Lyre Sounds from Harlemville to Zeist

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By Christina Porkert, Kinderhook, NY

Three years ago, during our return car trip from their first International Lyre conference in Detroit, my students Neasa, Tristan and Reese already pledged their commitment to attend the next international conference. To top it off, last summer the children reminded me that it was time to start preparing for Lyre 2018! Thus, a weekly lyre group was started and in April we offered a much appreciated concert which helped to defray the costs of the upcoming conference (see picture). The event was enriched by my former student Sarah Stosiek performing a solo from Bach’s Violin Sonata. It was an inspiring evening that continues to echo with future promise!

So we all traveled to Zeist and since I did not work with the youth group, I was fortunate to have taken part in a morning workshop on ‘how to conduct a lyre ensemble’ with Gerhard Beilharz. It was a small group of only five participants with very varied levels of experience, but all of us enjoyed it greatly. Gerhard shared some ‘warm-up’ exercises on how to help a group of lyre players create a ‘good sound’. When it came to practicing our own conducting skills, his fine observations and subtle corrections were most helpful. And what fun to have a caring, supportive lyre ensemble lovingly mirror your mistakes, though helping you to improve your own conducting skills.

In the afternoon I had the opportunity of offering a workshop entitled ‘Call and Response’. My group of half Japanese and half European (and one Australian!) participants were so full of enthusiasm and appreciation that time flew by. But we did work in depth on our theme – which was really centered around listening to each other. We improvised, learned C&R songs by heart and had fun playing “La Canobbia” by Floriano Canale (in eight parts!), which we also shared at the final plenum session of the conference.

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Joy and enthusiasm are maybe the two key words which describe the overall feeling of the conference best and I was especially thrilled that apart from the ten Youth (aged 10 – 15) from the US, NL, DE, CZ, Brazil and China (see picture) also a fair number of young adults were among the about 180 participants.

It was gratifying to get the joy that the teenagers have experienced confirmed by talking with their parents. And I was told their enthusiasm for the lyre has surely increased – as, I dare say, it has for all of us participants!

Let's Move the Music on the Lyre! Zeist workshop with Hajime Kira

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By Saeko S. Cohn

Several serendipitous encounters last fall inspired me to obtain a soprano lyre and take up playing it. As I was unable to find a teacher in the Metropolitan New York area, I tried on my own to make sense of this instrument for half a year with several lyre instruction books for beginners in hand and my three-year-old son as a listener-companion.

In April 2018, I read Hajime Kira’s book for new parents, in Japanese, Shūtainā kyōiku no oto to ongaku: shizukesa no ooi no nakade (Tone and Music in Waldorf Education: In the Veil of Quietness), 2002, and was greatly impressed by his discussion of the essence of music and child care through the anthroposophic understanding of the threefold soul activities of man. Shortly after finishing the book, I learned that Mr. Kira would be teaching at the Lyre 2018 conference in Zeist in the summer. I decided to participate, not knowing that it was a once-every-three-year gathering.

So, from July 22 through 27, I attended the Lyre 2018--World Lyre Conference at Stichtse Vrije School, a Waldorf high school in Zeist, in the Netherlands. Over 170 people from 18 countries participated. I was fortunate to be able to take Mr. Kira’s workshop, titled “Let’s Move the Music on the Lyre!” Eleven students from six countries (Netherlands, Germany, Scotland, Brazil, Macau/China, and the USA) attended, and Mr. Kira’s daughter, Yurino, assisted as an interpreter throughout the sessions. Here is my short report of what we learned each day.

On the first day, Mr. Kira told us that his workshop was about “how to produce good sound on the lyre with good body movements,” or “how an individual player can produce the most ‘lyre-like’ sound with his/her hands and body.” To achieve this, he emphasized the importance of “making preparations” before producing actual sounds. He used the analogy of Eurythmy’s basic movement of contraction and expansion; the very moment when contraction is released into expansion, a sound emerges. In other words, well before making a sound, the finger must not only grasp but press on the string as if to create the center of contraction in Eurythmy. That is what he calls “preparation.” Mr. Kira said we must learn to do this unconsciously in order to play beautifully.

