Blaue Nacht am Hafen (+ Lili Marleen) - Freedom/Chromaslide autoharp demo

In order to demonstrate my d'Aigle Freedom 'harp with 49 strings, narrowly spaced, with Bill Bryant's Chromaslide mechanism (see • How The Chromaslide Works and • "Chromaslide" - The 12... for example), I recorded the tune to a song by Lale Andersen (cf. en.wikipedia.o...) that I've been learning to play recently, Blaue Nacht am Hafen, to which she also wrote the words (cf. • Video ) to a tune known as Jealous Heart (cf. e.g. • Ray Price - Jealous Heart ).
For demoing this 'harp's special properties I played the tune first in the key of C, then in the key of C# and finally in the key of D. (In this key the 'harp has 4 full octaves, the lowest string sounding a D note as well as the highest one: 4 * 12 + 1 = 49 strings.) The key of C# is possible on this 'harp by the 3-position Chromaslide shifter, as are all the other 11 keys of the Occidental tonal system.
Since Lale Andersen is most famous for her original recording of Lili Marleen (see the Wikipedia link above) I tried this tune also at the end of the recording 3 times and managed to insert each time different mistakes. Instead of relying on having the tune played a thousand times on my other autoharps, I better had rehearsed it on this 'harp before the recording. :(
ziggyharpdust.net
PS: I refer to this autoharp as "Freedom 'Harp" because it shares a significant feature with the autoharp type as presented on daigleharp.com/... - namely the carbon fibre top and back. However, it also differs, not only in the number of strings (49 instead of 37) but also by lacking fine tuners because of the narrower string spacing (as explained in • Video - contrary to Steve's 'harp, this one is not a deep body 'harp).

[@h.wagner]

Very nicely played, and a marvelous demonstration of the capabilities of that beautiful D'Aigle harp. The enhanced bass string section sounds marvelous and gives the instrument a truly unique sound. Bravo Bravo Ziggy. Bravo Pete D'Aigle.

[@ukebob]

Very nice, thanks for sharing. I recently acquired a Chromaslide OS from Bill Bryant after letting one get away a couple years back. I'll have to put in more time practicing if I want to equal this playing!

[@lindaberg1695]

What an interesting 'harp....it sounds wonderful...one of these days I wll have to order a Daigle 'harp, I just don't know which one would suit me the best but it's fun trying to decide....Great job Ziggy!

[@ZiggyHarpdust]

Linda, if you can postpone your decision just one year, I recommend attending the Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering ( mlag.org/ ) next year, where you'll meet not only several of the best autoharpists but also all the North American luthiers (instrument makers) with all their different autoharps on display (and for trying out).

[@lindaberg1695]

@@ZiggyHarpdust I'll have to wait and see, I'm on Canada's West Coast in Vancouver, thanks for letting me know!

[@ZiggyHarpdust]

@@lindaberg1695 I should mention that the autoharp I play in the video is kind of a prototype, being the first one fitted with Bill Bryant's Chromaslide mechanism for a narrow spaced autoharp, where the strings are about 1/3 closer to each other than on a 'harp with normal string spacing. A disadvantage of the narrow string spacing is the lack of fine tuners; so the tuning has to be done on the pegs as in the old days and it takes significantly longer than with fine tuners.

[@lindaberg1695]

@@ZiggyHarpdust Ah, I thought there was a uniqueness about it....thanks for the info !

[@oracle2mountain]

cool: the mechanism slides very smoothly;
much more than mine!
(of course I have the 3rd or 4th version -- still needing the OS kind of top....)

[@monikaemde537]

Bei der nächsten "Haifischbar" solltest Du das Lied unbedingt spielen!"