The born and stillborn Harping on Claves    CD 50-9902 Claves    CD 50-9816

To all but its players the harp is an unusual instrument, certainly to the untutored ear. Given a quick question of where it may be heard loud and clear in a popular orchestral work, many of us would dither and dry up. I only recalled it with difficulty - the Nutcracker waltz. There are myths, of which I suppose the dumbest is the harp's 'heavenly' music tag. If angels progressed to a fully-grown harp they'd never get airborne.

Harp teachers and players sometimes assume the role of composer on the grounds that they know better than composers how best to draw resourcefully from the instrument. In so doing they condemn the unfortunate instrument and player to an avalanche of stillborn music.

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