The Stories Behind the Songs: Three Carols Revisited - PHH 239
Release Date: 12/15/2025
My New Vocabulary for 2026 - PHH 242
Practicing Harp Happiness
For me, and I think for many people, this last week of the year is a supremely hopeful one. The rush to get ready for Christmas is behind us and the promise of a new year is finally in focus. We’re faced with possibilities for a change, instead of pressure. I realize, of course, that for many of us those possibilities for the new year include uncertainty, worry and fear which are beyond any assistance I could give on this podcast. I can merely offer prayers that the universe grants us all the courage and resources we need to face the circumstances before us. And I will stick to what I know...
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Classics for a Relaxing Holiday Playlist
Practicing Harp Happiness
Playlist Program: All selections performed by Anne Sullivan All selections arranged for harp by Anne Sullivan Largo, from Winter by Vivaldi from Two from Messiah by Handel Mozart in a Minute Ave Maria by Schubert from Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach)/Ode to Joy (Beethoven) Peace, a Fantasy on Dona Nobis Pacem
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Classics for a Relaxing Holiday - PHH 240
Practicing Harp Happiness
It’s Christmas week, and for me, this is a week to finally settle into the holiday mood. This is the time we decorate our tree, get in touch with friends and family, and start reveling in the spirit of joy and peace that feels so elusive other times of the year. So this is not the week I want to dive into a heavy teaching topic here on the podcast. What I want to do today is spread a little holiday harp happiness with a short musical program for you to enjoy. The theme of the program is “Classics for a Relaxing Holiday,” classical music that is appropriate for the holidays, but...
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The Stories Behind the Songs: Three Carols Revisited - PHH 239
Practicing Harp Happiness
I’m kind of a Christmas carol geek, if there is such a thing. I’ve always enjoyed playing them and even as a young person, I was fascinated by where they came from: their origins, translations, composers, text sources, etc. For me, the stories behind the carols were a kind of history and geography lesson rolled up into the magic and meaning of Christmas. I think the origin stories are what really held my interest. The writing of “Silent Night” because a church organ in Austria was damaged, or the composition of “O Holy Night” as a dedication piece to a renovated organ in France are...
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How Purpose Fuels Progress: The Map You’ve Been Missing - PHH 238
Practicing Harp Happiness
My first ocean cruise was a cruise from New York City to Bermuda. I’d never been on a big ocean liner before. Although I’ve done a couple other ocean cruises since then, I’m not really a fan. I love exploring, and there is only so much exploring you can do on a ship in the middle of the ocean. But on this first cruise, I did love the feeling of being in the middle of the vastness of the ocean with nothing but water all around. The feeling of not having any landmarks - literally - was a little exhilarating and more than a little awe-inspiring. Naturally, I wasn’t really frightened; I...
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Music Angels: Leah Kim and the Transformative Power of Music - PHH 237
Practicing Harp Happiness
I don’t do very many interviews on this podcast. I started the show as a way to help harpists with their learning and I wanted, and still want, to be able to use this podcast to teach, to encourage and to inspire harpists all over the world. But over the last year, I have realized that there are other voices I want to be sure that you hear. After all, learning comes in many forms and hearing a variety of voices and viewpoints enriches us and our harp playing in so many ways. So during 2026, one of my objectives is to bring you into conversations with harpists, musicians and others who...
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7 Quick Fixes so You Can Play Your Stress-Free Best - PHH 236
Practicing Harp Happiness
It’s time for a confidence boost. You’ve been practicing your holiday music and feeling like you’re making good progress, but it’s not quite there and the performance date is coming up soon. Your music is mostly fine. It has up days when everything goes perfectly and down days when it feels like you’ve never played the piece before. Maybe it’s not quite up to tempo. Or maybe there are just a few measures - or maybe more than a few - that are resisting all your attempts to learn them and play them smoothly. Whatever the issue is, it’s starting to be a little concerning...
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Where Harp Beginners Go Wrong - and Maybe You Do Too - PHH 235
Practicing Harp Happiness
I know what I’m going to talk about with you today could be controversial. It could sound totally off target to you. Nevertheless, I hope you will hear me out. I want to share with you why and how I think most harp beginners start wrong, even if they are working with a teacher. It isn’t exactly that we teachers aren’t teaching the right things or that we aren’t dedicated to the success of the students who are trusting us. It’s that the path we walk with them feels so slow. Every individual comes to the harp with a unique skill set and level of musical experience, with their own...
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Three Keys to Relieving Stress - PHH 234
Practicing Harp Happiness
I was moving the harp the other day and once again, it occurred to me just how much stuff we have to carry around with us. Granted, I move my harp all the time for rehearsals and concerts - it’s a big Lyon Healy Salzedo model harp - so you would think I’d be used to it by now. I guess I am, mostly; I don’t have to think about what goes in the car, and my harp bag is always ready to go. But when I start counting the number of trips I have to make between my car and the concert hall in the pouring rain, I start wishing for a Star Trek transporter. But recently, while I was...
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A Behind the Scenes Look at My Practice Week - PHH 233
Practicing Harp Happiness
Over the years I have had questions about my practice: how much practice I do, what I do in my practice, and so on. There has also been the occasional request to sit in and listen to my practice. I have always thought that my own practice routines and what I do on any given day in my practice wouldn’t be useful to share with most harpists, the reason being that the demands on my time and on my playing are vastly different from what the majority of harpists experience. And I have never believed that anyone could benefit from watching me practice or listening to my practice. But gradually I...
info_outlineI’m kind of a Christmas carol geek, if there is such a thing. I’ve always enjoyed playing them and even as a young person, I was fascinated by where they came from: their origins, translations, composers, text sources, etc. For me, the stories behind the carols were a kind of history and geography lesson rolled up into the magic and meaning of Christmas.
I think the origin stories are what really held my interest. The writing of “Silent Night” because a church organ in Austria was damaged, or the composition of “O Holy Night” as a dedication piece to a renovated organ in France are stories that aren’t just interesting, though. They shape how I think about those songs and how I play them, certainly how I arrange them as well.
Today, I want to share the back stories to three carols. I know you’re familiar with these carols, but you may not be familiar with their origin stories. If you’re like me, you love hearing insider scoops and these are back stories you probably won’t hear anywhere else. What’s more, these three carols all share similar ethnic roots; they are all, to some degree at least, Czech.
I think all of these stories are interesting, and I think I can guarantee that at least one of these connections will surprise you. What I hope is that you learn something that will give you a new connection to the music itself, so that when you play these carols or even when you hear them, they resonate in a little more personal way because you know just a little bit more about them. It’s kind of like discovering something new about a friend you’ve known for years, something that adds a new layer of interest and delight.
So sit back with your cup of coffee and I’ll tell you a story.
Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode:
- Blog from the archives: 7 Surprising Facts about “O Holy Night”
- Blog from the archives: Not So Silent Night: Going Viral 200 Years Ago
- Harpmastery.com
Get involved in the show! Send your questions and suggestions for future podcast episodes to me at podcast@harpmastery.com
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LINKS NOT WORKING FOR YOU? FInd all the show resources here: https://www.harpmastery.com/blog/Episode-239