Opinion requested for harp part: Janed ar Wern

[Jon Corelis]

I’ve just joined this group and reading through the forums it seems it’s acceptable to request opinions on harp compositions here. I’m not a harpist but have been reading orchestration books and websites on scoring for harp, which I very much would like to do. This short piece is an adaptation of a Breton folk melody for flute and harp. I’d be grateful for comment on any aspect of it, but especially on whether it is actually playable.

Score and audio file created with MuseScore 4. Score pdf attached; the audio file generated with software as a demo seems too big to attach here but can be found at:

• This topic was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Jon Corelis.

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[carl-swanson]

Jon- You need to take 4 to 6 months of harp lessons! That is the only way to understand how the harp works, and how notes sound on the harp. I didn’t try your harp part on the harp, but I can tell you that it is very awkward. Repeated notes never sound good on the harp. Also, your chords are piano chords, not harp chords. They are too thick for the harp. The harp sounds better with fewer notes than you would use on a piano, and more spaced out voicings than you would use on piano.

[Jon Corelis]

Thanks for the honest advice. I should probably leave harp compositions aside until I learn more about the instrument.

[balfour-knight]

Jon, I agree with Carl, but your composition plays well on the piano–I like it!

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