FIRST LESSON - Werner



TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

I) HISTORY OF THE HARP 3

1) INTRODUCTION 3

2) ANCIENT EGYPT 4

3) MESOPOTAMIA 4

4) PALESTINE & BIBLICAL TIMES 5

5) ANCIENT GREECE 5

6) MIDDLE AGES - MEDIEVAL HARPS 6

7) THE IRISH HARP 7

8) THE RENAISSANCE 7

9) THE PEDAL HARP 8

The conception of the harp 11

II) HARP LESSON 12

1) THE FIRST LESSON 12

2) HOW TO CHOOSE A METHOD BOOK? 13

3) MATERIAL PER GRAD 14

Grade A 14

Grade B 14

Grade C 15

Grade D 15

Hook harp 15

Pedalharp 16

III) PLAYING TECHNIQUES 17

1) SITTING-POSITION 17

2) HAND-POSITION 17

3) FINGER-ACTION 17

4) SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES 18

a) Intervals 18

b) Drieklank: 18

d) Arpeggio: 18

e) Plaque 18

f) Bisbigliando 18

g) Pedal-slide 19

h) Thrillers 19

i) Scales Crossing-under and crossing-over 19

j) Glissando 20

k) Harmonic 20

l) p.d.l.t.= pres de la table 20

m) Sliding with the thumb or 4th finger 20

n) Etouffer 21

o) Hook harp 21

p) Pedal harp 21

q) Tuning the harp 22

IV) TEACHING PLAN FROM GRADE A TO D 23

V) HARPTECHNIQUE AND MATERIAL PER GRADE 25

1) GRADE A 25

a) Scales: 25

b) Triads: 26

c) Placing: 26

d) Damping 27

e) Glissando: 27

f) Pdlt: 27

g) Hooks: 27

2) GRADE B 28

a) Intervals: 28

b) Triad: 28

c) Chords: 28

d) Scales: 28

e) Hand transfer: 28

f) Glissando: 28

g) Damp: 29

h) Harmonics: 29

i) Hooks: 29

3) GRADE C 29

a) Sliding: 29

b) Damp: 29

c) Arpeggios: 30

d) Harmonics: 30

e) Glissando: 30

f) Hooks: 30

4) GRADE D 31

a) Sliding: 31

b) Arpeggios: 31

c) Changing a pedal 31

I) HISTORY OF THE HARP

1) INTRODUCTION

The history of the harp goes back thousands of years. The harp is the oldest known stringed instrument. The piano, the guitar, the violin and all other string instruments evolved from the harp. Throughout the ages, the harp has had an impact on almost every culture. Harps have been regarded as sacred and have been instrumental in the healing process, in celebration of birth, as comfort in passing, and to make people feel better. No other instrument has been so closely associated with so many positive things - with a profound sense of beauty, with peace and tranquility, with love, with enchantment, with goodness and with heaven. The word "harp" comes from Anglo-Saxon, Old German, and Old Norse words whose root means "to pluck". Scholars disagree as to what exactly a harp is. The names early musicians gave their instruments are not be the names we give those instruments today and the names of instruments in the ancient world were interchanged. Harps are multi-stringed-instruments, with open strings, where each string plays one note and where the strings are plucked with the fingers. This would include medieval harps, baroque harps; Irish harps, Celtic harps, Spanish harps; Chinese harps, African Harps; as well as related instruments like lyres, zithers, charach, citharas, psalteries, arpas, yahz, cheng, kotos, koras and other stringed instruments.

One of the earliest musical instrument relics discovered showed a harp-like instrument on rock paintings dating back to 15,000 BC, which were found in France at the caves of Les Trois Freres. Many believe that the earliest harps came from the hunter's bow. Perhaps while hunting, prehistoric man liked the sound of the vibrating bowstring. Then a second string was added to the bow, then a third. In the course of time, more and more strings were added. Eventually, a gourd or a hollow area at one end of the bow was added which became a sound box. This came to be known as the arched harp of which the Egyptians later perfected.

