bach-grandjany etudes notation

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This topic has 7 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 8 months ago by patricia-jaeger.

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November 4, 2008 at 5:18 pm #86387

unknown-user
Participant

I am currently playing the Bourree from the Bach-Grandjany etudes book and came across the symbol of what looks like a R within half a box. It can be found in measure 1 on beats one and three (p. 37). I was wondering if anyone could tell me what this symbol means? Thanks!

November 14, 2008 at 10:05 pm #86388

Mel Sandberg
Participant

Gina, I’m afraid I don’t know what it means either, and I would also love to know.

November 15, 2008 at 12:23 am #86389

carl-swanson
Participant

Gina- I just went and looked at that page. Given where he uses that symbol(the bracket with the letter R inside) I’m gonna take a wild guess. The R with the bracket means right hand and I’m guessing that he is emphasizing the fact that the right hand plays on the beat, meaning that the rolled chord starts before the beat so that the melody note will land exactly on the beat and not after it. I’ll be curious to see if anybody can find Grandjany’s own explanation.

November 16, 2008 at 6:17 pm #86390

Elizabeth Volpé Bligh
Participant

Mel, on the thread about the Grandjany Fantaisie on a Theme of Haydn, there are questions about some of Grandjany’s notations. You might find some answers there.

November 16, 2008 at 6:38 pm #86391

carl-swanson
Participant

I found the explanation of that symbol!!! it’s on page 32 at the bottom. There are two versions of the symbol. The one that looks like a right angle box with the R inside it means”for either right or left hand: roll very rapidly, almost unbroken.”

There is a second version of this symbol where the vertical line extends below the horizontal line. That one is “for both hands simultaneously; roll very rapidly, almost unbroken.”

November 18, 2008 at 2:03 am #86392

carl-swanson
Participant

I got the following email from Kathy Bride(Professor of harp at Eastman School of Music and Grandjany student) today, after asking her about the little R in the box. Thought you might be interested in seeing this:

The explanation of the “R” in a sort of half box is fully explained on page

32, Etude No. 6. I do not know why the publisher chose to put the

explanation there and not in the “Preface” or notes “To the Harpist” in the

beginning of the publication. So, if you skip No. 6, you will have no idea

what this means. This figure was only used in the Etudes, which was Mr.

Grandjany’s last publication.

Unfortunately, he also did not explain his usage of odd fingerings in this

work. I wish he had because it would have cleared up many misconceptions. He

conceived the idea of Bach Etudes for the harp not only for technical

development, but for finger dexterity and finger independence. Thus, should

a harpist be faced with having to employ a “strange” or unusual fingering in

a solo work, chamber work, or orchestra part, they would be able to do so,

and to play with ease, relaxation, and confidence because these odd finger

patterns had been practiced within the Etudes.

November 18, 2008 at 5:13 pm #86393

Mel Sandberg
Participant

Carl, thank you for furnishin this interesting explanation.

December 7, 2008 at 4:38 pm #86394

patricia-jaeger
Member

Gina, this new information came to me from Joyce Rice, chairperson of the non-profit educational site for harp players, http://www.harpspectrum.org:

Guess what?
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