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O Holy Night…question on two arrangements

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Home Forums Repertoire O Holy Night…question on two arrangements

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  • #61255
    Jessica
    Participant

    Hello 🙂 I asked in the old forums back in August for what arrangements some of you recommend for O Holy Night for lever harp 🙂

    Do any of you own either of these two arrangements? And can you tell me if either have the traditional opening/bass part in the song at all [ECGECG] ? Folk harp.com had a preview of the Ruth Harris, but not of the O Holy Night in Marilyn Marzuki’s book.

    http://www.folkharp.com/product/the-christmas-harpist

    http://www.folkharp.com/product/o-holy-night-lever-solo-ruth-harris

    Thanks so much in advance 🙂

    #61256
    kimberly-rowe
    Keymaster

    The Marzuki arrangement is still my favorite arrangement of this piece after 30 years. It can be played on lever or pedal harp and sounds great on either. For me, this piece is usually played at a midnight service on Christmas Eve, when I am tired, cold, playing in a dark environment, and everyone is listening intently. The last thing I want is to be stressing out about a difficult arrangement. So this one is it for me! It is interesting without being difficult, as are the other arrangements in the book.

    #61257
    Jessica
    Participant

    Thank you Kimberly 🙂 That’s what I need…something that’s interesting without being really difficult 🙂

    #61258

    If you wish an accompaniment part (with solo parts included for voice of any range, or choir (no text but this is widely available elsewhere), violin or flute, viola, and cello (or trombone or other bass clef instrument etc.) look for the Herald Music arrangement at most dealers in harp music. Lower intermediate level. Lever harp adjustments: one measure has G# so use another note instead; also substitute an F too low for your range, with a different note of like harmony. Key of D. Harp accompaniment only rarely uses the traditional note figure mentioned by Jessica R. because instead the two hands, freed from the solo line, use more upward arpeggio patterns, and even triumphant chords, in the final section.

    #61259
    Jessica
    Participant

    Thank you, Patricia 🙂 I bought the Marilyn Marzuki arrangement and like it a lot, but the one you recommended will probably be going on my ‘to buy’ list 😀 I have sisters who play flute, violin and cello and I think that would be SO pretty 🙂 Thanks for your recommendation!

    #61260
    tony-morosco
    Participant

    I have, and play , the Ruth Harris arrangement. It is a challenging arrangement for lever harp, but definitely a nice one if you want a very Classical sounding approach. Ruth was my teacher so I had the advantage of being taught the arrangement by her. You need to be able to read all those arpeggiated runs right to get the timing correct, but I think anyone at a higher intermediate level should be able to manage it.

    #61261
    Jessica
    Participant

    I played the Marzuki arrangement for the first time today at a Christmas ‘tea’. Thank you so much for recommending it, I love it!

    #61262
    kimberly-rowe
    Keymaster

    Hi Jessica: Glad this arrangement worked for you! I really like @[[the-christmas-harpist:Piece:The Christmas Harpist (Marzuki, Marilyn)]] collection, so I’ve added it to our library in case anyone else wants to reference this conversation!

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