It's a Rosebud in June - for 2 Harps

Happy Valentine's Day!  Here's an English folk song, which dates from before 1715.  This version was arranged in 1916 by Cecil J. Sharp, and I transcribed and adapted it for 2 harps.  It makes a lush, harpy backdrop for some lovely pictures with roses.  The video runs about 2 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Rose Island, book illustration from Greenhouse Flora of Europe, circa 1866
2 - Juin, print from calendar by Samuel Grasset, 1896
3 - Growing Buckbee's American Beauty Roses, Victorian trade card, circa 1911
4 - Rose Garden, painting by Charles Vetter, 1926
5 - Roses, painting by P.S. Kroyer, 1893
6 - Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May, painting by John William Waterhouse, 1909
7 - Girl with Rosebush, painting by Hugo Kauffmann, 1904
8 - Early Lovers, painting by Frederick Smallfield, 1858
8 - God Speed! detail of a painting by Edmund Leighton, 1900
10 - The Soul of the Rose, painting by John William Waterhouse, 1908
11 - Rosa Triplex, watercolor by Gabriel Rossetti, 1874

The Holly and the Ivy - for Harp and Ukulele

One of my favorite Christmas carols, The Holly and the Ivy is arranged here for harp and ukulele.  It runs about 1 minute.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Window with Ivy Tendrils, German stained glass, circa 1819
2 - Heigh Ho Holly, book illustration by Walter Crane, 1900
3 - Battle for Wesnoth, elvish style digital portrait, 2011
4 - Holly, book illustration by Laura Coombs Hills, 1890
5 - Pia de Tolomei, detail of painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, circa 1870
6 - Janvier, print from calendar by Samuel Grasset, 1896
7 - Scribner's for Xmas, poster print by Louis Rhead, 1895
8 - Harper's Bazar Xmas 1894, magazine cover, 1894
9 - Winter, book illustration by Florence E. Dudgeon, 1800s

How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee - for Harp

Here's another Bach chorale for the Christmas season. "How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee" is from the Christmas Oratorio, and it runs about 2 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

(A European collection of sacred art--for a more ethnically diverse set, see my "What Child Is This?" video.)

1 - border from The Nativity of Our Lord, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873
2 - The Angels Approaching the Shepherds, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873
3 - The Adoration of the Magi, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873
4 - The Nativity of Our Lord, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873
5 - The Adoration of the Shepherds, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873
6 - The Annunciation to the Shepherds, illumination by Willem Vrelent, circa 1460
7 - Nativity with Harps, post card from Germany, 1907
8 - The Adoration of the Shepherds, painting by Gerard van Honthorst, 1622
9 - The Birth of Jesus Christ, book illumination by Alfred Trevor Crispin, 1873

Jesu, Joy of My Desiring - for Harp

Joyous Holidays! Here's a harp arrangement of one of my favorites. Once again, I have taken the liberty of changing a word in the title. While "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" is the popular English name, the original hymn's title from 1661 was "Jesu, Meiner Seelen Wonne," which translates to "Jesus, Bliss of My Soul." This arrangement is of J.S. Bach's chorale setting from a cantata written in 1723, and it runs about 3 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

(A European collection of images of Jesus--for a more ethnically diverse set, see my "What Child Is This?" video.)

1 - Joseph Sleeps Through the Nativity, book illumination, anonymous, circa 1330
2 - Madonna of the Small Trees, detail of painting by Giovanni Bellini, 1487
3 - The Adoration of the Shepherds, painting by Gerard van Honthorst, circa 1650
4 - The Adoration of the Magi, bas-relief drawing by John Flaxman, circa 1794
5 - The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, detail of painting by Pompeo Batoni, 1758
6 - The Triumph of the Innocents, detail of a painting by William Holman Hunt, circa 1890
7 - The Finding of the Savior in the Temple, painting by William Holman Hunt, circa 1854
8 - The Baptism of Christ, painting by Jose Ferraz de Almeida Junior, 1895
9 - The Sermon on the Mount, painting by Carl Bloch, 1890
10 - Address to Saint Philip, painting by James Tissot, circa 1890
11 - Casting Out Money Changers, painting by Carl Bloch, circa 1860
12 - The Shadow of Death, detail of a painting by William Holman Hunt, circa 1870
13 - Christ Taking Leave of His Mother, painting by El Greco, circa 1595
14 - Christ's Appearance to Mary Magdalene After the Reserrection, painting by Alexander Ivanov, 1835
15 - The Doubting of Saint Thomas, painting by Matthias Stom, circa 1645
16 - Christ and the Two Marys, painting by William Holman Hunt, 1847
17 - Head of Christ, painting by Rembrandt, circa 1648
18 - The Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ according to Saint Peter, book cover illustration by Carlos Schwabe, 1895

