This 2 part tune is well known in Ireland and Scotland, in the key of G and A. It’s a nice one to start with as the tune is split between right hand (RH) and left hand (LH) in the first part. I learnt it from the renowned harper Alison Kinnaird.

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/1_drops_of_brandy.pdf

This 2 part Scottish reel first appeared in print in Volume 1 of ‘Kerr’s Merry Melodies’ published around 1875. RH and LH harmonics are demonstrated in this presentation, and I have arranged the reel using only harmonics in the LH. This tune also works well as a round.

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/2_glenlivet.pdf

A beautiful slow 2 part air, previously wrongly attributed to James Oswald. Although it appears in his collection (1740), he did not write it. It had appeared in a previous collection by William McGibbon as ‘The House of Glams’ and acquired the title Roslin Castle when Richard Hewitt wrote words to it around 1750. Robert Burns also wrote his poem ‘The Gloomy Night is gatherin fast’ to the tune in 1786.

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/4_roslin_castle.pdf

This is a fine tune for the harp – it does have lots of five note runs, but with careful placing, these become fun to play. The four parts have repeated phrases running through them, keeping it memorable. I have kept a very simple chordal LH for this one so as not to overpower the tune.

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/3_irene_meldrums.pdf

A well known 6 part reel very suitable for the harp. Written by G S McLennan during his time in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II, it was inspired by a dripping tap. This arrangement should leave you very open to interpreting it in your own way, taking it faster or slower than the version here (which is at quite a moderate speed for learning purposes).

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/5_the_little_cascade.pdf

This 4 part tune was inspired by a small dog who lives downstairs from me, who doesn’t yap in regular time, but has adopted a weird, if not remarkable, 9/8 3/4 rhythm to his barking. To make the sound bearable I ended up playing along to him (from upstairs in my flat) and ‘Elmo’ was born. It’s a great rhythm to learn, and you should have lots of fun with this one. I also play a harmony to the tune if you’d like to learn it, or play along with it. I recorded this one on Kathryn Tickell and my duo album The sky didn’t fall released on Park Records, but with a beat missing in part 3.

http://www.ayepod.net/webcasts/music/6_elmo_lives_downstairs.pdf