My first harp gig -- now with pics

[Redwolf]

Well, the time has come. The Loch Lomond Celtic Society's annual Highland Games and Celtic Festival is this Saturday, and I'm playing with Harpers' Hall!

http://www.lochlomondceltic.org/games.htm

For the most part I'll just be playing accompaniment in the ensemble, but I will also be doing a duet with another of my teacher's students. We're doing a very nice arrangement of Brian Boru's March (it's a rather contemplative arrangement...I actually refer to it as "After Clontarf"). I may also be playing accompaniment for a couple of San Jose harpers on a Breton lullabye. The ensemble will be playing Atholl Highlanders, The Chanter's Tune (works extremely well on the harp!), Rowing from Isla to Uist, Road to Fingal, Carolan's Welcome, and a very fun, locally composed tune with a pseudo-Welsh name: Twngryllwg.

If any of you California chiffers happen to be in the Santa Cruz area on Saturday, the Highland Games are in Highland Park, Ben Lomond (there's a shuttle from Roaring Camp, in Felton), and we'll be performing at 1:30 and 3:30.

Redwolf

[Jeferson]

Wow! Good luck, Red. It sounds like your hard work has brought you a long way in a relatively short time.

Enjoy

Jef

[WhistlingArmadillo]

Very cool! I wish I were up to speed enough on the harp to play duets in public!

[jbarter]

You'll be great Red. Have a wonderful time.
(I say this despite being insanely jealous of both your musical and Irish speaking abilities. )

[Innocent Bystander]

Aye. Like Jbarter. The Loch Lomond site had me wondering for a minute were you actually going to Scotland. Then I saw the prices were in dollars.

Well done Red, Ye'll be grand.

[Redwolf]

Aye. Like Jbarter. The Loch Lomond site had me wondering for a minute were you actually going to Scotland. Then I saw the prices were in dollars.

Well done Red, Ye'll be grand.

Sometimes it feels like we're living in Scotland (well...a rather hot and dry Scotland with really big trees and lots of people with California accents, that is! ). The San Lorenzo Valley was settled by Scots who worked in the logging industry, so we've got a Ben Lomond (town and mountain), Loch Lomond (actually a man-made lake...no monster, though, alas!), Alba Drive, Highlands Park, Bonny Doon (town), St. Andrew's Church, etc. I even saw a guy wearing a kilt waiting for the bus in Felton the other day!

Redwolf

[Jennie]

Brian Boru's march on harp...

just thinking about that one brings a beauty to my morning. Wish I could have a harpist in my house, just to hear them practice.

Thanks for bringing me a tranquil thought on a busy day.

Hope it is a wonderful event!

Jennie

[Redwolf]

Brian Boru's march on harp...

just thinking about that one brings a beauty to my morning. Wish I could have a harpist in my house, just to hear them practice.

Thanks for bringing me a tranquil thought on a busy day.

Hope it is a wonderful event!

Jennie

There will actually be two versions of it at this performance. Harpers' Hall does a more or less traditional, very martial, dorian mode version. The one we're doing as a duet is aeolian, and interpretive rather than strident. I think of the first as the march to the battle at Clontarf and the second as the realization after the battle that they've won the war, but at terrible cost.

The Harpers' Hall version is available on their CD:

http://www.harpershall.com/J_Market.htm#CD

There's also a nice clip there of them playing the version of The Chanters Song that we'll be doing at the games (I say "them" and I really should say "we," since I'm a member, but the CD is before my time).

Redwolf

[Jeferson]

Wish I could have a harpist in my house, just to hear them practice.

Be careful what you wish for! Some of us beginners would have you rethinking that statement within minutes.

Jef

[Redwolf]

Wish I could have a harpist in my house, just to hear them practice.

Be careful what you wish for! Some of us beginners would have you rethinking that statement within minutes.

Jef

Although, as my husband says, if you're going to have a beginning musician in your house, a harper is what you want, because even simple tunes like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" sound good (heck, just randomly plucking strings sounds pretty good!).

Redwolf

[mutepointe]

here are some flowers for you to have in your dressing room.

[WhistlingArmadillo]

Wish I could have a harpist in my house, just to hear them practice.

Be careful what you wish for! Some of us beginners would have you rethinking that statement within minutes.

Jef

Although, as my husband says, if you're going to have a beginning musician in your house, a harper is what you want, because even simple tunes like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" sound good (heck, just randomly plucking strings sounds pretty good!).

Redwolf

True -- since I've been learning harp (and therefore playing recorder and whistle a bit less) my family members have lost that hunted, on-the-edge-of-insanity look I came to know so well...

[dfernandez77]

Knock 'em dead baby.

[djm]

HARP??? Oh, I thought the title said, "carp." I thought you were going fishing or dining at a Chinese restaurant.

djm

[Walden]

Redwolf, your broad range of talents amaze me.

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