A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!

Subject: BS: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscar
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 12:17 AM

I am sure tonight's performance of the song from A Mighty Wind was the first time an autoharp has been played at the Oscars. I am sorry the song didn't win, but it was a BLAST to see them perform it, again, in character!

kat

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: Allan C.
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 12:20 AM

Yep.

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: IvanB
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 01:00 AM

Although I was a bit sorry to see LOTR carry its song along with it in the Oscar frenzy, it was nice to see 4 out of the 5 nominated songs having sort of a "folky" sound - even the winner.

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 02:31 AM

First and last Oscar night you will _ever_ see
a hurdy-gurdy _and_ and Autoharp being played
(Sting played hurdy-gurdy on the rendition of
his "You Will Be My Ain True Love", sung by
Allison Krauss).

My guess is that less that 10% of the audience could
identify one or the other of these, and that far fewer
could identify both correctly (and fewer yet would
actually have CDs at home that featured these
instruments ... fortunately most of these few people
have been locked in secure facilities where they will
pose no danger to themselves or others).

But a real pleasant surprise to see these instruments
given some exposure (my favourite hurdy-gurdy player
is Jake Walton).

I notice the N.Y. Times "People's Choice" alternative
awards had different nominees for best song, with
"A Mighty Wind" picking up two nominations -- and not
for AKATEOTR, but rather for "A Mighty Wind" and
"Never Did Much Ramblin'"   ;-)   I think the readers
had different "standards" than the stodgy AMPAS
folks. . . .

It's no great surprise that AMPAS went with the heavily
produced "Into The West" and the LOTR score; that's more
in the style of customary Oscar winners for these awards.
But I guarantee you that I'd buy the "Cold Mountain"
soundtrack and _play_ it freqently; something that
I don't think I'd do for the LOTR one (even if there's
some reasonably good stuff there; some of it even sounds
somewhat Celtic). And I suspect that many people would
do the same if they had both soundtracks at home. Oh well.

Now back to your regularly scheduled slock music next
year ... yes, we did have a pretty good years as
folkies. . . .   :-)

Cheers,

                         -- Arne Langsetmo

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 05:18 AM

Hold on,
I thought it ws Oscar (Schmidt?) that invented the autoharp ?

PS What possesses people to watch such crap as award ceremonies. You could be listening to or making music.

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: GUEST,eileen
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 05:53 AM

While on the subject of autoharps...someone pulled up into the yard last weekend with one that was made around the turn of the century...it was, of course..missing a few strings and severely in need of a good tuning...but the moving parts seemed in good order altho' the back had been eaten by worm....a fair price ...???

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: wilco
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 08:13 AM

Fair price: usually less than $35.00.

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 08:20 AM

... and even fewer people would own and play both instruments... ahem!

Robin

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: Willie-O
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 10:13 AM

back eaten by worms???? yech. The structural integrity of this instrument is more than somewhat suspect. There is a lot of string tension on an autoharp when you (try to) tune it.

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 05:00 PM

We paid $75 on E-Bay for an 1898 Dolegville Autoharp in excellent condition.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: A first for autoharps -live at the Oscars!!
From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo
Date: 01 Mar 04 - 07:26 PM

Oh, Robin! IC they let you out for the weekend!

;-)

Cheers,

                         -- Arne Langsetmo

(Does it count if I have two harps [built one myself],
a hardingfele, and an insatiable desire to acquire a
hurdy-gurdy [or in consolation, a nyckelharpa]?)