MUSIC BOOKS BY HARPER TASCHE
"You can learn a lot about rhythm and texture by playing these pieces, in addition to the rewards of, well, playing these pieces. The book is handsomely covered and ring-bound; features which never make up for shoddy music, but here the binding only does justice to the contents."
- The Folk Harp Journal, Mitch Landy
All of Harper's books are beautifully typeset on heavy opaque paper, jacketed with protective vinyl over-covers, and comb-bound to lie flat.
Theasophia Suite THEASOPHIA SUITE
A suite of six original pieces for 36-string (diatonic) harp and cello, interwoven with poetry by Kate Ellis. Interconnectedness, spirituality, health, death, and life are major themes in both the music and the text. Four movements can be performed by solo harp; cello parts are included for four movements. The entire Suite is featured on the CD Provenance.
Titles: The soft sighing sound of being, You are all there is, Featherspirit, An island apart, The space between heartbeats, Spirit will always hold us.
The "Small Harp" series of concert-quality music is written for a 26-string or larger harp (lowest note is C below middle C) and requires no lever changes.
A Small Harp Finding Beauty Traditional favorites from Albania, Greece, Cumbria, Norway, and Ireland, plus music by Johannes Brahms and Harper Tasche, in beautiful easy-intermediate arrangements. Selections featured on the CDs Keepsake and The Summoning.
Titles: John Peel, On Sunday, Zalongo, Paul and His Chickens, The King of Love, The Maid From the Mountains, Solitude Day, Bonnie Portmore.
A Small Harp Taking It Easy Beautiful tunes from Norway, Poland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, Ireland, and America, in arrangements which are interesting and intelligent but not technically demanding. All are featured on the CD Keepsake.
Titles: Little Red Bird, River Visua, Sweet Afton, Arran Boat Song, Beach Spring, The Willow Flute, Sally Gardens, Norwegian Lullaby.
A Small Harp Visiting Friends Previously unpublished favorites from the CDs The Summoning, Dichotomy Café, Bringing It Home, and Open to the North.
Titles: Dance of Time, Holy Manna, Mazurka Michel, An Giolla Ruadh, Enymin's Journey, Behind the Embers, Unknown Quantity.
A Small Harp Speaking Dreams NOTE: This book is currently out of print, but the individual pieces will soon be available for purchase as downloadable PDF files. To be notified as soon as these become available, click here.
Four original pieces and a new arrangement of a traditional favorite, with a feature-length article for each.
Titles: After Askadalen, An Indefinite Road (from Open to the North), Spinning Star (from Bringing It Home), The Ash Grove, and Mark's Farewell to Whidbey, (voice and harp).
A Small Harp Keeping Warm Rhythmic, classical, traditional and original selections from the CD Bringing It Home.
Titles: Heading Home, The Call, Magnus Dancing, Just You (two versions), Skua, Mountain Ash.
A Small Harp Watching Stars Introspective and lyrical original favorites from the CD Open to the North.
Titles: All the Octobers, Ellen Magdalena, Forest Carol, Michael's Crossing, The King Stag, Sahzhatem, Orion's Waltz, Berceuse Lunaire.
The "Folk Harp" series of concert-quality music is written for a 36-string harp (lowest note is C two octaves below middle C) and contains occasional lever changes.
The "Cross-Strung Harp" series of materials is written for various sizes of instruments (see individual titles for specific ranges). These harps have no levers, but accidentals are included.
A Folk Harp Getting Around
Solos arranged with no lever changes for 36-string harp, from the CDs Powers That Be and Depth of Field. Includes pieces from Franz Schubert and Turlough O'Carolan, medieval Spain, the Scottish Highlands, and new music by Harper Tasche.
Titles: Dancing with Franz, Rosa das Rosas, Lady Dillon (in two keys), The Summer Country, October's Rose, The Surge of the Sea.
How To Play The Cross-Strung Harp An illustrated introduction to cross-strung technique, fully fingered exercises in 26 keys, chromatic and whole-tone scales and chords, suggestions for repertoire, and additional resources. Also includes fully fingered performance-quality music in 13 key signatures. (Now also available in Japanese, click here to inquire.)
Titles: Preludio (J. S. Bach), Merch Megan, Tuoll' on mun kultani, The Athole Highlanders, Beach Spring, Pal pĺ haugen, Pala Magla, Elsbetsschottis, Trio (J. S. Bach), Prelude (Frédéric Chopin), Sichelein Rauschen, The Dark Woman of the Mountains, Tryggare kan ingen vara.
