Well done! Watching the 1st variation I'm like 'yeah I could do that'. But by the 5th variation I'm gladly resigned to enjoy it vicariously through your experience :) ~ Lisa
Haha! :) What's kind of interesting about the variations is that in the beginning they aren't _horribly_ hard, technique-wise, but they ARE very hard to coordinate the two hands together. And then by the time we get to the 5th variation, it's quite "easy" to fit together, but quite hard, technically, to play fast! An interesting contrast... :)
I see what you mean about the contrast between the earlier and later variations. And there are a few lever changes to boot! For now I'm just happy to watch and listen to you play this 'fantastically fun piece'. Someday I might even be able to "Handel" it myself! 😂 (ok someone had to throw in a pun!)
Such wonderful playing! I felt that I was on a boat cruising down the river and enjoying the beautiful scenery, then it builds to finally enter the rapids, such an exhilarating piece! Bravo!
Congratulations on your dazzling arrangement and performance. It is a tour de force of technique. You play it beautifully. I am delighted to see and hear this! --- Ray Pool
Like a 5 minute crescendo. Building, building, building. But somehow delicate at the same time. Thanks for sharing, Josh. Lucky for me I can’t read notation because that prevents me from buying the music and then promising myself every week that I will work on it next week. Like that copy of Ulysses I have been meaning to read since 1969.
Love it, well put - a 5 minute crescendo indeed! Handel continually ups the number of notes per second - from 16ths to triplet 16ths and finally to 32nds... So much fun to play and (I hope) to listen to. And haha, yes, I think anyone who reads music definitely has scores lying around that were purchased with the best of intentions but have never been played... :)
@@JoshLayne Sometimes I go back to those scores (harp or voice) that were set aside as "too hard", and a couple years later they're magically not too hard!!
Good grief Josh that was incredible playing. Normally when the playing is that complex I don't enjoy the piece, but these pieces are a delight. I'm resigned to never playing them though, happy to just listen.
Well, Josh, every time I hear you play a song I’ve played I come away with a completely different understanding of it. I have been playing the “blacksmith” part rather than the “harmonious” part. I think that if Handel has heard you play, he might have renamed it the “Lighthearted Blacksmith” (with all due respect to Pythagoras, see other Comment below). Thank you!
Thanks for the video and beautiful music. The title ‘The harmonious blacksmith’ comes, I think, from the story of Pythagoras discovering the mathematics of musical harmony by listening to a blacksmith hammering different lengths of metal. See en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_hammers
Hi Lance, yes, an interesting history behind the name - Handel almost certainly had nothing to do with the title of "The Harmonious Blacksmith". Instead, it was likely an advertising ploy by a music seller. More on that at www.joshlayne.com/blacksmith
That's some very fast lever changing... impressive!
How beautiful, thank you..... Bravo 🙏🙌👏👏👏♥️
Well done! Watching the 1st variation I'm like 'yeah I could do that'. But by the 5th variation I'm gladly resigned to enjoy it vicariously through your experience :) ~ Lisa
Haha! :) What's kind of interesting about the variations is that in the beginning they aren't _horribly_ hard, technique-wise, but they ARE very hard to coordinate the two hands together. And then by the time we get to the 5th variation, it's quite "easy" to fit together, but quite hard, technically, to play fast!
An interesting contrast... :)
I see what you mean about the contrast between the earlier and later variations. And there are a few lever changes to boot! For now I'm just happy to watch and listen to you play this 'fantastically fun piece'. Someday I might even be able to "Handel" it myself! 😂 (ok someone had to throw in a pun!)
That’s exactly how I feel Lisa 🤣. Even on the piano I usually just give up after one or two variations!
Hard to restrain one's self around Handel - so many opportunities, indeed ;p
Such wonderful playing! I felt that I was on a boat cruising down the river and enjoying the beautiful scenery, then it builds to finally enter the rapids, such an exhilarating piece! Bravo!
Nice imagery :)
Listening to your music as background music while I work on paperwork. So nice and soothing! Thank you!
So well executed, feels like we have been transported back in time to a lovely pub.
Absolutely beautiful! I look forward to learning your lever harp arrangement :)
Absolutely beautiful. I've discovered I love the harp lately, and this amazing piece by one of my favorite composers works wonderfully with it.
Josh always an elegant performer 🙂
Oh wow! As well as the amazing music, I was just mesmerised watching your hands (very newbie harpist here).
Thank God there are male harpists on this planet
Of course..... Why not😉😊🍀❤
@@agatamansueto4258 because most of harp players are female
Amazing! Wow you are really fast with those lever changes. Very impressive!
Very nice! One of my favourite pieces 😃
Congratulations on your dazzling arrangement and performance. It is a tour de force of technique. You play it beautifully. I am delighted to see and hear this! --- Ray Pool
Thanks Ray!
Love it and enjoyed all the variations!!!!
Wonderful!
Follow the notes of Händel
and you will be loved by many.
Magnificent!
Musical gold!
Awesome , stunning rendition !
Like a 5 minute crescendo. Building, building, building. But somehow delicate at the same time. Thanks for sharing, Josh. Lucky for me I can’t read notation because that prevents me from buying the music and then promising myself every week that I will work on it next week. Like that copy of Ulysses I have been meaning to read since 1969.
Love it, well put - a 5 minute crescendo indeed! Handel continually ups the number of notes per second - from 16ths to triplet 16ths and finally to 32nds... So much fun to play and (I hope) to listen to. And haha, yes, I think anyone who reads music definitely has scores lying around that were purchased with the best of intentions but have never been played... :)
@@JoshLayne Sometimes I go back to those scores (harp or voice) that were set aside as "too hard", and a couple years later they're magically not too hard!!
Good grief Josh that was incredible playing. Normally when the playing is that complex I don't enjoy the piece, but these pieces are a delight. I'm resigned to never playing them though, happy to just listen.
Hey, thanks! Nice to hear :)
So good!
How fabulous, well done Josh : )
Thanks!
Wow!
So beautiful I wish one day to be able playing it. Thank you
Thanks!
Lovely!!
Just glorious! Sarah McKee
👍👏
So lovely❤
Is it possible to get music sheet of this arrangement?
Yep! www.joshlayne.com/store/?product=handels-harmonious-blacksmith-arranged-for-lever-or-pedal-harp-downloadable-sheet-music-pdf
@@JoshLayne
Thank you so much! I only have lever harp. Now I got some music sheets in this site.
Wish I could play that well on my Excalibur.
Well, Josh, every time I hear you play a song I’ve played I come away with a completely different understanding of it. I have been playing the “blacksmith” part rather than the “harmonious” part. I think that if Handel has heard you play, he might have renamed it the “Lighthearted Blacksmith” (with all due respect to Pythagoras, see other Comment below). Thank you!
Thanks for the video and beautiful music. The title ‘The harmonious blacksmith’ comes, I think, from the story of Pythagoras discovering the mathematics of musical harmony by listening to a blacksmith hammering different lengths of metal. See
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_hammers
Hi Lance, yes, an interesting history behind the name - Handel almost certainly had nothing to do with the title of "The Harmonious Blacksmith". Instead, it was likely an advertising ploy by a music seller. More on that at www.joshlayne.com/blacksmith
Just glorious! Sarah McKee