About This Album
Album Cover
All arrangements © 2011 Anne Prather
Genres represented on this album
New Age
These free-form, improvised arrangements are a departure from my normal "straight" arrangements. Three pieces fall into this category: Star Of The County Down, Greensleeves, and The Selkie."Straight" arrangements
These pieces, the majority, are original harp pieces or pieces commonly played on the harp. However they've been arranged to highlight the range and sound of the Magical Strings Oladian harp. In some cases, they've been transposed. IN all cases the "thickness" of the arrangement has been kept simple, again in an effort to suit the instrument. This category includes one original composition, Sir Kenneth.Transcription arrangements
These arrangements start with a straight transcription or analysis of pieces not originally composed for lap harp. I then make changes to the original in order to suit the harp. The result is a combination of straight transcription and arrangement ideally suited to a small harp. Three pieces meet this category: Cannon, Minuet and Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring.
George Brabazon
This lively piece by Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan is a great teaching piece for visually-impaired harpers because of its orderly arrangement of elements across the instrument's range.
Star Of The County Down
Normally this song is played as a dance tune. Here we render it as a tender meditation, as though our young hero were thinking about his beloved in the cool of the evening after a long day at the fair
Sir Kenneth
Rakes of MallowImagine a torrential downpour Imagine seeking and finding shelter at last in the castle-shaped shop of a gentle wind chime maker who welcomes your music. Wouldn't you write him a piece of music? planxty Sir Kenneth is the result of just such an encounter. It's followed by Rakes of Mallow, a reel.
Brian Boru
Brian Boru is a march, heard here in a simple arrangement that highlights the surprisingly lush sound of the 24-string Oladian harp.
Planxty Irwin
The 18th century Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan went from house to house playing. He wrote these "planxties" to honor his patrons.
Pachibel's Cannon
One of the most popular pieces for wedding processionals, we here it in this recording transposed to the key of C to take advantage of the harp's range.
Fannie Powers
Another piece by O'Carolan, this lively piece is an excellent teaching piece for harpers who can't see the strings
Greensleeves
Attributed to Henry VIII, this tune is best known as the melody to What Child Is This. This arrangement is a free-form improvisation with a New Age feel.
Road To Lisdonvarna
Normally played in E minor, here we play it in G minor to take advantage of the limited range of this small harp.
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Danny Boy
Oh What A Beautiful MorningThese two songs, one a famous Irish tear-jerker and the other a piece from a musical make a natural pair in this refreshing arrangement.
Lovely Joan
Swallowtail JigRalph Vaughn Williams used Lovely Joan as his theme for his English Fantasy. Here we see it as the quiet prelude to the much more lively Swallowtail Jig. Again, the pieces have been transposed to take best advantage of the range and resonance of this small lap harp.
Minuet
This pretty little minuet by Johann Sebastian Bach is a favorite of piano students. Originally in G, we play it here in F to give it a bit more depth.
The Selkie
The Selkie is a traditional Scottish In this arrangement it alternates with an original jig to give a contrast between the slow ballad and the livelier dance tune.
Jesu, Joy of
Man's DesiringThis piece was popularized in the 1970s by a group called Apollo 100. Here we have the first part of the piece, the part that stays in the original key. In a later release we intend to record the whole piece.