The Children's Album is dedicated to Tchaikovsky's favorite nephew, Vladimir Davydov. On 12/24 December 1878, Tchaikovsky wrote to Lev Davydov: "Tell Bobik that the music has been printed with pictures, that the music was composed by Uncle Petya, and that on it is written Dedicated to Volodya Davydov. The silly little fellow will not understand what dedicated means... Even so, Bobik is an inimitably delightful figure when he's playing, and he might look at the notes, and think that a whole symphony is dedicated to him?.

In a letter of 30 April/12 May 1878 to Nadezhda von Meck, the composer wrote: "A while ago I thought that it would not be a bad idea to make a small contribution to the stock of children's musical literature, which is very modest. I want to create a series of little individual pieces just for children, and with an attractive title, like Schumann`s.

Some months before this letter was written, while staying in Florence on 14/26 February, Tchaikovsky told Pyotr Jurgenson that he wanted "to write a number of easy pieces, like Kinderstück?. Evidently, the idea of creating a collection of pieces for young people had not been abandoned by the composer, and after his return to Kamenka in April he decided to begin composition. In the aforementioned letter to Nadezhda von Meck, he informed her: "Tomorrow I shall start working on my collection of miniatures for children".

On 1/13 May the composer wrote to Anatoly Tchaikovsky: "I'm working well and have done rather a lot". On 4/16 May the sketches for all 24 pieces were ready. Shortly afterwards, Tchaikovsky accepted an invitation from Nadezhda von Meck to stay at her Brailov estate until the end of May/beginning of June, before spending a few days in Moscow; from there he went to spend five days with his friend Nikolay Kondratyev at Nizy, and in mid/late June he called at Kiev, before returning to Verbovka. In the days following his arrival, he began to put the finishing touches to all the pieces written in April and May. The fair copy of the Children's Album was begun, it seems, on 13/25 July.

By 20 July/1 August the copying out was completed, and on 21 July/2 August the composer told Nadezhda von Meck that he was working on the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom.

On 29 July/10 August the manuscript of the Children's Album, along with a number of other compositions, was sent to Pyotr Jurgenson in Moscow. In October, after the proofs had been corrected, the album was published.



P.S.- Other than a modest suggestion for an interpretation, this arrangements remain absolute faithful to the original composition.

The first version is in the original key of g minor, the second is transposed to ?a minor?, the third one is intended for a little lap harp and transposed to d minor. It sounds better in the original key of g minor. I used a lot the d minor version and performed it with my little harp very often, always experiencing a very deep musical feedback.

A little nuance was added to the arrangements, thus obliged by its minimal use on the original manuscripts.

I included the original long and expressive leggato bows and left out the staccatos for the left hand between the bars 17 and 20. I felt somehow awkward when applying this technic on the harp myself.

May be the staccatos suites you best, and you should try it.

The score was written on Finale.

The sound file was produced with samplers from Garritan,

intended as an audio support for the presentation of the score.

A reproduction of Tchaikovsky`s original manuscript is added to the file as a reference to the original sources of this composition, it is an extra bonus intentionally didactic and obviously not included in the price of the arrangement itself.

Thank you very much for taking your time to read this text and to listen to the file.

I hope you enjoy the music.

Christmas Present is a must-have for the Holiday Season!!! Miss Dobyns has put together an exciting book filled with Christmas favorites with a twist. These ultra cool arrangements are filled with unique rhythms and harmonies that are quite unlike the standard versions heard all season long. Set yourself apart from all the other harpists in town with the tunes in this book, but be ready to practice a little bit! We feel these are intermediate to upper intermediate due to the rhythms. Great for gigging harpists!!

Titles: In the Bleak Midwinter, Silent Night, The First Noel, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Still, Still, Still, The Holly and the Ivy.

A collection of fifty hymns of The Church Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon faith) in lead sheet or fake book format, taken directly from the collection printed in 1985 with the simple title ?Hymns.? It includes a broad selection of these hymns to print with melody line, chord symbols, editings for harmonic adjustment on either lever or pedal harp, simultaneously, and the first verse of lyrics. Three separate ?Table of Contents? listings organize the entries according to first line of text, level of difficulty, and key signature.If you already play from a fake book, this will be a resource of immediate use to you. If you want to learn to play from a fake book, this is a great place to start.

Titles: Abide with Me, Angels We Have Heard on High, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Come Unto Jesus, Come, Come Ye Saints, Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice, Come, O Thou King of Kings, Come, Ye Children of the Lord, Come, Ye Disconsolate, Did You Think to Pray?, Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains, Father in Heaven, For the Beauty of the Earth, For the Strength of the Hills, God Be With You Till We Meet Again, God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand, God, Our Father, Hear Us Pray, He Is Risen!, High on the Mountaintop, How Firm a Foundation, How Gentle God's Command, How Great the Wisdom and Love, I Know that my Redeemer Lives, I Need Thee Every Hour, I Stand All Amazed, I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go, In Humility, Our Savior, In Hymns of Praise, Israel, Israel, God is Calling, Jesus, Once of Humble Birth, Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me, Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee, Joseph Smith's First Prayer, Joy to the World, Let Us All Press On, Lead, Kindly Light, Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful, Now Let Us Rejoice, O My Father, Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow, Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel, Redeemer of Israel, Rejoice, the Lord is King, Silent Night, Sweet is the Work, The Lord Is My Shepherd, The Spirit of God, There is a Green Hill Far Away, We Ever Pray for Thee, Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded.