The Elegant Wedding Book

Contents

1. Ave Maria – Schubert
2. Bridal Chorus – Wagner
3. Fireworks Music: Minuets – Handel
4. Fireworks Music: The Rejoicing – Handel
5. Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring – Bach
6. Largo Or Ombra Mai Fu – Handel
7. Ode To Joy – Beethoven
8. Pictures At An Exhibition Themes – Mussorgsky
9. Psalm XIX – Marcello
10. Rigaudon – Campra
11. Rondeau – Mouret
12. Te Deum Prelude – Charpentier
13a. Trumpet Tune (C major version) – Clarke
13b. Trumpet Tune (D major version) – Clarke
14. Trumpet Voluntary – Clarke
15. Trumpet Voluntary – Stanley
16. Water Music: Air – Handel
17. Water Music: Bourrée & March – Attributed to Handel
18. Water Music: Hornpipe – Handel
19. Wedding March – Mendelssohn
20. Where’er You Walk – Handel

Notes from the arranger

This book contains twenty arrangements of processional and recessional selections often performed at
weddings and other church festivals, arranged for all harps and “C” melody instrument. There is quite a
bit of interplay between the two instruments as well as some solo sections for each of them. So, this is
more than just a melody plus accompaniment book.

The arrangements in this collection are all written using only the keys of C, G, and D to minimize lever
changes when switching between pieces at a wedding ceremony. In addition, a few harmonic liberties
were taken to reduce lever changes within each piece. All pieces are playable on lever harps tuned in Eb,
Bb, F, or C.

In addition, all arrangements have been typeset onto only two facing pages in order to eliminate page
turns within a piece for ease of performance. Because of this, there is one wedding processional that was
intentionally not included – that of Pachelbel’s Canon. The primary reason for this is that it was
impossible to fit it onto two pages, unless I eliminated many sections of the work, which was not a
satisfactory solution for me. As there are many fine arrangements of the Canon in circulation, I trust that
the performers will use an arrangement by one of my composer colleagues.

Dynamic markings, fingerings, breath marks, and lever/pedal changes are provided throughout.
However, the musicians should use whichever expressive markings and lever/pedal adjustments suit
them, no matter what this book indicates!