Von: Siegfried Knoepfler

Datum: 21. April 2008 KW17 02:01:11 MESZ

An: cyberpluckers

Betreff: An autoharper anthem

. . .

. . . , I wanted to use this tune for waking up a friend over the phone and since I'm not good with holding the phone and playing my 'harp at the same time, I recorded this tune past Saturday. So I could hold the phone to the computer's loudspeaker.

Since I liked my recording, I researched a bit and learned that the tune's composer, Pierre Chretien Degeyter, died in 1932; that means the tune is meanwhile in the Public Domain and therefore I can put it on my Web site, which I did. And then there happened once more what many of you are already afraid of: New words occurred to me.

So go to http://www.anaughtiharper.mynetcologne.de/music.html and click on "Arise to merry autoharping!", and while listening to the music read (or better, sing) these lines:

Arise to merry autoharping,

and fill with music all the earth!

And never think of petty carping,

oh no, let's seek beauty and mirth!

And while some derive it from tradition,

to others jazz provides for thrill:

Away with timid inhibition!

We surely all can fill the bill.

Pluckers, hark to the music

as we stand in our place!

Let's all join in 'harping

and grace the human race!

Pluckers, hark to the music

as we stand in our place!

Let's all join in 'ha-a-a-arping

and grace the human race!

(S.K., 20 April 2008)

Cheers!

Siegfried in Cologne, Germany

http://www.anaughtiharper.mynetcologne.de