiaAnn Carter
<virginiaanncarter@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> How happy I am to have found this group! I am a retired musician/singer with a
passion for early music and particularly the Elizabethan song repertoire. For
several years I played lute and other fretted strings, but the onset of
arthritis forced me to give up on those instruments and concentrate on choral
conducting. The piano and organ still worked for me, but I dreadfully missed an
instrument I could hold and sing to. In retirement I have discovered the harp
and have fallen in love with it. I am finding that much of the lute song and
lute solo rep can be transferred to the harp. Joy! Over the past two years I
have worked in solitude wondering where there could be other harpers who love
early music as I do. And now, thanks to some information from my former lute
instructor, I have found you. I am so looking forward to learning from your
postings and hoping to contribute from what I have learned over a long music
career. Too, I am looking forward to
>  meeting you in person and creating music with you. Thank you, thank you for
"being there".
>  
> (I hope I have not sent this message already! I got so excited about finding
the Historical Harp Society that I may have hit some computer keys by mistake.)
>  
> Ann Carter (aka: Ann Carter-Cox)
>

Hi Ann

Welcome to the Historical Harp Society! It's an amazing and diverse group of
talented, knowledgeable and friendly people. I hope you'll be able to join us in
New London this summer. It's a very pretty drive from the Hudson Valley!

Best,
Paul Knoke
HHS President

Hello all

I've got a Campbell Vermillion harp and am trying to figure out the string gauge
chart to it. The diameters listed aren't necessarily the same diameters I'm
finding for different brands of strings and she's also written in some
additional gauges.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Diane

It's a Cousineau. It seems salvageable. The pedals and pedal box are gone, and
the pedal box lid will need some reconstruction, but if the woodworm damage
isn't too bad . . . it could be a lovely harp again!

Paul Knoke

Yes, he plays an Ardival Rose and studied with Bill Taylor and Alison Kinnaird. 
See the rest of his videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/tkharpflt#p/a

Peter

--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, Richard York <richard@...> wrote:
>
> That is wonderful bray playing - and how nicely adjusted they are too!
> I wonder if he plays wires too - I'm trying to decide if he's actually
> using damping in his left hand, or if the brays just decay that bit
> faster...
> Great stuff!
> Richard.
>
> harpharpharp wrote:
> >
> >
> > He lists his name as "Tomo", that's all I know. Peter
> >
> > --- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com
> > <mailto:HistoricalHarp%40yahoogroups.com>, LLWright@ wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > That's awesome, Peter. Do you know the name of the player?
> > >
> > > Laurel
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: harpharpharp <larixx@>
> > > To: HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com
> > <mailto:HistoricalHarp%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > Sent: Tue, Nov 3, 2009 4:40 pm
> > > Subject: [HistoricalHarp] Bray Harp Video
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Finally, someone who isn't afraid of brays!
> > >
> > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzlwlxnOGg
> > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzlwlxnOGg>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Peter Wilson
> > >
> >
> >
>

 

He lists his name as "Tomo", that's all I know. Peter

--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, LLWright@... wrote:
>
>
> That's awesome, Peter. Do you know the name of the player?
>
> Laurel
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: harpharpharp <larixx@...>
> To: HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tue, Nov 3, 2009 4:40 pm
> Subject: [HistoricalHarp] Bray Harp Video
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Finally, someone who isn't afraid of brays!
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzlwlxnOGg
>
>
>
> Peter Wilson
>

Dear All,

I've just joined this group.

I'd like everyone to know that after a 7 year break I'm back in my harp workshop
again, so please spread the word!

I'm currently making one of my Large Italian Triple Harps which will be ready in
February 2010. If anyone is interested in buying this harp please contact me.

There is always a possibility that I may be able to bring a harp over to the
States from my home in England.

Thanks - Simon

He lists his name as "Tomo", that's all I know.  Peter



--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, LLWright@... wrote:
>
>
>  That's awesome, Peter.  Do you know the name of the player?
>
> Laurel
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: harpharpharp <larixx@...>
> To: HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tue, Nov 3, 2009 4:40 pm
> Subject: [HistoricalHarp] Bray Harp Video
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Finally, someone who isn't afraid of brays!
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzlwlxnOGg
>
>
>
> Peter Wilson
>

Finally, someone who isn't afraid of brays!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPzlwlxnOGg

Peter Wilson

Andrew Lawrence -King is organising a week long meeting for area of
performance practice on the single-action harp,
specifically figuring out the relationship between the technical methods
and the artistic aesthetic, in the late 18th century.

Attached is Andrew's flyer.

yours, Maria Cleary

--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, gregory balsewicz <zciweslab@...> wrote:
>From what I understand lute tablature can be tricky due to the national
>differences (Germany, Italy and France).

Italian, Spanish, and French tablature are straightforward; I found them easy to
learn well enough to transcribe and even learned a few pieces directly from the
tablature.  I never learned German tablature--it has a different internal logic.

By habit, I generally assume a tenor lute, in G; I often wound up transposing
pieces either into a more sonorous range or into a key I found easier to play. 
I also ignore subtleties like the octave strings on certain courses and the
question of how long a note can be sustained--I just transcribe it as whatever
length makes sense to me.  (Of course, I'm pretty cavalier in my attitude toward
notation, and seldom wind up playing a piece exactly as it's written.)