2) ANCIENT EGYPT

[pic]Of all the musical instruments in ancient Egypt, the harp seems to have been the most popular. In Egypt, some of the earliest depictions of harps are from the Pharaoh's tombs dating some 5,000 years ago. The hieroglyphs show that there were many harps in ancient Egypt

The Egyptians played mostly Arched Harps - where the neck and body form a bow-like curve or "C"-shaped arched" sound box. The harps were mostly played in a vertical position. Many illustrations show the hands are on different strings with wide gaps between the hands.

3) MESOPOTAMIA

[pic]Harps were very popular in ancient Mesopotamia as they were in Egypt. One of the earliest illustrations of a harp in early Mesopotamia was on a vase found during an excavation of a Babylonian temple near the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These harps were arched harps with 12 to 15 strings; like the instruments that were played in Egypt at about the same time. Mesopotamian arched harps were played with the sound box held uppermost, whereas in Egypt, the resonator was held below. The Mesopotamians later developed other types of harps. The angle harp differed from the Egyptian arched harps in that the neck and the body form right angles. Vertical harps also known as lyre harps (or just "lyres") also began appearing in ancient Sumeria by 2800 BC.

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|Musician playing an angular harp |

4) PALESTINE & BIBLICAL TIMES

The bible mentions that King David was "skilled in playing the harp". David played his harp as a shepherd while sitting in the fields and composing his psalms. Although no one knows exactly what David's harp(s) looked like, the Bible does say that David played very well and prevented King Saul from going mad. "And David would take the harp and play with his hand. Saul would find relief and feel better and the evil spirit departed from Saul" (Samuel 16: 23). This seems to be the oldest recorded case of harp therapy. Harp lyres were used in the Temple of Jerusalem as a regular part of the worship service. One depiction of a harp that existed close to the time of Jesus was shown on a coin called the "Bar Kochba coin". On this coin is shown a small harp called a kinnor, the kind that was probably used in the Temple. There are more than 40 references to the kinnor in the Bible but unfortunately none make clear its exact form. The fact that David described as playing the kinnor with his hand would seem to indicate that the instrument referred to was a harp. Yet harps were sometimes played with a plectrum while lyres were sometimes played without a plectrum, therfor by hand. On the whole, evidence seems to favour interpretation of the kinnor as a lyre, while the nevel or nebel, another musical instrument frequently mentioned in the Bible, may have been a harp.

In the last book of the New Testament, Revelation 14:2 states "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. "

5) ANCIENT GREECE

Some of the oldest carvings of harps were discovered in Phoenicia. Eleven marble harp statuettes dating back to 3,000 - 2,300 BC were found on the island of Keros in the Ogean Sea. These figurines are playing triangular-shaped harps. The development of the harp also coincided with the development of musical scales. In the 5th to 6th centuries BC, Pythagorus discovered numerical ratios corresponding to intervals of the musical scale. Greeks began to write songs based on these scales and the small lyre harp was ideally suited to play songs in these scales. The classic Greek lyre harps were called "Kithara" which was a term used for describing all kinds of harps and lyres. The modern word "guitar" came from the word Kithara. According to Greek mythology, Hermes created the harp lyre from the body of a large tortoise shell, which he covered with animal hide; antelope horns formed the posts. So beautiful was the tone that he presented the instrument as an offering to the God Apollo. The lyre harp became regarded as the instrument of Apollo, the god of music and harmony.

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6) MIDDLE AGES - MEDIEVAL HARPS

After centuries in hiding, the harp reappeared in Western Civilization. The emergence of Christianity brought with it respect for the instruments of the bible -- especially the Harp. In the fourth century AD monotonistic chanting was used in worship services in the church . Eventually to relieve the monotony, more notes were added. This later evolved into the Gregorian Chant.. The harp became a preferred instrument for accompaniment for the monks' voices.

