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I have never become comfortable with lever changes at all, but pedaling is completely natural, always was.
What might be a little clearer is that harpists tend to use Salzedo’s notation, or not, one or the other, more often than a blending, which creates confustion. That’s why I think it should be used completely and correctly, or not used.
I don’t think that negates what he created at all, it is unfortunate in my view, is all. Other composers have certainly used it, and some harpists, certainly. The main barrier was that orchestra parts could not be converted retroactively. It still makes the most sense for solo playing. His original design for diagrams puts a little box
Please read The Modern Study of the Harp, where pedal diagrams first appeared. It is clearly stated there how to draw them and where. Putting them anywhere is a definite way to create confusion as to what they apply to. Putting them consistently below the staff, where they are adjacent to pedal markings is sensible and clear in application. An alternative is in the page margins.
I can’t see any benefit to holding onto a string you’re not playing, and think it would increase the strain on the hand, and decrease tone production. The only time I would do it is to create a legato connection between notes not otherwise possible. One’s hand should be secure all the time in itself, each finger, not dependent, as a rule. I think if one is not sure of one’s self, it is reassuring, but then becomes a bad habit, possibly.
My problem with shaken trills (shakes) is that it seems like you can’t musically control the intensity or dynamics very well, they just seem to work mechanically, which is not how a trill should be musically played. .
A plus sign in Grandjany’s music means to play with your thumb and a flat palm to muffle the bass notes underneath it.
It is not wrong. In the least, it is artistic license. The worst thing about the idea of “authenticity” is the attitude of censorship it causes. Baroque music is not that restrictive. All the great harpists played the movements in this order because it is far more effective in performance, and enhances each movement.
Miss Lawrence prepared her edition from the only manuscript source, and has ornamentation that is both correctly realized and playable, unlike the Weidensaul edition. The manuscript is not in Bach’s hand, it was a copy made at a rather later date with a steel pen, so it is not absolutely authoritative. Feel free to use her edition as written. Both Grandjany and Zabaleta also played the movements in that order.
I have heard many people play it Adagio-Allegro-Allegro, and it takes all the life out of the piece in m opinion. The Zingel edition gives the original ornamentation without realization if you wish to do that yourself, but Weidensaul made mistakes, I am pretty sure, and some of her ornaments can’t be played well in tempo. I am partial, but I studied all three editions, while learning it with Miss Lawrence and we discussed them all. She spent a lot of time on it and consulted with experts. It was not lightly or sloppily thought out.
I have been preparing my own, but it is not finished as yet. It is quite difficult. I think she emphasizes the baroque qualities of the piece by using fifths and doubling the bass line. She doesn’t make it easier, but it is brilliant and dramatic. While other sonatas by Bach are in the adagio allegro allegro format, they have different kinds of music, and this is much more like, for example, the Italian Concerto of J.S. Bach, if you see it that way. Baroque music is about contrasts, and posing the adagio between allegros emphasizes the contrast of the movements. Also, given that the third movement is the longest, hearing it after the first allegro, which is much more involved and dramatic, really takes the interest out of it. Coming after the adagio, it is a lively dance and you have more leeway with the tempo. Having it after the allegro forces you to go even faster, which may not be desirable. The manuscript allows a surprising amount of flexibility in realizing it, both in terms of harmonization and voicing. (I am using the Zingel as source.)
Try pencilthings.com. You can get Mongol no. 1 there, and many other pencils. I like the Helix pencil for music, it is a bit darker and softer.
There are various music camps that offer harp or will accept a harpist, and at least two or three North Carolina programs. There is a gap in the northeast that I hope to fill in someday. If she is old enough, there is a program at Tanglewood, and I think Saratoga offers 3 weeks of instruction. I can offer a full summer but in the city of Philadelphia, not a camp. I believe in six-to-eight week programs for the greatest effect. Six weeks or more gives you time to fully learn new pieces and to really absorb instruction.
I think it worth looking at the philosophies involved, because they come from a different culture, and have ramifications. Jewish people, it seems to me, come from a highly critical culture of opinion, judgement, criticism and intellectual pursuit, and I think that if you can turn that into positive attributes, you are a finer artist for it. The problem is, a
I think it is vitally important to buy 46 or 47 string harps, because you have no guarantees that you’ll have enough later on to buy a concert grand. Some people get stuck on 40 or 44 string harps that just don’t have enough to play on. I suggest you get a second-hand Style 30, 100,
If somebody wants to start a Zlatkovski Method Certification Program, I won’t charge anyone to enroll!
Maybe.
