Alison's CDs Apasionada Harping On

This CD is a vibrant array of multi-cultural harp music arranged to delight and soothe the senses. Apasionada features three harps - my new Sandpiper Nova Celtic harp, my Paraguayan harp, and my new Bresch Celtic harp. The tunes include a mixture of Celtic, Latin, Contemporary, light Classical and World Ethnic music plus 7 of my own original compositions. (16 tracks for a total of 65.04 minutes playing time - Released July 2000 )

I've selected my most rhythmic pieces as well as some of my most beautiful tunes from around the world. There is a very wide range of multi-cultural influences and tempos on this CD.

I have recorded half the tracks (8) on this CD using my new 36 string all synthetic gut strung Nova Celtic harp by John Westling of Sandpiper Harps in Oregon. Six tracks were played on my 36 string all nylon strung Paraguayan harp designed by Australian luthier, Andy Rigby, to my specification and which I later built at his workshop in Newstead, Victoria.

Two tracks were recorded using a 33 string metal and nylon strung Celtic lever harp crafted by Walter Bresch of White Rock, BC.

I recorded this CD in the natural reverberation of an acoustically "live" space (top secret) in Victoria, BC, Canada. The resulting available sound space for recording was superb for recording harp. Recording quality is very high as all tracks were recorded using top quality microphones directly to a Tascam reel to reel recorder for additional "warmth" and then directly to DAT. Close your eyes and you are sitting alongside the harp literally feeling its presence!

Alison

A Word From Stephen Vardy,

Alison's Live Sound Engineer

I have been playing this new CD in public numerous times locally over our sound system. The results have been quite startling. I have had a number of Israelis offering to dance to Shalom Aleichem (Track 11), I have found a woman singing in a Balkan language to Yvone Yvonke (Track 4), a Northern Spaniard was homesick with A Belen Vinde Pastores (track 7) and the general praise for this CD has been voluminous. This CD has outstanding presence and is a real ear catcher!

The CD's sound is soothing and gentle as all good harp CDs are but the music's vibrancy and fast change of tempo and rhythms keep the attention riveted. This CD rocks!

1) Paya-Hali or MP3

"Get Moving" (4:49)

Alison Vardy

My own Canadian Composition with Russian and Spanish overtones!

2) Dunedin Farewell (4:45)

Alison Vardy

A melodic tribute to the many fine friends and musicians we said goodbye to in Dunedin, New Zealand.

3) Peerie House ahint the

Burn/ Spoot O'Skerry (3:37)

Shetland Islands

Vigorous Scottish tunes using the full range of the Paraguayan harp.

4) Yvone Yvonke /

Los Bibilicos (4:26)

Macedonia / Jewish

A traditional love song to a young girl followed by a soulful song of the Sephardic Jews.

5) Schottische du Stockfish

D. Thonan (3:03)

I arranged this for harp from a recording I heard by Quebec group "Ad Vielle Que Pourra". It's a fishy tune composed in the Celtic style from Brittany, France.

6) Peace River Lullaby (3:59)

Alison Vardy

Reminiscent of the gently rolling golden hills of the Peace River Country in northern British Columbia.

7) A Belen Vinde Pastores

Galicia (3:28)

My harp arrangement of this beautiful folk melody from the Celtic region of northern Spain.

8) Una Luz en el Mar /

Llano (8:24)

Alfredo Rolando Ortiz (AROY Music)

Two beautiful compositions from this renowned Paraguayan harpist. The first is arranged as a "Guarania", and the second as a "Pasaje", both being syncopated rhythmic genres from South America.

9) Roly Gentle / MP3

Johnson's Hornpipe (4:44)

Traditional: Northumbria

Harp arrangements inspired by the playing of Kathryn Tickell, Northumbrian piper.

10) Whimsical Breeze (3:37)

Alison Vardy

In this piece I'm having fun with the percussive potential (what a fun phrase!) of the harp, then going into a nice rhythmic pattern using 7th chords. Enjoy! The Horse Whisperer named this track.

11) Zemer Atik /

Shalom Aleichem (3:29)

Amitai Neeman / Trad: Israel

A more contemporary Israeli dance tune followed by a well-love traditional melody.

12) Animacion (2:42)

Alison Vardy

Listen, and you'll hear the animated character that inspired this composition!

13) King of the Fairies (3:08)

Ireland

Always a Celtic favourite of mine…

14) Kulasunda (3:25)

Alison Vardy

A composition based on a traditional Mbira (thumb piano) rhythm of Zimbabwe. I learned this rhythm from Andy Rigby of Australia (sort of a circuitous route from Africa) and he calls it "traditionally-based Zimbabwean pop music".

15) Streets of London /

Pachelbel's Canon (4:28)

Ralph McTell / Pachelbel

A contemporary folk melody and baroque piece that share the same chord progression but offer delightful contrasts in arranging.

16) Carousel (2:58)

Alison Vardy

Just finished in time to fit on this CD!