Composition for harp (help needed)

[unknown-user]

Hello!

I am Alexandros. I have just registered to this forum. Though I love the harp, I do not play the instrument. However, I am a composer and I love composing for the harp. I know that it is difficult (especially if you are not a harpist) to write a piece that it is actually playable and I was just wondering if you could give me your advice for a composition I’ve made. I will post the score and an mp3 file. Thank you in advance! 🙂

Pour la prêtresse du temple de la lune (score)
Pour la prêtresse du temple de la lune (mp3)

[carl-swanson]

Alexandros- I haven’t looked at your score yet. I will soon. But I wanted to warn you against composing for the harp on a keyboard, which I think is what a lot of composers and arrangers are doing now. What’s worse, they push the ‘harp’ button so that what they play makes harp-like sounds. But that does not produce something that can be played on the harp, or that resonates that well on the harp. The only way to write accurately for the harp-and I mean something that is not only playable but sounds good on the harp-is to work with a professional or very advanced harpist. Sketch out some ideas and then have the harpist look at it and play it. Does it sound the way you thought it would? Is what you wrote in the wrong register? Does it sound dry and brittle when you were expecting something resonant? Does it sound thin, or thick and muddy? All of these things can happen when you don’t work closely with a good harpist.

[unknown-user]

Hello Carl!

I agree with what you say. The problem is that it is not always easy to find a player of a specific instrument and work with him. I live in Greece and harpists are not many (so far I haven’t met anyone in the conservatories who plays the harp). I composed the piece trying to follow the rules I knew regarding harp composition, but since I don’t play the instrument I am bound to have made mistakes (I am afraid for the playability of the left hand at places. I think however that the pedal changes are ok).

I would be grateful if you could find some time and look at the score. I am thinking of including it in my portfolio for a university application in Germany so it is crucial for me to have a clear and of course playable score. Thanks!

[unknown-user]

Hello Hannah!

Thank you for listening and looking at the score. I am anxiously awaiting for your advice!

[Mel Sandberg]

Alexandros, for what it is worth, I tried also to open the links, but nothing worked – not the score or the MP3.

[unknown-user]

Hi, Mel!

Strange. I’ve never encountered a problem with box.net. Alternatively you can hear the mp3 here and download the score here. The first link is a site where I used to upload music compositions and the second one is a forum for composers where I have also uploaded the score for feedback. Thanks for your interest. I really hope that those links I provided will work…

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

It looks rather idiomatic. I will play it and see what I can suggest. One think to watch out for in general is that staying too long in the bass can get rumbly. I did notice that your metronome tempi do not correspond to normal settings. That is irritating to me. Also, when setting the music, if you use Sibelius, in document setup, set the notation size to 3 or larger. Your systems are too small unless you print it on part paper or larger. The margins are fine, but the alternative is to put just four systems per page.

I have noticed that lots of French pieces post-Debussy are very weak on form, they have an idea, develop it with lots of figuration and cadenza writing, restate the idea, and that’s the end of it. It doesn’t hold up that well.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Here are some thoughts from sightreading it: it is lovely, has the potential to be a great harp piece, and you have a good ear for the harp. The wide intervals sound well, but can make fingering tricky if not impossible for one hand. The rhythmic notation is not entirely clear because you are joining notes cross staff without rests in the other staff.

The ornaments are hard to play with the left hand, but not impossible. The staccato dots don’t have a real meaning to harpists. Everything we play is slightly staccato and legato. Do you want them muffled, or just articulated, separated?

I think your melodic figures could be developed slightly more to be more melodic. They could have less repetition of a same note.

In measure 19, you need an F natural pedal marking. On beat 3-and

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

But why aren’t there harp students in Greece??? Aren’t there teachers? It should be natural to play the harp in Greece, no?

[unknown-user]

Hello, Saul!

Thank you for your advice!

The staccato is to be played articulated and separated, not muffled. The repetitious character of many melodic lines was intentional, especially in the beginning of the second section.

In measure 19, you need an F natural pedal marking. On beat 3-and

[mr-s]

Hi Alexandros,when i studied in Russia i had a frirnd from Cyprus,he was studying composition, and i was astonished when he told me that no harpist in Cyprus, they dometimes invite a harpist for one concert and that is all, and after i met there a Greek flutist live in Germany, and also said that in Greece no more hrpists, i was thinking why in the country of Lyra no hapists?

[mr-s]

Alexandros, you need to study and analys some harp music composed by a great composers and of course to listen to a harp music too, to make a general idea.

[unknown-user]

Sheet music for the harp is difficult to find as well (I’ve asked for it in music shops, but they don’t have any). I have a couple of CDs for solo harp and I also like to watch videos on youtube with music for the harp, but it doesn’t really help me in terms of writing correctly. By the way, my favourite piece is “La Source”. I wish I had the score for it.

[mr-s]

Alexandros,you mean La source by Zabel? i will try to scan it for you, but not sure will do it quickly. but you didnt answer how strange is the harp situation and being in Greece and Cyprus.

[unknown-user]

I meant La Source by Hasselmanns. Who is Zabel?

I have never been to Cyprus and I don’t know much about music education there, but anyway I can’t tell much anything more either about the situation in Greece. I just know that there aren’t many harpists. Most people here learn the guitar, the piano, the violin or some traditional instrument like bouzouki, Cretan lute etc. Then comes the flute, the cello, the clarinet and the rest of the instruments.

Personally, I play the piano, the recorder and the cello a bit. I wanted to learn the harp, but didn’t have much time. I might take it up while I will be studying in Germany. The problem will be however acquiring a harp as I know they are expensive. Perhaps, I’ll start with a small lever harp and then buy a real one…

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