On the second day, Mr. Kira told us that he himself learned the importance of the sound-producing “preparation” from his lyre teacher, Annemarie Loring (1923-2014). He proceeded to explain the importance of the interval of the fifth, and of playing this particular interval with an awareness of space and flow, i.e. descending B-E/A-D/G-C/ and ascending D-A, played in one stream. He then explained that Waldorf education is “education toward freedom,” and that one of the primary missions of Waldorf early childhood education is to assist each child in “building a body that properly and sufficiently MOVES in accordance with his/her own will.” (Emphasis added.) He made a point that adults also need to learn to move in this way, so that the body serves as a “vessel” for the independently willed activity of music production.

On the third day, Mr. Kira explained the importance of activating the pinky and ring finger when playing the lyre, to better achieve “good body movements” unconsciously. We then practiced the arpeggio accompaniment to “Gaelisches Lied” (arr. Wolfgang Friebe), starting each arpeggio with pinky fingering.

On the last day, we practiced the Dorian scale and Mr. Kira gave us a few tips for dampening sounds. The way in which he related the importance of sound-producing “preparation” and dampening of individual tones was particularly useful. He said that “a sound ceases on its own when a string is touched by another finger,” and that “accomplished lyre players do this unconsciously.” In other words, lyre players must cultivate their hands and fingers so that they can “listen to” sounds and move unconsciously to the point of being able to discern and dampen tones, when necessary, on their own.

Overall, it was a wonderfully productive four-day seminar, and I have been busy all summer practicing what I learned in Zeist.

Creating a Space to Share with Regula Utzinger

By Julia Elliott, Boxford, MA

The afternoon class “Creating a Space to Share” with Regula Utzinger (a music therapist from Switzerland) focused on the music and the style of playing best suited for people in palliative situations. Regula is a warm and thoughtful teacher who encouraged the class to share their own experiences of playing lyre for patients and loved ones who were ill or near death. Through stories and melodies, we deepened our understanding of how the lyre can assist in palliative care.

At the center of Regula’s work is the belief that death is a life process and that the goal of music in palliative care is only to support the patient’s life. She described the lyre as “a vessel of pure music,” saying that people who are close to the threshold recognize its sound. The type of music one chooses can be influenced by the patient’s physical and mental condition as well as his or her cultural and personal identity. Because “music is where we come from,” it reminds the patient of their origins.

The style of playing in palliative care was a frequent topic of conversation in the class. How does one work with a melody or progression of tones on the lyre to make them truly therapeutic? We worked on cultivating a sense of expansiveness between musical phrases, incorporating a feeling of being guided by the breath, and making simple, beloved melodies richer with the addition of supporting harmonies. Regula described bringing the lyre into physical contact with the patient (by placing the instrument at their feet or against their arm or hip) as a way of helping them reestablish their physical boundaries and also to feel the resonance of the lyre tones.

A highlight of this class was that we began each session with a German song called “Zieh mit der Sonne” (move with the sun). A beautiful, expansive melody which compels the singer to move forward, we sang it while walking in a circle, first in unison and then as a very satisfying round. The beauty and purity of my classmates’ voices filled me with joy each day, and the forming and re-forming of the circle created an ever deeper unity in the group. After being together musically in this way, we were always ready to share and be together. The song brought us together in time and space and was itself a key to knowing how to bring music to those who need it.

Reflections on the International Lyre Conference in Zeist

By Diane Barnes, Hillsdale, NY

The 2018 International Lyre Conference was a wonderful experience, as they all have been. To see so many lyre players and lyre builders, about 169 total, many of whom I have seen before, is always very special. At this conference I thoroughly enjoyed Monika Mayr-Haecker and Christian Giersch’s workshop on singing and the lyre. Monika brought new movements to some of the singing exercises with her lovely, lyric voice, and Christian challenged the group to play the lyre while singing, often to play one part and sing another part (often in a foreign language)! The class was very professionally led and was both interesting and challenging. Bravo!

I have to mention that Christian Giersch wrote an outstanding piece for all lyres, especially for this conference, and he was only given one evening to teach it to us!! He did an outstanding job and I hope that lyre groups around the world will practice it and prepare it for future conferences. Thank you, Christian.

Another most amazing workshop was Martin Tobiassen leading the whole group every morning in improvisation - NO MUSIC. It was very masterfully led using tone of the day, the TAO tones, C major scale, whole tone scale and chromatic scale interwoven with our own personal percussive sounds, with certain signs Martin had invented for each tonal pattern. It was extraordinary and in the end sounded like a concert piece. Another BRAVO!

