Boieldieu harp concerto question

[unknown-user]

I’m learning the Boieldieu harp concerto.

[unknown-user]

well I’m just learning it as well, and i was listening to a recording
of zabaleta playing it, and at the very beginning of the 3rd
movement, it sounds like he takes the first note of the “series”in
the right hand with the left-you know, the note that comes twice
then. I’ve found that I can jump with the left hand easily and it’s
easier for the right hand as well. I don’t have the sheet music
here right now, but I can check what fingerings I’m using for you.
some of them (with a bit of practice ) work fine. Katrina

[keziah-thomas]

I was using the Ricordi edition but now have the Billaudot edition. It has been revised by Marielle Nordmann and has some great fingering.
I’ve been practising it all morning so next time i’ll be thinking of you! Ps. re the octaves at the end Marielle has a bracket round some so I think she’s suggesting splitting them between the hands and leaving leaving out a line….if i’m correct…..yipee!!!!!!!

[Anton Sie]

Hey Lisa,

How nice, I especially love the first movement. I actually don’t like the third one so much…though I would skip the octave parts on the last page! If you’re not a Varvara Ivanova, you would ruin your hands by playing those! I’ve practiced it, but I would never be able to play it in high speed. In the “happy” cadenza, I play actually half of the octaves: those on the lower stave of the first page of the cadenza, but not those that are on the second stave, for example.
Ultimately, it’s about clarity and sound and not about virtuosity: this is clearly written by someones who is a keyboard player! (Eh, I think so)

[unknown-user]

You may be interested to know that Lyon & Healy has just published my string quartet reduction of the orchestral accompaniment for this concerto (and also the Dittersdorf, Mozart, and Pierne Concertstuck).

[unknown-user]

What an old thread i’m bringing up again!!!

just to say, i love the Boieldieu, especially the third… probably cause i’m too much into C minor when performing.

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Interesting point here: what is easy for some people is very difficult for others, based on the size and shape of different hands and fingers. Some people just cannot do this octave passage comfortably because their hands are just the wrong shape for it. They can practise until they are blue in the face but, if their fingers are too short or their palms too narrow, there is a risk of an over-use injury. Some piano manufacturers actually make 3/4 size piano keyboards for people who want to play Rachmaninoff, but have not got hands the size of dinner plates. The harps in Boildieu’s day were smaller, with narrower spacing, if I’m not mistaken. Since it makes no difference to the musical intent of the piece, I see no reason why the octaves can’t be broken between the hands if it is painful for the harpist to accomplish them. Another analogy is in ballet. Dame Margot Fonteyn never felt comfortable with certain choreography in Swan Lake, so she just re-choreographed those parts so that she would always look her best and entertain the audience. She was a great ballerina, but she knew her limits and show-cased her strengths.

[unknown-user]

true Elisabeth… you can break them up as to avoid difficulty, however in areas where you have the octaves against the Alberti base… its either octaves or just the top line… i remember, with my first professor i used to study with… was just 13 at the time…

[unknown-user]

i just performed it with my orchestra(IPO)-i love it,during my work i found a lot of tricks that helps,in theme of last movement i use B# when it C twice,i use single notes playing by left hand in fast triple passages of right hand.

you can ask me about any particular places,good luck

[unknown-user]

Do you know who publishes the orchestra score and parts to this concerto?
Thanks!

[Author]

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