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Hey Helen,
Yup harp.com has it; the harp part, orchestral parts and even the piano reduction for the orchestral part!
Anyway, in case you haven’t seen these videos, they’re really wonderful:
First movement, played with an orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndO12kwGREThird movement, with an ensemble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kndO12kwGREI especially love Artemy Izmaylov’s playing in the second video. He plays really well!
Alex
Yes, I think it is best to play it conservatively. I definitely do not want people tripping over my parts. I get a little confused sometimes because two or three different books may give slightly different parameters for what’s doable. From there I look for other sources to see if there is a consensus, and if I can’t find one, I err to the side of caution.
Thanks for your input.
Norman
Hi Andy. Thanks for the tips. I have the excellent Chaloupka book, and I have just now ordered the Inglefield/Neill per your suggestion.
Cheers,
Norman
My fiance and I actually chose my wedding band specifically so I would be able to wear it while playing harp (must get my prerogatives straight, after all).
I’m 40 (letting you know this, so you are aware there’s maturity in these bones, hee hee) . . . I got engaged in December, and decided to knit little bags for each of the women attending the Girls’ Party the evening before the wedding (20 in all).
To Audrey. Its the overall shape of the harp that I like. The high head of the harp and all the parts blend into a very nice hard line shape. But the Dusty is very nice as well. Just wanted to know about the toneal difference in the two harps. Looked at the Triplet Celtic II and loved that shape! But $4,000 plus is out of my range.
Elizabeth, this is a very helpful response. For a composer, nothing beats being able to hear from musicians regarding their instrument.
Thanks a lot.
Norman
Sam, thank you very much for your helpful input. It sounds like your hands have a larger span than most harpists.
I think for the most part I will try to stay within conservative limits since I never know who might be playing a given harp part.
Norman
For me:
1 to 2 = 9 strings
2 to 3 = 7 strings
3 to 4 = 6 strings
max=12
Yes, the span can be increased by 2 strings (in my case) maybe three by rolling.
side note:
I’m a composer so maybe I can help to clarify. Berlioz didn’t call for 40 harps in the Symphonie Fantastique, but near the end of his instrumentation treatise he gave the breakdown for what he called, if I remember correctly, his “dream orchestra”. The numbers are staggering and impractical on any scale – and he calls for dozens of harps. Perhaps 40, but I don’t remember the exact number.
Bantock asks for 6 harps in his Celtic Symphony, but I don’t believe that they are 6 real parts, since it is a request on his part, and he states that to have the proper effect, 6 harps should be employed.
As for highest number of real parts, I think Wagner holds the record.
Norman
P.S. How do you make italics in this forum?
