Book Review: “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Vol 2” by Anna Cooper -and- Tanser Family Crowd-Funding
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If you are looking for music to engage and enliven your lyre group this summer, we have the book for you! “Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2” by Anna Prokhovnik Cooper has a rich variety of pieces for lyre ensemble (in addition to one solo piece) that will without a doubt become some of your group’s new favorite music.
There are 11 pieces in this volume. Beautifully published by Upper Esk Music, this volume has a diverse offering of pieces and is very accessible to groups of all levels. There are two pieces arranged specifically for beginning players: two duets from “The English Dancing Master” (1651). As well as one challenging, but extremely rewarding arrangement of Schumann’s glorious “Träumerie.”
The majority of the pieces in this book are for lyre trios (2 sopranos and 1 alto) and they span the centuries, with music from the Renaissance up to some very contemporary pieces. In the classical realm, there is a lovely arrangement of “Variations on Greensleeves” (from the original composition for recorder and harpsichord) and Schubert’s “Serenade.”
Unique to this volume is its selection of contemporary pieces for lyre trios. “From the Northern Lands” by Japanese composer Sada Masashi is absolutely beautiful and very moving as arranged by Anna Cooper. There is also “Pink Lady” by British composer Pamela Wedgewood and “Farewell to Stromness” by Peter Maxwell Davies. Colin Tanser’s beloved “Sea Mist” and the timeless “As Time Goes By” appear in this collection as well as an original composition by Ms. Cooper, “Le Flaneur.”
Anna Prokhovnik Cooper’s talents as a teacher and performer clearly inform her settings for lyre ensembles and soloists. She knows how to choose music suitable for the lyre, and her arrangements are consistently beautiful, playable, and joyful. You will find yourself returning to this volume of music for years to come!
Click here to see Playing the Lyre with Joy, Volume 2 in LANA’s store.
In addition to this review of Anna's latest lyre arrangements, the Board of LANA would like to share with you a special fundraising opportunity that Anna has shared with us on behalf of the family of another of our beloved lyre composers, Colin Tanser.
Dear LANA friends,
I am writing this appeal on behalf of the Tanser family, for Lisa Attias (Tanser), who is Colin and Jennie Tanser's oldest daughter. Within our lyre circles, Colin was a much-loved lyrist, teacher, therapist, composer, and friend, who was the guest master teacher at the 2006 International Lyre Conference in Belfast, where we first experienced his beautiful piece "Everyman" for lyres and children's voices. He was also the guest teacher for one of your LANA conferences a number of years ago and has written a lot of beautiful and valuable lyre music that continues to be played and enjoyed all over the world.
Colin died last year of Parkinson's disease, after a very difficult time during Covid when his family was unable to visit for his last entire year of life. The Tanser family is now going through another crisis, as Lisa now has stage 4 melanoma, having struggled with cancer for 20 years. She has found a clinic in Germany that hopefully can help her, but it's an extremely expensive process, and requires several trips to Germany.
We friends of the Tanser family are reaching out to you all to ask for some help for this critical situation. Jennie has sold Colin's lyres to help with the fund, and Lisa and her husband Jeremy have a "Just Giving" page for anyone who feels that they can contribute even a small sum to help.
We would be exceptionally grateful for any help or support. Lisa is in our prayers.
With love and gratitude,
Anna Prokhovnik Cooper.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lisa-attias/updates/7a33f?utm_term=xPrkxE6Qq