The initial inspiration for Peace Prayer came while in the mountains of North Georgia in the fall of 2023. After the news of the horrible massacre in Israel on October 7, the piece quickly evolved into a prayer, even a pleading for peace. In the midst of all of the conflicts around the world, what can we as musicians do? The only thing I know to do is try to create beautiful music to counteract the sinister evil in this world. This piece was originally published by Harp Column magazine in January 2024 as part of their “Tear Out Tunes” series. It can be easily played on lever or pedal harp, ideally tuned in the key of C, and there are no accidentals or lever/pedal changes. It is designed for the intermediate level harpist, although the more challenging sections could easily be omitted for the less experienced player. 
 
In this piece, there is the recurring motif of downward “sighs” or “pleas”. It is repetitive by design, and the left hand makes use of regular patterns. In a way, this melodic idea is something of a mantra, a device used in various practices to facilitate deep inner prayer or meditation. I purposefully repeat this melody, with variations, to create this sense of inner petition. It should be played with great feeling, and freedom, with much rubato throughout. I sometimes find myself playing the 2 eighth notes at the beginning of the theme as a dotted eighth and sixteenth instead of 2 even eighths, usually on the repeat. I think it’s more like the manner in which eighth notes in French Baroque music are often “swung”. The left hand may look a tad daunting, especially when the sixteenth notes appear, but these are actually relatively simple patterns, beginning with 4-2-1 and then a cross-under, followed by whatever fingers are needed to finish the run. Be sure to keep the 4th finger low and it will be a cinch.