Anthology Fifty Themes and Melodies for Every Harpist Ray Pool

Book Report No. 4

Anthology – Fifty Themes and Melodies for Every Harpist – Ray Pool

“How will the content of this book help me in becoming an effective Therapeutic Harp Practitioner?”

Ray Pool has created an invaluable tool for the bedside harpist….I truly am thankful for those who have dedicated time and effort to this great cause. In his enhanced lead sheet format, Ray has created melodies for eight genres of music. He includes folk, Celtic, children, hymns, spirituals, plainsong, Jewish, Christmas, opera, and classical.

The anthology format is very easy to follow and he gives a non-cluttered staff to encourage creativity by the harpist. He gives the melody of each title and edits with very good fingerings. His markings are clear with brackets and numbers which is the customary notation for the harpist. He has included a second line of notes to suggest a LH harmony note/chord inversion. The chord symbol is given over the measures where the chord changes. This is in the style of a “fake book” which allows room for personal arrangement and improvisation.

Ray groups the fifty melodies in three groups of playing level. Level 1 – eleven titles, Level 2 – nineteen titles, Level 3 – twenty tiles; this allows the harpist to move forward in their own pace and to give an organized progression of learning the music.

I am very excited about his Basic Chord Progressions. His theory lesson on chords is well-explained and provides a good exercise/warm-up for the harpist. He suggests that each melody should be harmonized with three chords (primary chords). A strong progression he uses is the I-IV-V-I, as well as, I-vi-ii-V. A good study of chords, root and inversions, and how to move from one chord to another is a must for improvisation. After practicing his chord progression exercises, you are ready to work with all melodies in the anthology. He gives the diatonice chords for both C Major and G Major.

In his performing notes, Ray reviews his notation for RH and LH. He reinforces the small note written with stem down is for the LH and is the top note of the chord. He uses 8vb N.C. to indicate no chord. Only four pieces in the anthology require lever changes and these changes are indicated by a diamond-shaped note. He includes two thumb slides in this collection.

This anthology is a great tool for using bedside. It has melodies that people recognize and have had great popularity over time. This anthology can also be a guide to us for formatting additional melodies we can and would like to use as we serve patients.

Martha E Painter
Finishing Student IHTP