Many thanks to all of the organizers and to Anna Littel for keeping track of everything in her announcements.

Blessings from Diane Barnes

Cântaro Group from Brazil Enriched in Zeist

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Attending an international lyre conference is a very "enriching" experience in many ways. We at Cântaro are very happy to see the growth of our beloved "lyrists" every time they have that opportunity. Below, some of them tell about their experiences at the Lyre 2018 Conference in Zeist. We are increasingly encouraged to be part of this wonderful community!

It is a precious nutrition for our school and our soul to know that in every different corner of the world there is one more, and one more, and still another lyre sounding together with us!

Cântaro continues its activities strengthened, working for our annual concert, gathering our students and preparing for September 29, when we present a show for children, but also of great significance for adults. "A light in the heart" is the name of the program which seeks to kindle in all hearts the light of love and hope.

Cântaro Centro de Desenvolvimento Musical

A Tale of Two Brazilian Youths in Zeist

By Tarina Rubinger, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Since Detroit, I decided not to miss any world lyre conference thereafter. When I invited my two 13-year-old sons, Estêvão and Cristiano, to attend, they promptly rejected the idea because after three years of pentatonic lyre and four of complete lyre, they had stopped for more than one year to devote more time to their other instruments. Their schedule was so busy at the Waldorf school as well as sports, languages, and so on. Well, I argued in favor of the experience of playing with so many musicians from all over the world, friendships of various nationalities, practice of English and German. Anything. They wanted holidays, rest, playful activities. Well, at the age of 13, they went to Holland with me.

We were in a large group of Brazilians. We passed through the south of England where we made some presentations in chapels, ruins and parks. They happily photographed and filmed us, but still without the desire to attend the conference.

However, as soon as the activities in Zeist started, the questioning was over and enthusiasm grew throughout the week. The workshops were precious to them, football was daily on the grass and friendships are still moving inside of them. Oh, all of this motivated, I do not know until when, the idea of attending the next conference. They thanked me in different ways and recognized the wisdom behind my gesture.

As soon as we arrived in Brazil, the songs from the conference moved to the piano. And so the spirit of this great union in the lyre and by the music lives in them day by day.

My Experience at the Lyre 2018 Conference in Zeist

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By Beatriz Polanczyk, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

I am Beatriz, from Cântaro, and I would like to share my experiences at the Lyre 2018 Conference in Zeist with you.

In the morning workshops I took part in "Colloquium on Lyrerythmy," with John Clark, and I experienced playing movements in space with a special group from all over the world. Now, whenever I see flame flying on the candle, I think about Lyrerythmy: how I could take this image and give back to the audience the same feeling of gentle movements, warmth and kindness.

In the afternoon workshops I attended "Playing the lyre in combination with other new developed instruments," with Eric Speelman. It gave me an idea how to play easy pieces combining other instruments such as xylophone, percussion, woodblocks and a lot of Choroi-instruments, improvising rhythms and simple melodies in order to encourage people to join us for playing along.

I was very happy for taking part in it!

Best regards,

Beatriz

And Another Experience in Zeist

By Monica Godoy, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

I am a Psychoanalyst as well as a lyrist. I attended two workshops that contributed greatly to my growth, both with music and with psychology. One workshop worked on silence and another on creation / composition. Both workshops addressed aspects of the unconscious and affective structure.

I returned to Brazil very happy with what was offered me. I will certainly attend the next conference.

Thank you,

Mônica Godoy

Lyre in Healing Cancer with Yael Barak

By Yael Barak, Harduf, Israel

This summer in Holland was very dry. In the midst of this dry heat, Lyre 2018 took place in the Waldorf School in Zeist.

I am coming from a very hot and dry land – Israel. It was very well felt how this tender listening concentration is difficult in uncomfortable surrounding conditions. Nevertheless, I had 12 participants in my workshop group, who came every morning to experience and learn more about the connection between our ear, the sense of hearing, cancer and music therapy.

I am working as a music therapist in an integrative oncology unit, as well as in our Anthroposophic Center for Cancer Patients in Harduf, Israel. The lyre is a main instrument for my music therapy with cancer patients – not only as a calming, soothing instrument, but as a real healing element. The active quality of listening that the lyre needs and enables can serves as a practical etheric strengthening for the sense of hearing, for the life forces of our body.