During the fifth century, the Papal Music School was established in Ireland and the harp was taught. Fragments of a six-stringed harp were found in the 7th-century Sutton Hoo burial ship unearthed at Suffolk, England. The depiction of a harp was also discovered in stone carvings dating from the 600's AD in Hexam, Northumberland in the British Isles. The earliest known mention of the word " harpa" occurred about AD 600 by Venetius Fortunatus, the Bishop of Poitier. In northern Europe, the Germanic tribes played a type of harp lyre called in Old English the "harpa". Mentioned in Beowulf, the harp may have been the instrument to accompany the performance of Anglo-Saxon poems and stories such as Beowulf. The remains of several such Germanic harps, dating from the fifth through the tenth century, have been found in Saxon and Frankish graves in Germany and England. The earliest drawings of harps with columns appear in the Utrecht Psalter, written and illustrated in the early 9th century. Many of these illustrations show figures holding harps, and in six of them the column or forepillar is clearly shown. Harps played by the harpers of the old Gaelic order was an aristocratic instrument, played in the courts of kings and before the chiefs of clans. It had an important role in legend and folklore. About the 13th century, when Feudalism reached its height, the Troubadours began appearing. They would pluck their harps and sing their graceful melodies and advanced the cause of Chivalry. European harpers earned their living by moving from town to town, using small harps for self-accompanied singing, storytelling, and in instrumental consorts. The harp had such mystical significance that many kings or chieftains had harpers in their employ, believing the instrument to possess magical powers.

The age of chivalry with its troubadours and minstrels began a new renaissance in harps. The Medieval harps during this time were small enough to be held on the player's lap, and had between 7 to 25 strings and they had narrow sound boxes. Medieval harps were apparently wire strung, typically had outcurving forepillars, and eventually were tuned diatonically (seven notes per octave).From the middle of the 14th to 16th century, larger harps known as Gothic harps appeared. This harp had around 24 gut strings and was a tall instrument carved into pointed cornerslike a Gothic arch. Very typical for the gothic harp, is the bray pins, used as string pegs and also considered volume and tone enchancing, as the plucked strings vibrating against them created a sustained buzzing sound.

[pic] Gothic Harp –detail [pic]Gothic harp

Detail of the upper part of a hollowed out oval soundbox.

Made from sycamore and showing the bray pins.

7) THE IRISH HARP

[pic]The harp has been an important emblem for Irish nationalist since the 10th Century. Although the Irish are generally credited with bringing the harp to Europe, the scholars believe it was brought to Europe from Egypt. Irish fables speak of the god Dagda who played the harp to welcome springtime. The earliest images of an Irish harp appear in metal and stone etchings made during the 11th and 12th centuries. King Griffith of Wales employed harpists in his court at the end of the 11th century. By the end of the 12th century, manuscript illustrations depict harps with more advanced designs. The neck of the harp is now curved so as to make the middle strings a little shorter, a feature that gave the strings a more uniform tension. It is reported by Cambrensis that the Irish were by then playing harps with brass, or bronze, strings in the late 12th century. Records from the 15th century show that both the terms "harp" and "clarsach" were in use at about the same time and seemed to have been a distinction between gut-strung European-style harps and wire-strung Gaelic clarsachs. The earliest surviving harps from Scotland and Ireland date to about the 15th century.

The characteristic shape of an Irish Harp is familiar from Irish coins and bottles of Guiness Beer. Henry VIII of England had the Irish harp impressed on coins after obtaining control over Ireland. For centuries, the harp was an integral part of Irish life. Traveling harpists in Ireland, were known to be at the focal point of rebellions - so much so that the harp was banned from time to time. In the 1700s some harp players wrote down old folk tunes in music notation. Bunting's History of the Harp collected Irish compositions. Turlough Carolan (1670-1738), the blind Irish folk harpist, wrote over 200 tunes - many of them still very popular. To this day, the harp has remained an important part of Irish culture.