Doxology - for Harp

The Doxology is part of the soundtrack of my youth.  We sang it absolutely every week.  In choir, since we all knew it so well, we would get creative and break into crazy-mega-harmony at the end.  That was a musical education.  The melody is called "Old 100th" and it was written by Loys Bourgeois in the 1500s.  The video runs about 3 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

1 - The River Oyat, painting by Vasily Polenov, 1883
2 - Summer View of a Forest Fen, painting by Henri Biva, 1929
3 - Lake in Ermenonville, painting by Antonin Chittussi, 1882
4 - Geese on the Shore, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1921
5 - David the Shepherd Boy, Bible card, pre-1923
6 - King David, painting by Gerrit van Honthorst, 1622
7 - West Rock New Haven, painting by Frederic Church, 1849
8 - Niagara Falls from the American Side, painting by Frederic Church, 1867
9 - Prophets, Patriarchs, Saints, and Music-Making Angels in Glory, detail of drawing by Giovanni Bautista Gaulli, circa 1670
10 - Adoration of the Shepherds, painting by Peter Candid, 1685
11 - Design for the Hall of Stars in The Magic Flute, aquatint print by Karl Friederich Schinkel, circa 1848
12 - Illustration of comet, appeared in Germany 1456, drawn 1552
13 - Internal View of the O'Neill Cylinder, by Don Davis, circa 1976

Once to Every Person and Nation - for Harp and Chamber Ensemble

 I admit, I brazenly changed a word in the title of this song: "Man" to "Person."  This old Welsh melody has been my all-time favorite hymn since I was a teen - minor key, low, grinding march-type tune.  The first 2 lines are "Once to every man and nation, Comes the moment to decide." I think it is particularly appropriate in our time. It's about 2 and a half minutes long.

Pictures in Video -

1 - etching by William Strang, 1913, "The Aeroplane"
2 - painting by Honore Daumier, 1856, "Theater Audience"
3 - painting by A. Yakovlev, 1918, in Peking
4 - newspaper illustration, circa 1871 Louisiana, "French Opera House"
5 - print, 1868, "The High Court of Impeachment"
6 - painting by Fritz Beinke, 1873, "The Juggler"
7 - detail of postcard illustration by Albert Guillaume, circa 1914, "15 minutes of Entr'acte"
8 - detail of painting by Antonina Rzhevskaya, circa 1902, "The Music"
9 - detail of aquatint print by George Cruikshank, 1821, "Drury Lane Theatre"
10 - detail of drawing by B. Kustodiev, 1908, "Yakov Turok Is Singing"
11 - detail of painting by William Geets, 1809, "The Accident"
12 - woodblock print by Utagawa Hirosige, 1838, "View of the Kabuki Theaters"
13 - book illustration from "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan, written 1678, illus. 1821, "Road from City of Destruction to the Celestial City"

Be Thou My Vision - for Harp

This video is in honor of Ukraine, and also for my friends Ruth & Kermit Hugo, who could use some peace and inspiration right now.  I think we could all use some of that.  The melody is a well-known hymn, Be Thou My Vision, which has an Irish folk melody as its haunting and stately basis.  It's just over 2 minutes long.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Rainbow, painting by Archip Kuindshi, 1903
2 - Big Clouds, painting by Hans Emmeneggar, 1903
3 - The Rocky Mountains Landers Peak, painting by Albert Bierstad, 1863
4 - The Reedsee with Tischlergruppe Mountains, painting by Johann Varrone, 1864
5 - The Gate in the Rocks, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Germany, 1818
6 - The Voyage of Life: Childhood, painting by Thomas Cole, 1840
7 - Mountain Lake with Steep Rock Face, painting by Heinrich Heinlein, circa 1865
8 - The Wreck, painting by Frederic Edwin Church, 1852
9 - Fervaal, opera illustration by Carlos Schwabe, Paris, 1898
10 - The Christian Martyrs, detail of a painting by Gustave Dore, France, 1871
11 - The Voyage of Life: Old Age, painting by Thomas Cole, 1840
12 - K2-138, NASA illustration by Robert Hurt, 2019
13 - Kepler 47, NASA illustration by Tim Pyle, 2019
14 - White Dwarf Planet Death, NASA illustration by A. Garlick, 2009
15 - Pulsar PSR B1257+12 System, NASA illustration by Robert Hurt

