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John Kovac is a harpmaker hailing from Front Royal, Virginia, and he has constructed over 200 folk harps. Not surprisingly, the folk harp is his instrument of choice on Harp! The Herald Angels' Strings. Not the billowy, fluffy stuff of angels wings and gossamer, Kovac's folk harp is gutsier, more of a cross between class concert harps and the dulcimer. This instrumental music is sweetly homespun, with a warm touch and deft finger action. If you long for a folksy, down-home approach to Christmas classics, then Kovac's interpretations may be exactly what you long to hear.

The music is gentle, and the song selection understandably favors ancient carols over the more contemporary. I particularly enjoyed the intimate, rustic touch on classical pieces such as Pachelbel's Canon in D and Ave Maria (Schubert); the folk harp instantly made these sometimes "stuffy" selections wholly accessible and welcoming. In fact, Pachelbel's Canon was my favorite cut (and also the longest). For the most part, the numerous selections (19 tracks) necessarily enjoy rather limited play--almost all are under two-and-a-half minutes in length. As a result, the album takes the listener through a broad range of well-loved seasonal tunes, providing relatively brief snippets of each.

If you favor old-fashioned instrumentals showcasing nostalgic favorites, John Kovac's Harp! The Herald Angels' Strings may make your heart strings zing (or something like that). It's a sentimental journey.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2008)

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From the liner notes:

Post-Production and Mastering by: Phoenix Productions, Browntown, VA
Cover art by: Valeria Dalla Valle

"Silent Night" (track 1): Accompanied by Jane Curtis on Zither
"Go Tell It on the Mountain": Accompanied by Deirdre Cochran on Dulcimer

From the Website:

My passion for years has been the folk harp.

There are two basic types of harps: Concert harps have pedals, which allow the harpist to change the pitch of the strings. Concert harps are very expensive ($20,000 or more) and very heavy (about 90 pounds).

All harps other than concert harps are folk harps. Folk harps have never been standarized. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can even be constructed from such common materials as PVC pipe and fittings.

As a harpmaker, I have constructed well over 200 folk harps such as those seen in the picture to the right. I play each and believe that I learn something after building every one. I'm constantly experimenting and never try to do the same thing twice.

I've lectured about harpbuilding at the Library of Congress, and have been invited to perform at 3 international harp conferences. I've authored two articles about harp construction in harp journals. My designs have been reproduced in kits, videos, and books.

John Kovac

Harp! The Herald Angels' Strings

Artist link

Track List