Gestures, Salzedo style

[unknown-user]

And by the way Tony, what did you have for breakfast???….I think I’ll eat what you eat from now on…….

[tony-morosco]

Oatmeal and green tea. Not particularly exciting, but I have to watch the cholesterol ;^)

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

Gefilte fish.

Other instrumentalists, not to mention singers, certainly do use gestures. Watch Artur Rubinstein at the piano. Pianists who use the space above the keyboard definitely get more sound. How string players remove the bow is a controlled gesture. Singers gesture to help their tone. I’m afraid you’re wrong there, or just haven’t been exposed to the right performers. Because the harp is performed in such a large space facing the audience, it is that much more visual and benefits from an esthetic approach. And remember that the gestures were developed with the aid of Nijinsky, the God of the Dance, so they go back to 1916 or earlier! Sure, many musicians don’t think about them, but they might be a lot better if they did.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

And one more reminder, the very point of many of our posts is that the gestures are in no way extraneous to the note production. The whole point is their integration. I was far more disturbed to watch a French harpist gesture and wave her arms about with gestures that were not integrated to the notes. And how about those harpists who rock their harps up and down while playing, like inducing motion sickness is more expressive? It always makes me think of a ship deck, bobbing up and down in the waves. I have seen them lose control of it too. It’s a bad idea. Or rather, tasteless.

[unknown-user]

Ah yes,

[carl-swanson]

I think rocking back and forth is simply a bad habit that the harpist is probably not even aware of. Someone should say something to people who have irritating habits like that.

[Julie Koenig]

I catch myself rocking but try not to pivot too much by sliding the harp more along my shoulder; guess I’m just hugging my ‘baby’ too hard! I think harpists don’t realize how much the very top of the column is moving. On the other hand, have you ever worked with Yo-Yo Ma and seen him play? The cello is like an extension of his body.

I played 2nd harp for eight or so seasons with the Dayton Philharmonic. The conductor programmed tons of repertoire that had two harps or I would double the louder sections on pieces with one harp part. The principal harpist (my wonderful teacher, Joan Seymour) and I would precisely coordinate when we pulled the harps back and when we set them down. It was like synchronized swimming!

[unknown-user]

If it works for you…do it! I was only talking about really extreme examples – really over the top. And I was being my usual cheeky self. Trying to diffuse what has been an otherwise rather intense thread!

This Viennese harpist was a very extreme case, but at the same time, it worked for him! I was just concerned he would over balance

[unknown-user]

I have just totally contradicted myself in the above post – sorry gang! Thought I better get in before Carl bounces me…..

Yes,

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

There was once an underwater harp made, and they photographed a model playing in a swimming pool, and she said “I love its liquid tones.” This might have been in a Life magazine. I think the harp was made of plastic, or lucite/acrylic. Whatever became of it? I often wonder what became of all those harps that appeared in the movies? Some were just gorgeous. By the way, have any of you heard the Angelaires cd yet? It is astonishing.

[unknown-user]

owwww, that’s a good one…liquid tones….

No, I haven’t heard the Angelaires CD yet….where do you get it from? Is it a recent rerelease? They were drop dead glamourous. I’d love to get some of the old photos of them framed for the music room. And…more importantly….hear their CD.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

I have it. It’s wonderful. Liz Ilku who played one of the Salzedos was my teacher’s teacher. 🙂 It was given me by Anita Leschied, a harpist in Canada.

June

[unknown-user]

Oowww you lucky gal. Does it have a nice photos of it and a biog of all the girls in it too?

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

It has a great picture of the 5 of them in February 1954

[unknown-user]

Hi June,

Thanks for that – I found it at Harp.com shop! Yay! It looks terrific and yes, the photo on the cover is so glam.

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