8) THE RENAISSANCE

By the time of the Renaissance, the organ was popular and other keyboards began appearing such as the clavichord and harpsichord. Essentially, the "harp"sichord is a mechanized horizontal harp where a string is plucked when a note on the keyboard is pressed. Keyboards made it possible to play all 12 notes of the scale and this established the 12-note system of Western music. The harp remained only capable of playing seven diatonic notes per octave. The music in the 16th to 18th centuries demanded more notes lying outside the seven notes of the harp's scale. The major composers of the time demanded all 12 chromatic notes of the scale. It was the lack of a full chromatic scale that was identified as the main 'defect' of the harp. Attempts were made to enable the harp to get around the diatonic limitations and to be more versatile.

One solution was a chromatic harp, a harp with 12 strings per octave . Chromatic harps were built in Spain and Italy. The Spanish harp is the arpa dos ordenes, and the Italian harp is the Arpa doppia. A double harp - with two rows of strings - was first described in the writings of Vincento Gallilei “ Dialogo della musica antica et della moderna “ in 1581. Soon afterwards, the triple harp appeared - where the player would reach between two diatonic rows of strings to play the chromatic notes in between. Charles I in England was noted to have engaged a triple harpist in the 1600's. The earliest surviving triple harp is in the Museo Civico and dates back to the late 17th century. Another solution to the harp's note limitations was to take the existing seven diatonic notes and change the pitch of selected strings to get sharps and flats. Hooks were first used in Tirol, Italy in the 17th century to sharpen individual notes by hand. One drawback of the hooked harp was that a performer temporarily lost the use of the hand making these adjustments. Although these were forward leaps, these attempts made the harp difficult to play and awkward. Musical composers continued either to ignore the harp or include it sparingly for swirly "harpy effects". The first composition for harp in a orchestre was written by Monteverdi for Orfeo.

J.S.Bach never wrote anything for the harp;C.Ph.E Bach wrote a sonata for harp Handel used the harp only a few times in his operas and oratorios, allthougt Haydn father was an harpist, Haydn never used it in his orchestra works (but did write one sonata for flute, harp and doublebass); Mozart wrote just two works for the harp single action harp- the famous Concerto for flute and harp and used the harp in Anima del Filosofo (Orfeo).

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9) THE PEDAL HARP

Some time before 1720 a link mechanism was developed for the hook harp connecting its hooks, in octaves with pedals. At first the mechanism seems to have been attached along the rieght side of the harp neck, and the wires connecting it to the perdals were placed in the soundbox; later the mechanism was housed within the neck and the pedal wires were moved to the interior of the column. The most successful early development of the pedal harp was that of Jacob Hochbrucker; in his musical instrument workshop, he is credited with making a harp with five pedals connected to hooks for the C,D,F,Gand B strings. When for example the C pedal was moved, the hooks placed beside the C strings moved against them raising their pitch to C sharp. In 1720 the number of pedals was increased to seven. When the strings of this harp were tuned to the E flat scale, the instrument by appopriate resettings of two pedals, could be played in eight major and five minor keys. The harp now known as the single action pedal harp had evolved.

Later Georges Cousineau a Parisian pedal harp maker abandoned in the year 1775 the use of the crochets and developed an improved mechanism using the crutch system or bequilles. This involved placing a pair of crutch-ended levers on either side of each harp string. When the F pedal, for example, was moved down, the connecting levers in the neck caused one bequilles to turn clockwise and the other counterclockwise, against each F string, raising all the F naturals to F sharp.

In the year 1794 Sebastian Erard of Paris substituted rotating disks for the metal plates. Erard developed the double action harp, and got his patent in the year 1810. 1811 Erard was able to introduce the seven pedal double action harp, by spending some 20.000 £ on the necessary machinery. He mad the double action harp possible with the “Fourchette” mechanism, two-pronged discs; he redesigned the connecting mechanism and provided three notches for each pedal. When the pedal was moved from the uppermost notch down to the middle notch, all the discs involved with that particular pedal rotated, but only the prongs of the upper discs actually engaged the harp strings, raising them a half-step; when the pedal was depressed to the lowest notch, the lower discs rotated so that their prongs also engaged the har strings, raising their pitch another half-step.

