Technique

Lessons & Carols

Lessons & Carols on double-strung wire harp

We’ve selected the carols and Christmas hymns we’ll be singing for Lessons & Carols at our church on December 31st. Most of these will be played on the pipe organ and I’ll be accompanying on my double-strung wire harp. The collection this year will be: (from the Episcopal Hymnal 1982) Once in Royal David’s City […]

Thoughts on playing a cross-strung wire harp

Thoughts on playing a cross-strung wire harp How you can play one too!

Since my double strung harp is out of commission for the time being, I’ve been relying on my lightweight (10 lbs.!) Esabelle harp to come to church with me every Sunday. Playing her on a weekly basis has certainly helped improved my technique! Cross-strung (X) harps are usually not wire; they normally have nylon strings instead […]

Pipe Organ and Wire Harp

Pipe Organ and Wire Harp A How-to for Your Church!

Almost every Sunday, unless husband George has to be away (substituting at another church, playing the carillon for Convocation or Commencement at either of his two colleges), he’s playing the historic pipe organ at our church. Preludes, postludes and hymns. With, of course, wire harp accompaniment!   If you happen to have a spouse, friend […]

Polish Liturgical Music on Wire Harp

Polish Liturgical Music on Wire Harp Roman Catholic Hymn Collection

In recent months I’ve become aware of a fantastic collection of kolady (Christmas carols) and hymns and service music for Mass on the website of the Polish American Liturgical Center at Orchard, Lake Michigan. Under Śpiewnik (hymnal) you will find a fabulous collection of Polish language hymns in PDF format to download! As I am […]

New to the Wire Harp?

New to the Wire Harp? (non-historical wire-strung harp)

If you’ve just discovered the wire harp (or heard one being played), for starters it’s good to know that most folks in the overall world of harps (Classical, Celtic) tend to think of historical Irish wire-strung harp when this branch of the harp family comes up. That is, replica instruments of period harps made in […]