Celtic Harp Sheet Music: What's on Your Music Stand?

Welcome to the Celtic harp sheet music ideas and reviews page. You'll notice right away that even though the instrument we all love is called a Celtic harp, the music available for playing it is certainly not limited to Celtic music; in fact, it knows no boundaries.

Just for fun, I'll start off my reviews of sheet music with what's currently on my own music stand. Right now, when I'm not creating web pages or teaching lessons, I'm working on three new pieces:

~ Danza de Luzma, by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, the advanced version of the piece, in the International Rhthymic Collection, Book I

~ Easy Swing, by Jakez Francois, the title piece of Easy Swing (for Celtic or pedal harp)

~ Clair de Lune, by Debussy, arranged by Barbara Brundage

Celtic Sheet Music Pick #1: Intermediate

I'm learning Danza de Luzma because I fell in love with it at last year's World Harp Orchestra concert in San Diego. I wasn't part of the group playing it, but I already knew Ortiz' Merengue Rojo and loved it, so I decided to add another of his incomparable pieces to my repertoire. Danza de Luzma is beautiful, but it's far more than that. The consistent rhythm of two against three typical of the galopa gives the music drive and makes the piece much more than just a lovely melody about a lovely lady (Ortiz wrote the piece for his wife).

If you don't know anything about Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, you're in for a treat! If at all possible, go hear him in concert or take one of his workshops. Not only are his pieces and techniques brilliant and fun, the man himself is charming and encouraging. In addition to publishing his collection of harp sheet music in numerous books, you can easily find his CDs and even teaching videos that make it easier to learn the fancy flourishes of authentic South American harp music.

By the way, if you aren't ready to play an intermediate piece, there is an easier version of Danza de Luzma in the same book. All of Ortiz' books are full of wonderful repertoire selections and will add lots of spark to your Celtic harp sheet music collection.

Celtic Sheet Music Pick #2: Intermediate

Easy Swing, in spite of its name, is not really easy. But the French harpists are much tougher than we are, so that's no surprise! I haven't located a web source for this piece, which I bought at the International Harp Therapy Program Professional Development Conference last spring. I have not been able to find a web source in the United States for Easy Swing, but here is a European source for this collection.

All four of the pieces in the Easy Swing collection are charming, but this one is my favorite. The rhythm would be less tricky if the jumps in the left hand line weren't also challenging, but it's coming along nicely. The melody is catchy and has a sassy little attitude. The other pieces are Ragtime, Families' Blues, and Ballade.

Jakez Francois is the head of Camac Harps in France, and he has published several recordings and some other sheet music. Most of his works are written for pedal harp, but a few of them are for lever harp (notably, his lovely arrangement of Women of Ireland).

Celtic Sheet Music Pick #3: Advanced

Clair de Lune needs no introduction, of course. I already play a lovely, simplified version by Christina Tourin, from her Healing Music book, but I wanted to learn something closer to Debussy's original piano score.

Barbara Brundage has done a superb job, as she always does, of staying as close as possible to original version of a classical piece, while still providing something playable on lever harp. To do so, she has omitted the key change in the center section. Clair de Lune will take some time, as it has all the difficult three against two passages that make the piece interesting, plus a number of lever changes. But it is so lovley that it will be worth it!

Keep coming back for more reviews of Celtic harp sheet music, including easy and early intermediate selections.

Find Celtic harp sheet music at Melody's Music online

Share your own favorite Celtic harp sheet music selections