I was touched to see the great interest of music therapists from all over the world, as well as people who met cancer in other ways. With creating a special open space for listening, I think we could touch the edges of one of the big secrets of our time – in illness, as well as in healing. I learned a lot through our common search.

I thank the Lyre 2018 organizers and leaders to enable this space.

I invite whoever is interested in the connection of cancer and music therapy to contact us in our therapeutic center in Israel. We are now opening our gates also to world wide patients and co-operations.

Wishing blessing rain and re-enforcing autumn to everyone.

Lots of thanks,

Yael Barak

Music therapist and head manager of Tal Hama, a therapeutic center for cancer patients in Harduf, Israel

The Sacred Gateway Conference: Conscious Living, Conscious Dying, and the Journey Beyond

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By Marianne Dietzel, St. Paul, Minnesota

Sponsored by the Anthroposophical Society, one hundred and forty of us gathered in Sacramento April 6-8 from all over the country for The Sacred Gateway Conference: Conscious Living, Conscious Dying, and the Journey Beyond. Bringing personal stories of loss and of caring for our beloveds, we came to gather with others who wish to remove the stigma of death, and instead open meaning, ritual, and connection.

The conference began and ended with a eurythmy depiction of the journey of the soul between death and rebirth. A soul followed an angel guide through the planetary spheres, joining each planetary being with its gesture. This journey was accompanied by lyre music played by Andrea Pronto and Anne Riegel Koetzsch.

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Andrea and Anne creatively adapted parts of Songs of the Trees, by Colin Tanser, to accompany the journey, as well as John Billings' III (Stourbridge '83) and Heaven to Earth (Adelaide '86) during the soul's time in the region of the zodiac and upon rebirth on earth. This provided the perfect mood to allow the audience to get an artistically-rendered glimpse into this realm, building a foundation for and giving a balance to explorations of other issues around the threshold of death. In addition to lectures, workshops and a plenum on Saturday and Sunday, participants chose artistic activities, including singing led by lyrist Robin Elliot Dagg, eurythmy and writing poetry, to begin each day.

On Saturday afternoon we honored Nancy Poer, pioneer of threshold work, with testimonials from many who have been guided and inspired by her, and with single white roses handed to her one by one, accompanied by the local Threshold singers. The entire throng then surrounded her with her long rainbow silk, chanting, "Spirits all around us like a rainbow 'round the sun." Visible love and care wove about this event and all aspects of the conference.

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Saturday evening featured a Momento Mori ritual (developed by Dennis Klocek) in which all participants could walk a path of remembrance of a loved one, a lemniscate with a sojourn on earth at the bottom of the larger loop, and a sojourn in the upper Devachan in the smaller upper loop. This walking was accompanied by Marianne Dietzel playing solo lyre. Participants remarked on the poignancy of walking with the delicate lyre music in the background, while observers commented on the sight of so many walking the path.

The success of this conference resulted in a positive impulse to hold a second one on the East Coast in a year. Indeed, the date and the place have been set, and planning is underway. We hope many of you will join us in Harlemville, NY on April 26-28, 2019.

Concert tour and Lyre workshops with Jan Braunstein

By Christina Porkert, Kinderhook, NY

In June, Jan Braunstein was touring the Eastern U.S. and many of us were fortunate to participate in his workshops and/or enjoy the concerts. While I had taken the initiative to promote Jan’s visit it wouldn’t have happened without the support of many of you. Thanks to all who helped organize workshops and/or concerts in Kimberton Hills, The Fellowship Community, Camphill Copake, and The Christian Communities in Hillsdale and Detroit. Jan’s concerts raised appreciation of the lyre beyond the expected and I heard also many enthusiastic reports from participants of his workshops. While no concrete plans have been made for a return visit, seeds have been planted and hopefully will sprout into another tour before too long.

Greetings from Michigan

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By Mary Lynn Channer, Toledo, OH

To all our lyre friends, greetings from Olivia, Mary Lynn, Kristen, Nancy, Roblyn, Burley, and Christina (from left to right, all Michigan players who have attended international lyre conferences). We've been meeting at the Channers' to prepare for the Michaelmas Festival. At each of the eight yearly festivals our lyres are sounding their healing message. This time the lyres and chrotta will be giving familiar music, the first Bach Prelude for Cello and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, a not-so-familiar sounding.

