Category Archives: Mp3

The Magic Circle #Poem #Meditation

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Download “The Magic Circle” Mp3

I ground and ground and circle round.
On Mother Earth I’m safe and sound.
What felt so lost, within is found.
I ground and ground and circle round.

I feel the Water, water well.
Emotions difficult dispelled,
A better story now to tell.
I feel the Water, water well.

I know the flaming Fire’s flame.
A transformation, not the same,
Destroying every fear and shame.
I know the flaming Fire’s flame.

The Air is fresh, refreshing mind,
And I am free, no more confined.
I work with Nature’s great design.
The Air is fresh, refreshing mind.

And Spirit makes my spirit soar!
Of Its foundation I am sure.
It manifests my Good and more,
For Spirit makes my spirit soar!

I ground and ground and circle round.
On Mother Earth I’m safe and sound.
What felt so lost, within is found.
I ground and ground and circle round.

—
Written for
Eugi’s Causerie Weekly Prompt – Magic

Recorded with Koshi Chimes and various shakers:
Earth: Terra chime and Rhythm Rock shaker
Water: Aqua chime and cowrie shell shaker
Fire: Ignis chime and Oregon myrtlewood triangular shaker
Air: Aria chime and pear branch Little Spirit shaker
Spirit: Harmony Ball Pendant and Egg of Creation (emu egg) shaker

“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” #Music

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“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” is based on Isaiah 12:2, which reads:

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
–(KJV)

Louisa M. R. Stead wrote the lyrics, and William J. Kirkpatrick wrote the melody to this hymn, first published in 1882. Though it’s still popular, I don’t remember singing it in church as a child. I do, however, vividly recall listening to a record album that included this hymn. (Thanks, Pop-pop Clyde!) I played and replayed it, because I liked how the melody flowed. And that was long before I played any instruments myself!

Speaking of instruments, there’s quite a merry folk band today! You’re listening to ukulele, viola, 2 wooden shakers (one of myrtlewood and one from a pear branch) alto recorder, and double strung harp.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement!

Welsh Lullabies #Music

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Length: About 7 minutes

Here are 2 Welsh lullabies that were part of my Double Strung Experiment series. Click the title links below to hear the lyre-and-zither versions:
All Through the Night
Suo Gan

Today I play the lullabies on Coda EDC Flute and double strung harp. The recording begins and ends with my Egg of Creation shaker, a natural, dried and painted emu egg filled with glass beads. However, I don’t think this recording does the shaker justice–the sound is very soft, calming, and beautiful. It’s also great for offering pain relief through sound healing. In addition, 2 Harmony Ball Earth Spheres play near the end of the lullabies.

I hope you find this meditative, relaxing, and peaceful!

Music, Elemental #Music #Poem

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Download “Music, Elemental” Mp3

I wrote this
poem
7 years ago to the day, on May 17, 2014. I didn’t realize that until just now!

This reading is with Koshi chimes. These are beautiful handmade chimes from France that correspond to the elements of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. They can be used as windchimes, but they are not made with tubes of various lengths suspended from their own cords.

Instead, there is one resonance cylinder, slightly larger than a soda can. There is a cord welded into the top to hold or hang the chime. Then, inside are small, round metal bars of different lengths that create the 8 notes of each tuning.

There is a clapper–I don’t know what else to call it–that hangs freely in the middle of the tube. This is what plays the notes as you move the chime. It’s a really interesting design!

These chimes are lovely to simply listen to, but also great for meditation or, in this case, reading poetry.

I play the chimes in the following order, according to the lines/mood of the poem:
Terra (Earth)
Aqua (Water)
Ignis (Fire)
Aria (Air)
Ignis (Fire)
Aria (Air)
Aqua (Water)
Ignis (Fire)

I really enjoy the Koshi Chimes and hope you enjoy this reading!

“The Sweet By-and-by” #Music

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This hymn was first published in 1868, with lyrics by S. Fillmore Bennett and music by Joseph P. Webster. It is still a popular traditional Christian hymn that appears in many modern hymnals. I’ve always found it comforting and peaceful.

Today, enjoy ukulele and viola, then compare the sounds of double strung harp, lyre, harp again, and last but not least, zither. Though these instruments are similar, they have different sound qualities. You will hear some slight buzzing in the harp recording, because I misplaced the microphone. My apologies!

Did you know? There are 98 strings in this arrangement! The harp has 23 strings on each side, for a total of 46. The lyre and zither each have 22 strings. Ukulele and viola have 4 strings each. That’s a lot of strings to tune!

I do hope you enjoy this hymn!

“Little Boat” #Meditation #Music

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Download “Little Boat” Double Strung Harp Meditation Mp3

Length: About 5 minutes

Today we revisit “Little Boat,” a song I wrote last year and tested with lyre and zither together. You can find that mp3 and a link to the lyrics
here.

This version is a longer, more meditative instrumental on double strung harp. But with a twist. You also hear both chambers of the Coda EDC Flute, a cowrie shell shaker, and the Koshi Aqua (water) chime.

In replaying the pieces from my lyre-and-zither Double Strung Experiment series, I wanted to showcase the true double strung harp without boring you. So, I added a few other instruments.

I hope you enjoy this arrangement! I think it turned out pretty well, myself! Please share any comments, questions, or other feedback you may have, even simply whether you liked or disliked the piece! Thanks for listening!

“Heartsong” #Music

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Download “Heartsong” Double Strung Harp Mp3

Happy Mother’s Day to those who are mothers and those who have one! ❤

I wrote “Heartsong” in 2016. You can find the ukulele version with lyrics
here.

Today I play it as a comforting, relaxing piece on double strung harp. I hope you enjoy it, and have a blessed Mother’s Day!

Lullaby/Brahms Medley Revisited #Music

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Download “Lullaby/Brahms Medley” Double Strung Harp Mp3

I wrote “Lullaby of the Ages” on lyre last year. As I considered purchasing a double strung harp, I kept thinking the piece would be a wonderful demonstration of the effects possible on double strung that cannot be played on a “normal” harp, lyre, or zither with one continuous row of strings. I tested this by playing lyre and zither at the same time, and it was as I thought. You can listen to that
here.

The familiar lullaby composed by Johannes Brahms was another piece I tested in this way. That audio is
here
if you haven’t already heard the arrangement.

At the end of the series with lyre and zither, I said I would revisit these pieces with the harp. That time is now! So, here are my original, “Lullaby of the Ages,” and the Brahms lullaby played on an honest-to-goodness double strung harp!

I hope you enjoy this medley as much as I love playing and hearing it!

“Las Estaciones” (The Seasons) #Music

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Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I began studying Spanish during the 1997-98 school year, when I was 12. “Las Estaciones” (The Seasons) is the first song I ever wrote, in Spanish or otherwise. The original was on keyboard, with a salsa beat. It has lyrics, but a cold is keeping me from singing today. This arrangement on ukulele and alto recorder sounds more like bluegrass, but it’s a fun song. I hope you enjoy this blast from the past!

Flutter #Poem

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Play or download this poem with musical accompaniment.

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Flutter
Thoughts taking wing
Released from their cocoon
May they ripple outward for good
Transform
The negative to positive
Productive in their time
Free to take wing
Flutter!

—-
A Butterfly Cinquain written for Eugi’s Weekly Prompt, Flutter:

https://amanpan.com/2021/04/29/eugis-weekly-prompt-flutter-april-29-2021/

Reading accompanied by double strung harp and a Harmony Ball musical pendant.