Harp Wedding Music Choices...Help, Please!

[Harleigh]

Hi Everyone,

I have been meaning to post this for quite awhile now, and with the influx of posts about ceremony music lately, I thought now was as good a time as any since it seems like it is on many other brides minds here.

For our garden/beach wedding on Maui in July, we have hired a harpist to play while our guests are being seated and then during the processional/recessional. I was sent a list of songs the harpist can play by our wedding planner, but to be honest with you, I either don''t know the songs or have no idea how it might sound on a harp, though I can''t imagine anything can sound anything but beautiful on such a tremendous instrument!

I don''t necessarily care about whether we''re traditional or not, but I think I might like to have a little bit more upbeat music while people are being seated (roasting in the sun waiting for me get there is probably more like it!) and then something simple to walk down the aisle to and then a bit upbeat for the trip back up the aisle.

Any and all help or suggestions would be most appreciated, so thank you in advance!

Here is the list I received:

Harp Music List
Classical
Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin - Wagner
Sheep May Safely Graze - J. S. Bach
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Jesu joy of Man''s Desiring - J. S. Bach
Trumpet Voluntary - Clarke
Spring from Four Seasons - Vivaldi
Ode to Joy - Beethoven
Wedding March from Midsummer Night''s Dream - Mendelssohn
St. Anthony''s Chorale - Haydn
Hornpipe - Handel
Ave Maria -Bach/Gounod
Ave Maria - Schubert
Pavanne - Fauré
Reverie - Debussy
Claire de lune - Debussy
Liebestraum - Lizst
Jupiter from The Planets - Holst
O my beloved father form Gianni Schichi - Puccini
Gymnopedie - Satie
Hawaiian and contemporary
Hawaiian Wedding song
Maui Waltz
White sandy beach
The Rose
One hand, one heart
From this moment
Have I told you lately that I love you?
The Wedding Song / There is love
Traditional
Greensleeves
Drink to me only with thine eyes
The ash grove
Early music
Sumer is icumen in
Nobilis humilis
Ce fut en Mai

If you made it through all that, thank you! Please let me know what you think might be most appropriate...I appreciate your thoughts!

 

[Skippy123]

Hi Miss Harleigh,
I vote Hawaiian music, Hawaiian is sooo beautiful. I am just curious what it sounds like, has your harpist sent you a demo? If it sounds good then that would be my pick, if not then the traditional stuff. Or a little of both maybe nice too.

ETA: I just did a search out on the internet and listened to it and it is so beautiful, my vote is Hawaiian.

 

[Harleigh]

Thanks for chiming in, Sweet Skippy!

Do you mind sharing where you found samples of the Hawaiian music?

We have not heard a demo of the harpist''s work, but other friends and our planner assure us everything he plays is lovely, so I am keeping my fingers crossed on that one! I just don''t know a lot about wedding music, to be honest with you, and I am at a loss as to what really would fit Rusty and me on our wedding day.

We are having a traditional Hawaiian minister who will be in authentic Hawaiian garb, so the Hawaiian music may go well...I just don''t know.

I''ll have to do some more searching...just wondering what others might want to hear at a Maui wedding...

Thanks again, Skippy! You''re the best, as always!

 

[Skippy123]

It's called the Heavenly Harps of Hawaii and in Repertoire and then click Hawaiian. How exciting! I think there is something magical and romantic about Hawaii that cannot be found elsewhere. Hope that helps. Ah, sucks, you are the sweet one for sure! Good to see you!!

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm familiar with about half of the "classical" selections, and the ones I know are all nice. You should be able to find snipets of most of those selections on the internet, and I'd bet you'd recognize most of them.

Of that list, the Gounod Ave Maria and "Sheep may safely graze" are some of my very favorites -- but might not be the best processional music. The Faure, Debussy, and Satie might have a lighter, more contemporary feel than the other selections. I also think the Ode to Joy would make a terrific recessional!

But... unless you hear something that sounds particularly special to you, why not go with the Hawaiian selections for the complete island experience?

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi Harleigh,

We''re having a family friend play the harp before our ceremony also. She may just put together an arrangement for us, knowing how hard it is for us to make decisions about the music. We just can''t decide. Thanks very much for providing this list. I may try some of these songs out myself. I know our friend will play while guests are being seated, and she may play as my sister and then my dad and I walk down the aisle. She suggested that we have the DJ do the recessional, since that''s typically more upbeat. I wish I had suggestions for you -- sorry!

 

[Po10472]

we had classical music played by a harpist and violinist at our wedding and my favourite was Claire de Lune by Debussy. made me cry.

 

[gwendolyn]

Hiya, Harleigh! What a great problem to have--harp music is GORGEOUS! I think every the most screechy awful punk rock songs sound beautiful when played on the harp, so I really don''t think you can lose when deciding. However, if you want some suggestions, I''ll list some of my favourites (I got my first degree in music and was fortunate to be able to listen to friends playing harp music sometimes!

In no particular order, these are beautiful:

Bridal Chorus by Wagner
Jesu, Joy of Man''s Desiring by J. S. Bach
Ave Maria by Bach
Claire de lune by Debussy (sooooooooo beautiful!)
The Rose
The Wedding Song/There Is Love
Greensleeves (soooooooo beautiful!)

Happy choosing!

 

[Harleigh]

Thank you, ladies! You are all the best! I sent the list of songs to Rusty and he was like, "What do you want ME to do with these???" I guess that makes me feel better that at least I''m not the only clueless one!

Thanks so much for all of your ideas...they have been very helpful and I appreciate your taking the time to help me out! I''m going to go look up some of your suggestions more in-depth and see how they feel to me.

Keep the ideas coming!

 

[gtn]

Harleigh you can her some samples of harp music here

But on a side note, my FI and I think it would be funny to get our musician to play "American Idiot: Funeral Version" ala the Simpsons'' Movie. We are looking for an organist to play during the ceremony. I know it isn''t very wedding-y, but I would love to have it during mine.

 

[Harleigh]

Date: 1/9/2008 10:36:53 PM
Author: gtn
Harleigh you can her some samples of harp music here

But on a side note, my FI and I think it would be funny to get our musician to play ''American Idiot: Funeral Version'' ala the Simpsons'' Movie. We are looking for an organist to play during the ceremony. I know it isn''t very wedding-y, but I would love to have it during mine.

Hi gtn,

Thanks so much for the link! Sadly, I don''t know if our harpist takes requests...we were just given a list of his music to choose from, so I assumed that''s what we had to go by.

I suppose I could ask our wedding planner if there are any other options!

I would love to be at your wedding and hear that song played...rofl!