News from the Washington DC Area

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By Sandi Zeese, Silver Spring, MD

In 2017, Colleen Shetland and I played for the Washington Waldorf School for the opening day assembly welcoming first graders, and the Rose Ceremony at the end of the school year. In December we played for their Advent Gardens (now called Evergreen Gardens), along with Anne Frances Martin. There were classes pre-K through twelfth grade, a total of 16 gardens covering three days.

Anne Frances, Colleen, and I also played for a homeschoolers’ garden and for the Acorn Hill Waldorf Nursery and Kindergarten’s Midwinter Gardens, for seven different classes.

We met with Pat O’Connor as a foursome and had some seasonal practice sessions in a classroom at the Riderwood retirement community. In March, Pat and I played lyres and sang a spring seasonal selection for our church group’s monthly dinner meeting at Riderwood. About 19 people came, and at the end of the dinner they were given the opportunity to hold the lyres and make tones. People expressed how much they enjoyed the evening and experiencing the lyre—many for the first time.

Mostly recently, Pat, Colleen, and I played a prelude together at a memorial service for Portia Imle at Riderwood Chapel on February 9, 2018.

News from Brazil

Dear Friends of the Lyre!

Cântaro represents in Brazil an important pillar of study: of lyre, kantele and Werbeck singing.

We have worked throughout the year in our classes, both in groups and with individuals, always bringing a precious soul quality to the musical work.

We periodically organize meetings with all students as an opportunity to play and sing, in a large group, the repertoire that all students have the opportunity to develop. From the most beginner to the most advanced students, everyone is prepared to participate in the great musical arrangement, each one in their level of learning,

We are always providing and valuing reflections about the spiritual being that dresses in the tone that manifests through our instruments and our voices.

We also work with parents and teachers of young children, nurturing them musically, transforming their relationship with children, as we show which is the music to play and which are the most appropriate musical games for the child from 0 to 7 years.

We believe that Cântaro is a point that radiates light for our city, for our country, and also for the rest of the world, whenever we gather together and express through music what is best in our souls and our hearts.
 
Warm regards!

Karla and Flávia

Cântaro-Centro de Desenvolvimento Musical
Nossa página no facebook: https://www.facebook.com/C%C3%A2ntaro-492391004155918/
tel: (31) 3344-3236 - Rua Mangabeiras 275 - Sto Antônio Belo Horizonte - www.cantaro.com.br

News from Ecuador

By Sheila Johns, Cuenca, Ecuador

For the 4th year in a row, four intrepid North American Waldorf teachers living in Cuenca, Ecuador hosted a community Advent Garden on the first Sunday of Advent. Officially sponsored by our Uriel Center for Human Renewal through the Arts and Education, we have been welcomed each year by a local church which has now made what they call the Advent Meditation Garden a part of their annual Advent activities. LANA member Andrea Lyman and I play lyres into the otherwise completely silent space while our artist colleagues Sandra Doren, who moved from the DC area, and Michael Pinchera, who moved from Sandpoint, Idaho, facilitate the spiral walk with candles. We provide bilingual information about the history and purpose of this tradition in advance, and it has been well attended by adults and children from the local area and abroad with interest growing each year. Many have expressed how much they appreciate the conscious preparation of this beautiful, meditative space and how the tone of the lyre has brought solace and peace to their souls. After years of creating and attending Advent Gardens in Waldorf Schools, it has been very gratifying to bring this tradition to a new culture and community as a way of introducing an experience of silence, beauty, and the tone of the lyre.
 

Lyre Rentals Program

By Julia Elliott (for the Lyre Rentals Committee)

The Lyre Rentals Program helps to promote LANA’s mission of encouraging and supporting the work of the lyre in North America.  By making lyres available to rent to new or experienced lyre players, lyrists are offered the possibility of “test-driving” an instrument before investing in a purchase.   The Lyre Rentals Committee often acts as the first contact that many musicians have with LANA.  We love responding to queries like:  “I am new to the lyre and don’t know where to start.  Can you help me?”  By equipping new lyrists with an instrument and helping to connect them with a teacher in their area, we hope to facilitate a healthy and joyful relationship with the lyre that will last a lifetime.
 
