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Hello,
As I’m a Dutch harpist, I’m quite interested which Dutch pieces you like, Saul! My teacher Ernestine Stoop has premiered quite many new Dutch pieces.
I believe that one can play one or two “candyfloss” pieces, as the harp sounds well. For example, I play often one piece from Reni? on my recitals (L?gende, Ballade Fantastique, Contemplation – which is a perfect encore by the way -). Furthermore, I like the C.Ph.E. Bach Solo f?r die Harfe very much, and Spohr. Of all composing harpists, I like Tournier best, because his pieces are very colourful.
I don’t have problems playing pieces written for the piano, as long as the harp sound does right to the piece. For example, I think Mozart Sonate facile sounds very well on the harp. And although I adore Schubert and Beethoven very much, I don’t think their music suits harp.
I also try to include a contemporary piece in a recital, but my problem is that I don’t know that many contemporary pieces yet, and it always takes me so much time to learn the notes! For example, I think Carter’s Bariolage is much, much harder to learn than a virtuoso piece from Reni?.But most important of all ist the way you play it: I think that when the audience think that the piece is good, that you have played well! For example, Gwyneth Wentink has made big impression on me when she played “La danse des sylphes” from Godefroid, which belongs to the category “Candyfloss”.
By the way, I’m not so fond of Roussel’s Impromptu and Tailleferre’s Sonata, I can’t say exactly why…
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)A very beautiful piece is “Intermezzo” from H. Andriessen. It’s a very poetic piece and it’s written very well for both instruments.
You could also try some sonatas from Spohr for violin and harp. Sometimes, the flute has to play an octave higher, but that’s quite rare. Op.113 and the sonata in c minor are very beautiful and suitable. The Op.113 is very difficult for harp, the sonata in c minor is much easier. Especially the first movement of the sonata in c minor is very beautiful. Then there’s the beautiful “Morceau de concours” from Faure, which sounds great on harp. He has also written “Fantaisie”, but the second part of this one is very hard on harp, with many pedals. And of course, you can play Berceuse, Sicilienne and Apres un reve (tr.)
Chopin’s variations on “non piu mesta” from “La cenerentola” (Rossini) is very easy for harp and virtuoso for the flutist.
Well, this response is very late, but maybe other harpists can use it.Some examples:
Debussy: danse sacree et profane. Renie has written some pedalling and twice there’s cross pedalling in the sacree, twice in the profane. In the sacree, I just avoid cross pedalling because it’s possible to move your feet fast, but in the profane I think I’m trying to enharmonize some things…well, I ask my teacher, it’s Christmas holiday and I just started…
J. Jongen: Danse lente for flute and harp: in the murmuring passage I use cross pedalling.
Hello! I think Debussy is technically way more difficult than Handel, though I don’t know the Salzedo version. I think the challenge in Handel is lying in the second movement. You really have to make something of the skeleton and you should get the original version, so you can make your own thrills and second melody, I’ve played it yesterday with orchestra, it still is the most difficult movement but also the most fun to play, because you can improvise a little bit. You should listen to the version of Andrew Lawrence King on a Welsh triple harp, it’s on the cd “The Italian concerto” on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. It’s the best version I have.
Musically, Debussy is very difficult too. There are so many ways to interpret the first line! You really have to put a meaning to the dots and other signs above the notes and put it in the context. I’m studying it now, it’s really heaven! My teacher Ernestine Stoop has a magnificent recording. She has studied with Pierre Jamet, who was an authority on the area of Debussy.Both concertos sound impressive. Many people know the theme of Handel, but I think Debussy is more magic.
