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You definitely need to replace any tarnish-resistant strings with standard silver and copper strings. The t-r strings definitely dull the responsiveness. New strings will sound wiry compared to worn-out old strings. The harp needs to become accustomed to your touch and vice-versa. I never felt the lowest strings on my harp had enough focus until a metal stirrup was added for reinforcement. Then they not only had all the power needed, the 1st octave gained in volume as well. And yes, you must tune the harp every day!
I stick to keeping them below the system with the pedal markings, so between the staves is clear for dynamics and tempo changes, unless there is no room. The middle area can get so cluttered, some parts end up unreadable.
Gretchen, it did read to me like you were vaunting Ms. Kibbey over Ms. Agresta, hence I felt a need to correct the impression. It’s just a matter of syntax.I have made markings for the piece, we can discuss it. Cynthia Otis recorded it beautifully, and she would have markings as well.
Kirsten has been playing professionally for many years. I suspect she has done far more than Bridget Kibbey has yet to do.
I noticed when looking at the famous Sequenza, by Luciano Berio, that if I simply picked a metronome tempo such as 60 to the quarter-note, that I could easily convert his proportional notation into standard rhythmic notation that made it far clearer and much easier to comprehend. One should always question the notation and whether it could be clearer, as it really influences the difficulty of a piece. I recently edited the first movement of the Tailleferre Sonate, in part to clarify the notation, and it became so much more organized and sensible than how it looks as printed.
How you present yourself on stage matters, no matter how well you play. Nothing should distract from the music. I saw a debut recital in which the harpist wore a dress with an absurdly long train, and it was a distraction throughout.
The composer’s son, Peter Bartok, was heavily involved in revising the part for the second Violin Concerto, and he might value your markings for this one.
If they are doing any classical symphonies, you can play continuo, and discreetly double other instruments, particularly horn and timpani, I should think.
Can you substitute F-flat for E major? That might help. Composers need to be told how much time is needed to change pedals. They don’t know.
The Harp Column’s chart sounds like a good source of information. The chart I have made has spaces to fill in the appropriate numbers. It is something like making a family tree. But I think it helps a lot, the more options there are, the more it needs sorting for ease of comparison.
Perhaps it is not a surprise, but I can’t stand it. The original is a piece of art, and should not be altered in any way. The black is more palatable, but still not the original. It was enough for Salzedo to have the stripes on the sounding board in his favorite color, and I think we should be more respectful. It is kind of like harlotry. The music should be the sensation, not the color of the harp. To apply color, I suspect, requires too much coating, which definitely can inhibit the tone projection. I have heard quite a few harps that had too-thick of a coating of finish, and a good ten percent of the sound was lost, if not more.
I have a design for a dragon harp, and green and red would suit that far better, as well as gold and jeweled eyes.Teaching is a live, in-the-moment experience. Recording alters that. I brought a tape recorder to a few of my lessons with Lucile Lawrence, and the unexpected benefit of that was that she was a lot more complimentary than usual. The lessons were different, but at least I have a record of her teaching for historical purposes. But she was put-upon by it. It’s an invasion of the teacher’s privacy. And, yes, they should pay extra, and you would need a contract restricting the use, otherwise it is public domain.
