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MusicianThe beautiful-sounding harp has two stories concerning its origin, Miss Nell O’Connell, concert harpist, told members of the Grand Prairie Music Club Monday night at a meeting in the home of Mrs. E. D. Gaw,501 Chickasaw Trace.Miss O’Connell, also the first woman ever to graduate from the American Institute of Banking, told the story from ancient Greek mythology. It tells about the man. whowent for a walk along the sea tshore one time in the calm of evening. He ' heard an unusual sound and discovered a sea shell. Further investigation showed the (former occupant had left a tiny membrane across the opening of the shell. When the membrane was struck a beautiful sound was had. He took the shell back to his homo and using that principle developed the first harp.Another story about the origin of ■the harp was that a hunter was out in the woods and accidentally plucked the string of his bow and arrow set.Lyre First HarpThe first harp was a lyre. This was used by Hebrews, Greeks and Celts for song and story accompaniment. David of the Bible used the lyre for his psalms.She related how the small Irish harp, the instrument on which she entertained members, was the harp used during the Crusades and by minstrels in the British Isles. In the 17th Century pedals were added to the enlarged instrument, which permitted a change of key without manual adjustment of the strings.The Egyptians used the lyre. They also had large harps which were 10 feet tall. That is four feet taller than the concert -harps of today, Miss O’Connell said.Miss O'Connell played several numbers on her small harp to showTri-City CeremonyU 1 I * IIits versatility. She said it is considered A “soulful” instrument since it js flesh on flesh.Started in Dallas Miss O’Connell made her debut into show business in a presentation of “Carmen” produced in Daltas several years ago. At that time her voice teacher was Jan Duggan who suggested Miss O’Connell to go into show business, to the chagrin of her parents. Miss O’Connell studied voice at the Met for four years and has been in concert (singing), show business and vaudeville, It was Wilhilima Speyer who suggested that si nee she was Irish and sang Irish that she should play the Irish harp.She has studied harp with Sevasta, harpist with John Philip Sousa's band, and Nicoletta, charter harpist with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra.. She has had experience coaching with Pampari of the St. Louis Symphony.Bank Cashier For three years Miss O’Connell was harpist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Van Kapwi-jik. Fifteen years ago she started studying banking and is now assistant cashier at the Hillevest State Bank, Dallas.During a brief business session it was announced again that the club will produce “Carmen” in two acts May 10. The group listened to a playback of their sacred Christmas program given in December from a tape recording made by Mr. Gaw.Refreshments were served by the hostess and Mrs. Thomas F. King, co-hostess,
Newspaper Details
Grand Prairie Texan
Grand Prairie, Texas, US
Thu, Jan 28, 1954
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
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USA 21 May 2025
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