Monday Melodies with Melody's - #1 in the Dragon Series
|
~My name is Sharon Thormahlen and I have been publishing with Afghan Press for about 25 years. I have over 20 publications of original music, traditional tunes, holiday favorites, Latin music, and duet books. My music is known for its playability and ease under which the fingers fall on the harp. I have sold over 10,000 books over the years. My husband Dave is a harp maker and has been making harps since the early 80s.
In this blog, I want to tell you about 2 new publications being published with Afghan Press, one that came out about a year ago and one just released.
The first book, Valley of the Dragon, came from a short story that my 31-year-old daughter, Rosiee Thor, wrote about a hero with a harp. She asked me if I would like to write some music for it. With the pandemic in full bloom, I had lots of time at home to dip into my creative spirit. I wrote 13 tunes that tell the story she wrote. The tunes are named from the words she put on the page. It is truly a magical story telling what happens when a dragon wakes up from 100 years of slumber. And, you don’t have to slay the dragon when a hero with a harp can save the day!
The second and most recent book, The Bard in the Parlor, is a collection of traditional tunes written by composers of the 17th and 18th centuries including Turlough O’Carolan, Jeremiah Clarke, John Hill, Johann Pachelbel, Thomas O’Conellan and Robert Joseph Lowe. Three tunes have harp 2 harmony parts.
Valley of the Dragon – A truly magical book of 13 new tunes that tell the story of what happens when a dragon wakes up from 100 years of slumber. You don’t have to slay the dragon when a hero with a harp can save the day!
This book is for intermediate beginners to advanced players. The tunes are in Cm, Dm, C, Am, G, Em and D. There is one lever change. Three pieces have accidental levers set before playing the piece. Some fingerings are given.
The Bard in the Parlor, is a collection of traditional tunes written by composers of the 17th and 18th centuries including Turlough O’Carolan, Jeremiah Clarke, John Hill, Johann Pachelbel, Thomas O’Conellan, Robert Joseph Lowe and many other traditional tunes. Three tunes have harp 2 harmony parts.
Tunes include: The Minstrel Boy, Carolan’s Welcome, Planxty Davis (Killiecrankie), Miss MacDermott, Mairi Bhan Og, An Ayre, Miss Loudon, Citi na gCumman, Carolan’s Receipt, The Rights of Man, Sarabande, Lady St. John, Garryowen, Carolan’s Quarrel, The Queen’s Dream, King William’s March, Pachelbel’s Canon in D and The Bard in the Parlor. This book is $20 and is suitable for beginners to advanced intermediate.
Sweepin the Clouds Away
15 originals plus a wonderful ensemble arrangement for two harps and cello or bass recorder of Birds of Blue Ridge. Suitable for beginner and intermediate players. Perfect for therapy work, performances, weddings, or just to play in your own living room. The tunes are arranged to facilitate memorization. Consistent left hand patterns are often repeated in other sections of the piece. Six tunes in the key of C, 4 in G, 2 in D, 2 in F and 1 in Eb. Lever changes in only two of these tunes.
Titles: God’s Garden, Sweet Serenade, Sweepin’ the Clouds Away, Summer Rain, Birds of Blue Ridge, The Last Leaves of Autumn, Harpeggio, The Promise, Winter Waterfall, September Sunrise, Mayne Island Waltz, Easy Pickin’s, Between the Thorns, On the Wing, AT-etude.
Another book you might like to carry in your store is Dance Thru the Music. It contains English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and American tunes that are perfect for the beginner. In my experience, beginners love to buy music that is easy enough to learn but interesting enough to play. This book fits the bill.
For the slightly more advanced player, I have Fiddlin’ Around on the Harp. This book has 9 tunes with Harp 2 harmony parts. The tunes are: Lea Rig Hector the Hero, Indian Point, Sailor’s Hornpipe, Merrily Kiss the Quaker, Planxty George Brabazon, Happy Boys, Star of the County Down, Foggy Dew, Fiddlin’ Around on the Harp, The Rakes of Mallow, Kesh Jig, Drowsy Maggie, Si Bheag Si Mhor, Fisher’s Hornpipe, Wind that Shakes the Barley, Coleman’s March, and Carolan’s Concerto.
I’d like to highlight Season’s Greetings, and a book of traditional Latin tunes called Melodías del Arpa written with Paraguayan harpist Nicolas Carter. And a special mention of duet books with collaborator Anna Thormahlen Jenkins. A listing of Duet books written with Anna Thormahlen-Jenkins