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All of Sylvia's harp arrangements have a "high playability" rating with me. Believe me when I say this because I have looked at, and purchased a lot of harp music over the years. No one can arrange for the harp the way Sylvia can! This book is a perfect example of being able to make playable complicated Irish jigs, slip jigs, reels and hornpipes for those of us who are not "professional" harp players. This traditional music gets all of our collective toes tapping. Two introductions are included to help the novice better understand the nature and spirit of Irish dance tunes. I have had a lot of fun, and challenge, from the pieces in this book. It also includes one of my FAVORITE AIRS, Carrickfergus.

This is one of the best books for learning traditional Irish music. Like the reviewer above, I too have purchased a lot of harp music, but all of Sylvia Woods' books are the best. They offer easy and intermediate level accompaniments, and chording so that you can add additional notes. This particular book has fast become one of my favorites; it offers a good variety of traditional Irish music, information on traditional music sessions, and fingering. The fingering for traditional Irish music is slightly different than for other harp music because it is played very quickly, so the fingering included in this book is very helpful when learning to play the songs. I also appreciate the companion CD for those songs that I am not familiar with. Highly recommend this book and CD!!

Great book for Irish intermedete players! Some of my favorites are "Merrily Kiss the Quaker","Parting Glass", and "The Rocky Road to Dublin". Good Irish book for Novice players.

I'm a beginner and many of these songs are out of my skill level. But don't let the quick pace of these songs turn you away! You can play them slowly and they still sound wonderful. The CD that goes along with this book is an incredible learning tool. The songs are played slower than usual, granting me a greater understanding of how the piece sounds bit by bit. It's so much easier to play a song when you have just heard it, and if you get stuck in a spot just skip to that part on the cd and listen to it again. It's also a great way to pick out your favorite songs before you learn the sheet music. My love for these beautiful songs keeps me motivated in practicing the harp. I initially purchased it for Brian Boru's March, but there are other extremely beautiful songs on here like King Of The Faries, Morrison's Jig, and Rights Of Man. True crowd pleasers that really give the feeling of old times in Ireland."

Booked a Celtic/Renaissance gig this fall and I'm so glad I have this album! I've been gigging for over 15 years and Sylvia's music is definitely a cornerstone of my repertoire. It has all the essentials -- beautiful melodies and chords. I highly recommend her music to any harpist!

I love this book and always bring it out in early March to start practicing Irish music in preparation for St. Patrick's Day. The arrangements are wonderful--full of jigs, reels, and airs that are so fun to play and delightful for listening.