Jump to content

Two pieces for Harp


Luis Hernández

Recommended Posts

These days we were talking about some issues in harp writing. I think it's not easy...

Here two examples and how I notate the pedal changes (only for me because I think for players its better not to write them, but the initial setting).

The first one (Nearly half a world away) uses the Bizantine scale (double harmonic) but changes to other ones.

The second one (Clarion) is strictly in the Enigmatic scale.

HARP2 Nearly half a world away.pdf

HARP3 Clarion.pdf

HARP2 - Nearly half a world away.mp3

HARP3 - Clarion.mp3

 

PDF
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about these days, but I had featured a harp in my piece from an earlier competition, "Everything That Grows". And there was talk about how quickly the harpist could execute the tunings. There is not much literature on the subject, but what I learned concurs with what you say. So I put a full tuning at every rehersal number and incremental changes along the way. Harpists insist on marking up their parts to suit their playing style. So it's best not to second guess them regardng placement and just put those changes as they occur, right under the note, as you also did here.   Nice work, Luis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Luis Hernández

Thanks for the examples!

It'll take me a while until I'd be able to write a full scale piece for harp,

but I want to open my big piece with it.

I'll only begin to write the big piece in a few years,

so my opinion might change until then.

 

Both pieces are nice,

"Nearly half a world away" sounded more stable to me since it repeated twice rhythmically,

so my brain had something it can stick to.

"Clarion" is nice to, but I prefer the first one.

 

What is this Enigmatic scale?

I actually got to know the double harmonic yesterday when I played with scales.

I think it was a double harmonic.

It's like a Phrygian scale but with 3# and 7#.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Both pieces are superb, in my opinion. The first piece is easier to listen to. The second piece reminded me a little of some of the piano pieces of Erik Satie. Both pieces bring about a mood that is somewhat lonely and detached from the enforced extroversion of our modern world. I suppose what I am saying is that the two pieces open up a window into a different world. Well done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those are two fine studies in tone material!

I'm sure you have figured out all the pedaling, so won't go through that but I just wanted to point out, that the harpist's right hand can't reach much further below middle-C, so you might want to reconsider some voicings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...