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There is a small book on the history of the Irish harp by Joan Rimmer, that was one of the earliest books I found, and Roslyn Rensch’s books. I think you need to frame your paper differently, as it reflects a contemporary view, not a contemporaneous view. The earliest manuscripts of classical music for harp that I can think of would be the Sonata by C.P.E. Bach and the Handel Concerto. If you go on to the Mozart Concerto and the early harp methods, you will then see the development of technique and figurations that continue through the 19th century. It is all about figuration and how composers fill time between chord progressions. Mainly, you see the repeated note 4111111 as in Dussek, and the arpeggiated chords and patterns 4321 and variants thereof. The next composers to write the most for harp are J. L. Dussek, a very important composer, and L. Spohr. By the 19th century, you also see a disparity of sorts or distinction between the serious composer and the harpist-composer, such as Nadermann, Bochsa, Dizi, etc.
The concept of designating a piece for performance on only one instrument and writing in an idiomatic fashion is a 19th-century one. Beethoven wrote about the need to separate harp and piano writing.
Concerti by many composers: Handel, Schenk, Mozart, Eichner, Albrechtsberger, J.C. Bach, Dussek, Spohr.
Solos by Handel, Bach, Beethoven, Dussek, Spohr.
Chamber music by J.C. Bach, Albrechtsberger, others.
They didn’t necessarily see the harp as limited, perhaps, until the double-action rendered relatively unlimited. Writing diatonically was perfectly suitable. I believe I have answered some of your questions. Catalog searching should turn up more sources, and check back issues of the American Harp Journal. We did have music by Telemann, Graun and other German composers that was lost in WWII. Here’s a tip: study old publisher’s catalogues to see what was in print. Some have been reprinted.
If you are looking to perform early music, you can play almost any single line in an ensemble piece, play bass, play octaves and fifths, it is wonderfully free.
Music was not written for the harp in antiquity. Music was created and it was played on what they had to play with, which was pretty often a harp. The harp was it, in my opinion. We ruled. It was only the organ that had specific music, because of its nature, and then the claviers of different types, and because they were new, music had to be designated as being for them, but everything was for the harp. Only as the keyboard instruments and guitars grew in popularity did harp music begin to be separated from the other instruments. That is my theory and I am sticking to it. In other words, back then, the harp was the norm, not the exception it is now.
Philadelphia has one, the Orchestral Society, which has a rehearsal once a week and occasionally performs.
Check in Berlioz’s memoirs. I spoke with Simon Rattle recently, and he said he always likes to have at least six harps for Symphonie Fantastique, and had just used three for Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony. I forget the composer, but an early French opera called Ossian used something like nine harps, around 1810.
Ernest Bloch wrote a lengthy article once calling upon all symphony orchestras to employ a section of harps, four or greater, preferably much more, to create an entirely new dimension of sound in the orchestra. It implies that his Shelomo, which has two harp parts, should be played with two or more harps per part.
Were you able to see into the house? The driveway was at the side with an overhanging room. It looks the same now. I only remember a tiny lawn in front of the house. I was last there in 1983.
Where did you try to get it? It is widely distributed. The best recording of it I have heard is with Jutta Zoff.
Style 23s have long been the gold standard in harp tone and visual beauty, for over 50 years. They are the harp all others are routinely compared to. The days when they varied tremendously from one to another are long gone, it seems. Current manufacturing seems to result in very consistently good harps.
One thing that you can do if not in the U.S., is to learn to do the basic maintenance and regulation yourself, as we all used to do, more or less. I believe Carl Swanson’s book tells you how to do that, and Lyon & Healy will supply the parts.
Based on the Camac harps that I have heard, they are not quite of the same quality of manufacturing or tone in performance. They are less expensive, as far as I know, so if cost is an issue, that is worth considering. What you need the harp for is another thing. If you will be playing at home for yourself, you can get pretty much anything. If you will play in an orchestra, you need certain kinds of harps.
Regulation requires manual dexterity, and comfort with tools, and some analytical thinking. With study and practice, it is manageable.
Style 23s are considered top-of-the-line among Lyon & Healy models. The 100 is an excellent mid-line harp. If you have not liked them, you could try the Style 30 for
I have seen a list of 78 recordings. There was a partial list in the American Harp Journal. You can search the Library of Congress or New York Public Library. Salzedo made recordings with Trio de Lutece, very interesting. Ada Sassoli made at least one. But collectors are loath to part with them.
It’s not harp, but I just ordered a copy of a recording of piano rolls that includes a performance by Salzedo of one of his own piano pieces.
I knew Olga’s uncle and aunt, and recently noticed she was once one of the rare harpists to win a gold prize at the Geneva musical competition.
Well, maybe you can work something out with the new Chicago harps. I only wish more schools would do the same. Also, make sure the storage is secure.
Is that not Ne Me Quitte Pas, which is by Jacques Brel, I’m pretty sure? To me it is not a good melody for the harp because it has so many repeated notes. La Vie en Rose is more suitable, to my thinking, the theme from Moulin Rouge (original), Feuilles Mortes, etc. I would also avoid Windmills of
American Pictures: Prairie Night is around four minutes, I think, is in the American classical genre, scenic. It is moderately difficult, not terribly fast, requires musicality.
Villanesca: in memory of Dewey Owens is a lively flute-like melody over changing ostinato bass lines, with one rather tricky figure, it is musically simpler, but a bit more technically challenging.
Both are published by Da Costa Music House and available from me at the moment.
Nocturne is the longest, six or seven minutes, I think, a dreamy somewhat more modern romantic work, reminiscent of Giselle. It is published by Harpiana editions, and available from them or certain dealers, I’m not sure which.
At least one Salzedo work, Prelude for a Drama, was published after 1950.
I have the markings for Tal’s Intrada, which is quite fun to play. I have many other works of other composers, and my own, either not quite finished or not published yet.
I think the best thing is to go through the catalogs and buy as many pieces as you can, and by names you don’t know, and occasionally you will find a gem that justifies the others. If people don’t buy music, there won’t be any more published to buy, or that will be sold, except popular fluff.