The double action harp was a great achievement, the strings remained aligned, the mechanism didn’t affect the tone quality. With the seven double action pedals the harp could now be played in all the major and minor keys.

Erard also improved the mechanism of the pedals, by putting up a new order.

He also was the inventer of the “fourchette” mechanism, which replaced the “crochets” and the “bequilles”. The fourchette was made of two-pronged disc, when a disc was turned, the pronges of the disc pressed against an indivual string on opposite sides, raising the string the desired half-step, without pulling it out of alignment with the other strings, and without affecting the tone quality.

System “Fourchette” of Erard

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[pic] [pic] [pic]

Pedal system single action Crochet mechanism Bequilles mechanism

The conception of the harp

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II) HARP LESSON

1) THE FIRST LESSON

During the first lesson the child should get his first contact and impression of the instrument.

Let him take place behind the harp. Let him try, how to sit near the harp.

Give some points on which he has to take care.

- Let the harp lie on the right shoulder

- The feet’s are on the floor

Explain to the child that both hands are used to play the instrument, and let him find out, which hand is playing on what height of the instrument. Which hand his playing the longer and which the shorter strings. After letting him find out by himself, tell him that the right hand is playing the short strings (near to himself) and the left hand is playing the longer strings (away from him).

Let him find out which strings are high and which are low, by letting him play on the instrument.

Then ask the child to play with the second finger all the red strings, beginning by the lowest to the highest. After that the black strings. Tell the child the red strings is the note “C” and the black the note “F”.

After letting the child play these strings, let him skip a “C” and let him play one octave with the second finger, first with the left hand and than with the right hand, and ask him if he realized that every string is a different note.

Now show the child how he should keep his hand by playing with the second finger. The child should keep his thumb high and fingers low, than press slightly on the string before playing. Draw the finger into the palm. After explaining this, the child should try to place all his fingers on the strings. The thumb is on the “F”, he should not skip a string. While he places the fingers, explain how the position of the hand should be:

- Thumb high

- Fingers low

- Space between thumb and second finger

Than the child should place the 1 and 2 finger on the strings, and should leave one string free. (This space is an interval and is called terts)

Let him play the two fingers together. Here he also has to do 3 steps to play the strings. Let him do it without repeating it. If he couldn’t remember repeat the order, and then let him play again. If he could remember let him play one octave of terts, beginning with “C” on the second finger, and “E” on the thumb. These can be done in different ways.

- Both hands together/apart played “plaque”

- Both hands together/apart played “brise”

After having his first contact with the harp, let the child choose a song which he knows, such as Frere Jacques, let the child sing the song, while he sings it I play the melody on the harp.

After singing the song, I play the melody once again, and the child should watch me playing it. Know he has to try it by himself. If it works well several times, we can play together as a canon, singing and playing the song.

As homework I would give the child a simple exercise played with 2 fingers – 2 and 1 finger –

C-D-C / D-E-D/ E-F-E / F-G-F / E-F-E / D-E-D / C-D-C //

This exercise should be practiced as follows:

Play the second finger; before playing the thumb replace the second finger on the same string. The same applies to the left hand. And play “Frere Jacques”. Before ending the lesson, try to talk to the child, how his first impression was. Why he wants to learn the harp, if he already has done some music, another instrument, and what he likes about music. I think from beginning on it is very important to have a good communication, and to show the child that I am interested in what he does.

2) HOW TO CHOOSE A METHOD BOOK?

First of all we have to know some things about the student. Did he already played an instrument, does he already have some musical knowledge, as reading notes, rhythm… try to find this information’s out, while a little conversation with the student.

For children it is very important to choose a book, which has also some nice pictures, and good explanations in it, and some children songs they know. I would recommend the first harp book from Linda van Baar. This book is very friendly for children and has some nice child songs in it. Parallel I would choose as a method book Grossi, which works on the position, and building up in reading notes, playing both hands together in two different keys. Grossi only has exercises.