Bill McJohn

I spent alot of time learning to play lute from tablature, but I rarely approached this in terms of the actual note, but rather in terms of the string to be plucked and the fret to be fingered.  Others with a broader musical bakground may not be subject this particular limitation; I have always had a tough time with pitch notation, but found tablature to be relatively easy to play from.

Larry M

On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 8:11 PM, gregory balsewicz <zciweslab@...> wrote:

 

Hi Dianne

Thanks for posting the Pavanes. I play a 'Fantasia' by Luis Milano but I do it on a single-row

harp with lots of fretting! These pieces look like they'll also be fun and challenging in that regard. It is also a guitar transcription. From what I understand lute tablature can be tricky due to the national differences (Germany, Italy and France). I sure wish I could read tab so I wouldn't have to depend on guitar transcriptions, but hey- somebody's already done the hard work- I might as well utilize it.

Gregory

 

 

On Wed, 9/30/09, legs4legs <ensign@...> wrote:

From: legs4legs <ensign@...>

Subject: [HistoricalHarp] Lute tablature question + sheet music download

To: HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009, 4:13 PM

 

Hi, I'm curious whether very many historical harpists learn to read lute tablature? And how did you learn it: in a class, self-taught, friend or relative, etc.?

Then there are the fortunate ones who play both lutes *and* harps <grin>...

Below is a link to Pavanes I - VI by Luis de Milan, arranged for guitar by Eythor Thorlaksson, who has my thanks and appreciation for making them available. Among the pieces that sound well on my Kortier baroque triple, these are gorgeous, with very few tweaks:

http://www.eythorss on.com/music/ 1069.pdf

Thanks!

Dianne in OR

Gregory and Larry, thank you for your comments.   And sorry for the double
posting...


I've been experimenting with the register on these pieces, often moving it down
an octave in places (because on my harp it sounds richer and more resonant), so
it's nice to know there's some precedent.  Gregory, perhaps you would consider
doing a video for YouTube some time of one or more of these pavanes--it would be
terrific to hear how they sound on a single-row harp...


Here's a link to sound clips of a recording, "Lluis del mila:  fantasies,
pavanes & gallardes", with Jordi Savall and Andrew Lawrence-King, so you can at
least hear 30 seconds of some of the galliards:


http://www.amazon.com/Llu%C3%ADs-del-Mil%C3%A0-Fantasies-Gallardes/dp/B0000017MZ


Cheers! -- Dianne
























--- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, "gregory" <zciweslab@...> wrote:
>
> Oh yeah- one last note- the written music would actually sound an octave lower
on the guitar and should be played an octave lower than written on the harp,
too- it makes pinching alot easier. It would be interesting to know whether Luis
da Milano had intended these for dancing or purely for listening as art music. I
bet the galliards to these rock!
> Gregory
>

Oh yeah- one last note- the written music would actually sound an octave lower
on the guitar and should be played an octave lower than written on the harp,
too- it makes pinching alot easier. It would be interesting to know whether Luis
da Milano had intended these for dancing or purely for listening as art music. I
bet the galliards to these rock!
Gregory

Hi, I'm curious whether very many historical harpists learn to read lute
tablature?  And how did you learn it:  in a class, self-taught, friend or
relative, etc.?


Then there are the fortunate ones who play both lutes *and* harps <grin>...


Below is a link to Pavanes I - VI by Luis de Milan, arranged for guitar by
Eythor Thorlaksson, who has my thanks and appreciation for making them
available.  Among the pieces that sound well on my Kortier baroque triple, these
are gorgeous, with very few tweaks:


http://www.eythorsson.com/music/1069.pdf


Thanks!

Dianne in OR

Hi, I'm curious whether very many historical harpists learn to read lute
tablature?  And how did you learn it:  in a class, self-taught, friend or
relative, etc.?


Then there are the fortunate ones who play both lutes *and* harps <grin>...


Below is a link to Pavanes I - VI by Luis de Milan, arranged for guitar by
Eythor Thorlaksson, who has my thanks and appreciation for making them
available.  Among the pieces that sound well on my Kortier baroque triple, these
are gorgeous, with very few tweaks:


http://www.eythorsson.com/music/1069.pdf


Thanks!

Dianne in OR

You can post your message at the WireHarp list as well because there are people
there who are interested in bray harps and play them.

Here's a video of Therese Honey playing her wonderful arrangement of Branle de
la Torche on a Boston harp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOxKNNT6iY0

Peter Wilson

  --- In HistoricalHarp@yahoogroups.com, "florynyeclement" <floryedit@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> As mentioned in the new issue of the Bulletin, I am selling the following
instrument. It would be a terrific instrument for anyone who would like to
explore the wonders of a bray harp. In addition, the tone is lovely with the
brays disengaged, so it's like getting two fine harps in one.
> Cheers, Flory
> "For sale: Northern European "Boston" harp by Catherine and Bill Campbell.
Full brays, walnut body, maple soundboard, 32 strings. Wonderful tone both with
and without brays engaged. Like new. Located in San Francisco Bay Area, CA.
Price $3000; includes Glenn Cronkhite padded case. Contact Flory Nye-Clement at
HHSEditor@..."
>