In 2017, LANA owned a total of nine rental lyres.  During the course of the year, we added to our inventory a beautiful Derscheid Legacy lyre (made for us by Alan Thewless) and a small Derscheid soprano lyre, purchased from Gundolf Kuehn in Germany.  As of this report, three of our small soprano lyres are available for rent, five are currently rented, one was sold, and one is under contract through our “rent-to-buy” program.  For lyres that are available for purchase through our “rent-to-buy” program, we encourage renters to make a decision regarding such an investment after a year of renting.
 
The following are the rental lyres LANA had available in 2017 and their current status:
                                                                                   
Choroi solo soprano lyre (39 strings)               Rented
Gartner solo soprano lyre (39 strings)              Sold
Choroi soprano lyre (35 strings)                        Rented
Gartner soprano lyre (35 strings)                       Rented
Derscheid Legacy large sop. lyre (37 Strings)  Rented
Derscheid small soprano lyre (27 strings)        Rented
Gartner small soprano lyre (27 strings)            Available
Rose soprano lyre (27 strings)                            Available
Gartner small soprano lyre (27 strings)            Available
 
As we look toward 2018, it is the hope of the Lyre Rentals Committee to purchase more lyres to make available to LANA members.  We would like to support the Derscheid Legacy initiative by ordering more of these instruments from Alan Thewless, offering them for rent or sale in the future.  We also hope to purchase and rent more lower range instruments (especially altos) as we continue to receive requests for them.  It is the Committee’s greatest wish to make the lyre available and affordable to all who are drawn to it through our Lyre Rentals Program.
 
 

Music Sales Service

By Samantha Embrey

The Music Sales service of the Lyre Association was created in 2003 so that lyrists in North America could have access to lyre music published throughout the world.  It is the only such service on the planet!

Most sales take place at LANA conferences, where participants can look at the music first hand and don’t have to pay shipping costs.  Of purchases made between conferences via email or snail mail, many are by beginners and many require guidance, both regarding the selection of music and the need for a teacher.

In the eleven or so years that I have managed the service, I’ve enjoyed communicating with the lyrists purchasing music as well as with the publishers.  Because currency exchange rates and shipping expenses can add greatly to the cost of the music we buy, I have tried to negotiate a discounted price with each publisher.  I have then tried to sell the music at an affordable price that will cover our costs and earn enough to let us buy more music.

Every year I have tried to replace sold-out inventory and add a few new items.  Currently, we have 112 publications with a total retail value of about $7800.

In 2017, I notified the board that I wish to hand over management of music sales in the next year or so.  Thus, much of my recent work has been to explain the ins and outs of the music sales and to get materials ready to transfer to Margo in May.

 

Derscheid Legacy Lyres

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By Catherine Decker as told by Channa Seidenberg

Lyre builders worldwide craft their instruments in various ways. Each builder has a signature style which gives it a unique place among other lyres.  What follows is one account of the Dersheid lyre and its present incarnation.

Having already played various lyres for many years, Channa Seidenberg first met the Derscheid lyre in the early 1990’s.  As she had lived in both Europe and the U.S., Channa had tried many types of lyre and had opportunities to listen carefully to variations in qualities in each instrument.

In 1993, Channa was invited to teach lyre at a Verbeck singing workshop offered by Ursula Koepf who taught singing at Michael Fields in Wisconsin. Channa asked to try the lyre Ursula used, and she immediately felt connected with the tonal resonance of the instrument. This was a lyre created by Heinz Derscheid.  Channa found in the Derscheid instrument a balance of warmth and light that enabled the tone to expand into the space. In Channa’s words, "After this experience, there was no going back." For her, she found the sound of this Derscheid lyre to be immensely satisfying, and she began recommending them to other lyre players.

During the ensuing years, Channa had numerous phone conversations with Herr Derscheid, placing orders and talking about his instruments. She visited him in his workshop near Stuttgart, Germany.  However, in August 2008, Channa received the unexpected news that Herr Derscheid had crossed the threshold. He had been on vacation in Norway, on a fishing boat, when he died of a heart attack.

Because Heinz Derscheid did not have an apprentice, there was no one to continue the work of building these fine instruments. Soon afterward, Channa approached the LANA board with the suggestion to obtain the rights so that someone else could carry on the tradition. She did not want this type of lyre to be lost to the world.