For older students I would recommend instead of Linda van Baar the book Old Tunes for New harpists by Mildred Dilling. This book is good for students who can already read notes. But beginning with this book could cause some problems, because the method begins straight away with 3 fingers. The songs can be played with one finger as a solution. In all cases the method book Grossi is very good and should be combined with a second book, with songs.

3) MATERIAL PER GRAD

Grade A

|COMPONIST |TITEL |

|Baar, Linda van |Mijn erste harpboek |

|Bouchaud, Dominic |Golden Harp |

|Ederveen, Regina |Harpboek |

|Milligan, Samuel |Fun from the first, volume 1 and 2 |

|Dilling, Mildred |Old Tunes for New Harpists |

|Paret, Betty |First Harp Book |

|Woods, Silvia |Teach yourself to play the Folkharp |

|Nagasawa, Masumi |Harpy Holland |

|Grossi |Methode per Arpa |

|Campen, Ank van |Methode en etudes for celtic harp |

|Grandjany, Marcel |First Grade Pieces |

|Grandjany, Marcel |Little Harp Book |

|Ingelfield, Ruth K. |Songs for Sonja volume 1 and 2 |

|Megevand, Denise |Pieces Classiques volume 1 |

| | |

Grade B

|COMPOSER |TITEL |

|Alberti, Freddy |Dix Etudes progressive et techniques, first volume |

|Alberti, Freddy |Etudes, volume 1 |

|Calthorpe, Nancy |Beginning the harp |

|Chapelier, Michel |10 pieces faciles |

|Dilling, Mildred |Old Tunes for New Harpists |

|Grossi |Methode per arpa |

|Holy, A. |Technische oefeningen volume 1 and 2 |

|Paret, Betty |First Harpbook |

|Bochsa, Charles |50 lecons progressives volume 1 |

|Etcheverry |Agilite volume 2 |

|Watkins, David |Six pieces for harp |

|Andres, Bernard |Ribambelle |

|Andres, Bernard |Charades |

|Andres, Bernard |Aquantintes |

|Grandjany, Marcel |Trois petites pieces |

|Grandjany, Marcel |Short Pieces from the Masters |

|Salzedo, Carlo |Tiny Tales for harpist Beginners |

|Gustavson, N |Pacific Sketches |

|Gustavson, N. |The Magic Road |

|Megevand, D |Pieces classiques volume 2 and 3 |

|Campen, A van |Classical Tunes volume 1 |

|Fell, E. |Pop and easy |

|Rothstein, S |Animals on the harp |

|Purcell |Ground in F with variations |

|Andres, Bernard |Epices volume 1 |

Grade C

|COMPOSER |TITEL |

|Alberti, F. |Dix etudes progressives et technique 1e cahier |

|Dilling, M. |Old Tunes for New Harpists |

|Dilling, M |Thirty little classics for the harp |

|Grossi |Methode per arpa |

|Holy, A |Technische oefeningen, volume 2 |

|Naderman, F.J |Etudes |

|Bochsa, C |50 lecons progressives volume 2 |

|Milligan, S |Medieval to Modern volume 1 and 2 |

|Megevand, D. |Pieces classiques volume 4 and 5 |

|Anonymus |Variations sur un theme de Mozart |

|Wood |Pachelbels Canon |

|Andres, B. |La Gimblette |

|Andres, B. |Epices volume 1 and 2 |

|Grandjany, M. |Pastorale |

|Oritz, A.R. |Latin-American harp for Celtic harp |

|Grandjany, M. |Four Etudes |

|Naderman, F.J. |Etudes et une theme varie |

|Woods, S |76 Disney Songs |

Grade D

Hook harp

|COMPOSER |TITEL |

|Dilling, M |Old Tunes for new Harpists |

|Grandjany, M |Four etudes |

|Grossi |Methode per arpa |

|Campen, Ank van |Classical Tunes for the Irish harp, volume 2 |

|Haendel, G.F. |Harpconcerto (arranged for hookharp) |

|Hasselman, A |Trois Petites Bleuettes |

|Nagasawa, M. |Harpy Hands, Christmas with Harpy |

|Woods, S. |76 Disney Songs |

|Wood, S. |The harp of Brandiswhiere |

|Dilling, M |30 little Classics |

Pedalharp

|COMPOSER |TITEL |

|Bochsa, C |110 Exercices journaliers |

|Bochsa, C |Celebre Etudes pour la harpe volume 1 |

|Dilling, M. |Old Tunes for New Harpists |

|Grossi |Methode per arpa |

|Lariviere, E.D. |Exercices et etudes pour la harpe |