We Wish You a Merry Christmas for Harp & Ukulele

Merry Christmas, everybody!  Here's a favorite carol of the season, arranged for ukulele and harp by my friend, Mary Roman and myself. A minute and a half of fun.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Christmas Card by Jenny Nystrom, Norway, circa 1900
2 - A Christmas Carol, newspaper illustration, Allentown, PA, 1900
3 - Christmas Eve, chromolithography print published by J. Hoover, 1880
4 - Frohliche Weihnachten, post card, Germany, 1906
5 - Frohliche Weihnachten, post card, Germany, 1906
6 - Buon Natale, post card, Italy, 1913
7 - Now Is a Goodly Feast Outspread, book illustration by Eliza F. Manning, London, 1894
8 - The Coming of Father Christmas, book illustration by Eliza F. Manning, London, 1894

Coventry Carol for Harp & Ukulele

This haunting lullaby was part of the nativity plays performed in Coventry, England by the city's guilds for centuries.  The melody goes at least back to 1591 when it was written down with the words to be sung by three mothers of Bethlehem.  Arranged for ukulele and harp by my friend, Mary Roman and myself, this is about 2 minutes of lutey-harpy poignant lullaby.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Nativity Scene, woodcut print by Lucille Oille, 1945 presumably
2 - When Life Is Young, by Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge, book illustration, 1894
3 - Armenian, book illustration by Franz Burger, 1897
4 - Scene in the Jewish Quarter of Constantine, painting by Theodore Chasseriau, 1851
5 - Centuries of Oppression, Persecution, and Ruin, book illustration, 1899
6 - A Flood, painting by John Millais, 1870
7 - The Young Mother, painting detail by Gerrit Dou, 1658
8 - At the Cradle, painting by Albert Neuhuys, before 1914
9 - Ix Voto, votive painting from Pfarrkirch Maria Geburt, Germany, 1767
10 - Ex Voto Gott Sie Dank, votive painting from Pfarrkirch Maria Geburt, Germany, 1867

All Things Bright and Beautiful

At Thanksgiving time, I think of this song and how thankful I am for Nature. Arranged here for harp, bells, lute, and bass, the video runs about 2.5 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

1 - Deer in a Sunny Forest Glade, painting by Franz Xaver von Pausinger, 1880
2 - Fox Stalking Thrushes, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1887
3 - Highland Wanderers, painting by William Watson, 1907
4 - The Alpsee Near Hohenschwangau, painting by Karl Millner, 1872
5 - Common Eiders on a Rocky Islet, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1899 6 - Loons, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1913
7 - Geese, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1922
8 - Stretching Swans, painting by Bruno Liljefors, 1915
9 - Deer, painting by Alfred Bassel Rehbrunft, 1903
10 - On the Prowl, painting by Otto von Groote, circa 1920
11 - Adirondack Black Bear, attributed to Oliver Kemp, 1902
12 - Deer in Repose, painting by Rosa Bonheur, 1867
13 - Morning in a Pine Forest, painting by Ivan Shishkin, 1889
14 - Playing Lions, painting by Wilhelm Kuhnert, circa 1900
15 - The Two Majesties, painting by Jean Leon Gerome, circa 1850

A Mighty Fortress - for Harp

This hymn was a kind of theme song from childhood for me and my brother in the 1960s.  It was featured in a children's clay-animated tv show produced by the Lutheran Church: Davey and Goliath.  One of my favorite hymns that we sang in the Methodist church, A Mighty Fortress was written by Martin Luther and later harmonized by J.S. Bach.  With that in mind, it was a pleasure to arrange it for harp - the video runs about 3 minutes.

Pictures in Video -

1 - A View of Tantallon Castle with the Bass Rock, Scotland, painting by Alexander Nasmyth, circa 1815
2 - Edinburgh Castle and the Nor' Loch, Scotland, painting by Alexander Nasmyth, 1824
3 - An English Frigate in Choppy Waters in the Tagus [River] Passing the Belem Tower, Portugal, painting by John Thomas Serres, circa 1790
4 - Belem Tower, Portugal, bookplate, 1917
5 - Conway Castle By Moonlight, Wales, anonymous painting, circa 1795
6 - The Gate in the Rocks, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Germany, 1818
7 - View of Mont Blanc, France, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1813
8 - Conway Castle, Wales, painting by Thomas Moran, 1917
9 - The Norman Gate and Deputy Governor's House Windsor Castle, England, painting by Paul Sandby, 1765
10 - Medieval City on a River, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, circa 1815
11 - Kidwelly Castle, Wales, 1791
12 - Mannorbeer Castle Moonlight Scene, Wales, 1815
13 - Gothic Church on a Rock By the Sea, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, 1815
14 - Landscape with Pilgrim, painting by Karl Friedrich Schinkel, circa 1813
15 - The Voyage of Life: Youth, painting by Thomas Cole, 1840