Channa thought of Alan Thewless, a teacher and artisan who was building his own lyres under the name Tir-anna. She inquired whether he would be interested in pursuing lyre building in the style of the Derscheid instruments.
 
In November of the same year, Alan went to Germany to meet Herr Derscheid’s widow and toured the workshop. He asked if she would be willing to sell the legal rights so that her late husband’s instruments could continue to be made. It was a challenge to meet her price, so the Lyre Association put out a request for funds to the North American lyre community.  Fortunately, an anonymous donor stepped forward with a sizable gift towards the endeavor.

Some years later, Alan returned to Germany to speak with Frau Derscheid, and a second major sum was given by the same generous donor. Frau Derscheid then sold the rights to the Derscheid instrument, and Alan was able to secure the templates, which were sent to him in Pennsylvania. Since that time, Alan has built the first “Derscheid Legacy “ lyre, which many lyre players are now eager to try!

It has been a quarter of a century since Channa first held an original Derscheid instrument and experienced its particular balance of light and warmth. Although the process took nearly ten years, the continued focus on this mission has paid off.

Alan Thewless is taking orders for these Derscheid Legacy Lyres, along with his own design, Tir-anna.  We are grateful for the persistence of Channa and the LANA board members as well as for the generosity of those who saw the value of this project. How fortunate we are that these lyres are now available to us in the U.S.!

Contents of Soundings

Volume 1, No. 1

• Catherine Read, "Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, A Biography - Part I"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part I"

• Sheila Johns and Channa Seidenberg, "Towards a World Lyre Community: The Birth of an Idea Inspired by Lyre 2006"

• Music supplement: Michaelmas and Christmas music, Bach and more

Volume 2, No. 1

• Catherine Read, "Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, A Biography - Part II"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part II"

• Robert Grace, "Therapeutic Lemniscates"

• Music supplement: Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "At the Threshold and Beyond"
  (12 compositions, with suggestions and explanations.)

Volume 2, No. 2

• Hajime Kira, "Where Do the Sound and the Tone of the Lyre Come From?"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part 3"

• Ingeborg Derscheid (trans. Channa A. Seidenberg), "Biography of Heinrich-Michael Derscheid"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "At the Threshold and Beyond"

• Music Supplement: At the Threshold and Beyond II – Christof-Andreas Lindenberg (14 compositions)

Volume 3, No. 1

• Laura Langford Schnur, "Truth, Tone and Tuning"

• Gerhard Beilharz(trans. Mado Spiegler), "Describing the Indescribable: Reflections on Julius Knierim's Elaboration and Development of Lyre-playing Technique"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part 4"

• Music Supplement: 7 compositions (Lindenberg, Josquin, Maasz, Jackson, Seidenberg)

Volume 3, No. 2

• Sheila Phelps Johns, "The Erosion of Listening: A Contemporary Crisis of Childhood"

• Paul Matthews, "This Silver Lyre" (a poem from Slippery Characters)"

• David Adams, "An Introduction to the Musical Work of Manfred Bleffert"

• Soundings Interview: "A Lyre Builder Shares His Story: Murray Wright, Australian Lyre Builder"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part 4 (revised)"

• Music Supplement: 7 compositions (Starke, Brewer, Logan, Bach, Lindenberg, Anonymous)

Volume 4, No. 1

• Christina Porkert, "Maria Schuppel - A Pioneer of Music Therapy"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "Music in the Prebirth to Three-Year-Old Child"

• Soundings Interview: "A Lyre Builder Shares His Story: John Bryan, English Lyre Builder"

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, "The Lyre: A Tutor for a New Instrument - Part 4 (revised)"

• Music Supplement: 5 compositions (Schüppel, Fauré, Lindenberg, Seidenberg)

Volume 5

• Hajime Kira, “Potential of the Unique Resonance of Lyre Tones”

• Catherine Read, “Inner Balance and the Lyre”

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, “The Interval and Movement”

• Music Supplement: 5 compositions (Seidenberg, Anderberg, Lindenberg, Handel/Brewer)

Volume 6

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, “Address Given at Lyre 2000”

• Alan Thewless, “A Lyre builder Shares His Story”

• Bevis Stephens, “New Impulses for the Future Direction of Music Arising out of Working with the Schlesinger Scales”

• Music Supplement: 4 compositions (Giersch, Tanser, Martinu, Handel)

