Flickering lights from candles and fireplace illuminated Barbara Duhl-Emswiler's hands as she moved her fingers over the strings of her Celtic harp. Seated in the century-old parlor of the Cabbage Rose Inn, the attentive guests smiled as they recognized the familiar melody of "Greensleeves."

This was the second of four Saturday evening performances to be given by the Clinton resident. Aptly names "Victorian Parlour Concerts," the series will continue . . .

Entitled "Remembrances," the second concert focused on musical portraits of people and places. Before each selection Duhl-Emswiler described the subject and historical background.

Some of the songs of Scottish or Irish origin were melancholy laments for sailors lost at sea. Others produced rhythmic cadences by which fishermen could row their boats. There were dances and marches and tone poems in praise of mountains, waters and scenery.

The musician also presented several of her own compositions, including one she had written as a gift for the young daughter of a friend. . . .

She has composed a wide range of pieces, from dance tunes to wedding marches. Among the original compositions that she played in the recent concert was a selection entitled "Prince William Sound" which Duhl-Emswiler said expressed her feelings about the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. . .

A major advantage of the Celtic harps is that they are small enough to be reasonably portable and can be played at small gatherings and outdoor functions.

Barbara frequently performs at weddings and often supplies music for private parties and dinners.

It was on one such occasion that Pam and Al Vanosa owners and hosts of the Cabbage Rose Inn, heard Duhl-Emswiler play. They had been searching for an innovative idea to promote their lodging facility during the slow mid-winter season and engaged the harpist to give a concert series there in 1991.

"The concerts were so well-received that we decided to offer them again this winter," Pam Vanosa explained. "We get calls for tickets from people of all ages. Some say they have family roots in Scotland or Ireland, others report they're traveled there and have developed a love for this type of music," said Al Vanosa.

Excepts from article by J. Moore inThe Hunterdon County Democrat Flemington, New Jersey, 2/92