At Home in Harvard

Well, the picture doesn't quite do the scene justice, but you'll understand once I explain a little.  The wedding took place on a beautiful piece of land out in McHenry County (Northwest of Chicago about 90 minutes).  It was lovely, and the predicted rain held off, thankfully.  You can see a bit of the archway/trellis that the couple used as a focal point on the left, through my harp strings.  I was seated on the grass (under a tree), but once you get the harp into place on grass, you dare not take your hand off of it to get a photo!  The couple took advantage of one of my options for choosing music........ they left some of it to me to decide!  They chose "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" for the bridesmaids, "Canon in D" for the flower girls and the bride, and left the recessional choice to me!  When given this responsibility, I always try to choose something that fits in with the other music that is being used.  In this case, I went with "Come Ye Sons of Art", a lovely piece by English composer Henry Purcell.  It can serve as either processional or recessional, and you can listen to it here.  It is not a familiar piece to most people, but I find that it is an immediate favorite once people hear it.  The piece was written for  Queen Mary's birthday in 1694, so it is a real piece of history, all ready to be incorporated into your own history!

If you would like to hear any of the selections mentioned here, please visit www.ChicagoWeddingHarpist.com.