Volume 7

• Christof-Andreas Lindenberg, “Understanding the Shape of the Lyre”

• Gundolf Kühn, “My Career Path in Becoming a Lyre Builder”

• Vicky Deng, “Determination Meets Expertise: The Lyre in China”

• John Billing, “China Lyre Workshops: Step One”

• Music Supplement: 6 compositions (J.S. Bach, Knierim, Reubke, Friebe, Tanser, Khachaturian)

Volume 8

• A History of the Lyre, by Gerhard Beilharz

• The Task and Purpose of the New Instruments, by Veronika Roemer

• My Journey as a Lyre Builder, by Martin Nies

• About Intuitive Pedagogy, by Thomas Pedroli

• Sound Mythology, by Martin Tobiassen

Index of Titles in Music Supplement 8:

• Stillness – Thomas Pedroli

• Boat Song – Colin Tanser

• Ach Elslein – Alois Künstler

• A Round for Christmas – Channa Seidenberg

• Bright is the Sunshine – Maria Schüppel

• Promenade – Alexander Gretchaninoff

• Fragment B/A – Colin Tanser

• Praludium – Jan Nilsson

• Skarba – Martin Tobiassen

• Equal #1 – Ludwig van Beethoven

Volume 9 (Special Commemorative Edition Dedicated to Julius Knierim)

• Describing the Indescribable - Reflections of Julius Knierim’s Lyre-playing Technique, by Gerhard Beilharz

• From “Rauschen” to “Strömendes Gestalten”, by Gerhard Beilharz

• History of the Camphill Village Ensemble, by Channa Andriesse Seidenberg

• Music, Mobility, and the Mood of the Fifth, by Sheila Phelps Johns

• The Coming to Birth of the Lyre, Adapted by Sheila P. Johns from Mariana Bruehl’s Apollo’s Lyre

• Julius Knierim, the Impulse Carrier, by Christof-Andreas Lindenberg

• Sun and Moon, Heart and Soul — Personal Reflections of Julius Knierim, by Jeb Pronto

• Recollections of Julius Knierim, by Kerry Virginia Lee

Index of Titles in Music Supplement 9 (All by Julius Knierim):

• A Lovely Rainbow

• We Are Hungry

• Wie leicht wird erde sein

• Tribute to J.S. Bach

• 12-Tone Exercise

• Playing with 12 Tones

• Unveil to Us

• Kleiner Kanon für zwei Leiern

• Kanon zu Ostinato

• Invention

• Abendmusik

• Zwischenspiel aus “Der treue Johannes”

• Kanon

• Klingen und Nachklingen

Lyre Work in Review: Durham, North Carolina

By Joanna Carey, Durham, NC - joannapcarey@gmail.com

This year the lyre has been used primarily for festivals, for the Dead and for the Christian Community.

During Holy Week: Each day during Holy Week, eurythmist Eve Olive and I worked with the planetary tones, scales, and movement for each day. Roger Schultz brought reading material, and together we provided a daily offering for contemplation during the week. As a beloved member of our community had just crossed the Threshold, we also included her in our efforts. In addition, we offer a special eurythmy/lyre musical event for members in their first three days after crossing the Threshold. We play and move with all the planetary spheres as a recognition of the journey of the Dead.

Michaelmas: Lyre music was part of the beginning and the end of our offering.

Advent: Numerous activities occurred. An adult Advent Spiral walk was accompanied by lyre music. Zodiacal music was played for each painting/sculpture of the Madonna Sequence on two occasions during Advent.

We have a bi-monthly reading for the Dead where lyre music is played, also as an improvisation around the planetary scale of the day. Eve and I are also involved in a performance piece on the mysteries of birth and pre-birth. This offering is accompanied by lyre.

Occasional Christian Community services are blessed with lyre music.

I have almost entirely resorted to improvisational music now, as I find it so much more interesting than most written music. Also, because I am a solo lyre player, it works best for me. I love to experience what occurs in the moment. It becomes as a kind of offering for the spiritual world that often comes as a wonderful surprise, almost as if I am played upon myself. It’s difficult to explain, but I am learning to allow greater forces working through me to play the music. I then become the vehicle for its manifestation. I’m very grateful for these experiences and for my lyre and the ability to engage in this way. I encourage others to try it if you haven’t yet. It’s full of mystery and a feeling of goodness and beauty.