|Naderman, F.J. |Etudes et preludes |

|Naderman, F.J. |Sept Sonates progressives |

|Pozzoli |Studi di media difficulta per arpa |

|Snoer, J. |Tonleiter Studien, op. 25 |

|Grandjany, M. |Et ron ron ron, petit patapon |

|Grandjany, M. |Frere Jacques |

|Grandjany, M. |Le bon petit roi d’Yvetot |

|Haendel, G.F. |Passacaglia |

|Haendel, G.F |Theme con variazione |

|Hasselman, A. |Feuilles d’automne |

|Hasselman, A. |Trois petites pieces |

|Ibert, J. |Scherzetto |

|Oritz, A.R. |Latin-American harp |

|Renie, H |Grand-mere raconte une histoire |

|Woods, S. |76 Disney songs |

III) PLAYING TECHNIQUES

1) SITTING-POSITION

Before playing it is very important to have the right position behind the harp. Here you have to take care, of having the right chair. The chair should be changeable in his high (for example a piano stool). The chair shouldn’t have arms and a back.

While playing the harp you have to watch out if you have the right position.

Sit upright and don’t lean against the back of the chair. Sit behind the sound box of the harp (a little to the left) and lean the top towards you so that the sound box is between your knees. Lightly grip the harp with your knees to help stabilize it. The top of the sound box rests lightly against your right shoulder. The front of the base of the harp will be off the floor. When the harp is tilted back properly, the strings should be completely vertical, and the harp should lightly balance against your shoulder. Experiment with different height stools and how close your are sitting to the harp until you find a comfortable position. You should neither sit too close nor too far from the harp.

2) HAND-POSITION

The thumb is up higher than the fingers, with the top joint of the thumb inclined a bit towards them; not bend backwards. The hand is slightly cupped, forming a hollow in the palm. The first three fingers are curved in a relaxed manner. The little finger is never used, since its reach is not as long as the ring finger. The wrists are in a little towards the strings. The bottom of the hand is turned out a bit so that the hand is not totally parallel to the strings. The finger should rest lightly on the strings, near the center of each string. Relax the shoulders.

Both elbows should be up so that the forearms are horizontal to the floor. Don’t rest them on your legs. When playing the middle or high strings, the right forearm (or wrist for the upper strings) may rest on the side of the sound box, but should not lean heavily on it. Your arm should be free to move easily up and down the harp. The left arm does not contact the sound box.

3) FINGER-ACTION

Pluck the strings with the fingertips and bring the fingers into the palm of the hand. Use your whole finger in this action; don’t just bend the first knuckle. Good sound is produced by using the whole finger and bringing it all the way into the palm. The little finger should naturally follow the ring finger into the palm.

Pluck the string with the outer edge of the thumb and bring the thumb down until it touches the side of the first finger. Use your whole thumb in this action, not the top joint. Keep the top joint inclined forward a bit, don’t let it bend backwards.

The fingernails should be short so they don’t hamper the finger action. The nails should never touch the strings.

4) SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES

a) Intervals

An interval is the distance between two notes.

The fingering of the intervals is:

Second: 1-2

Terts: 1-2

Kwart: 1-2

Kwint: 1-3

Sext: 1-3

Septiem: 1-4

Oktaaf: 1-4

b) Drieklank:

Is build up from two terts. One is on the bottom of the other C-E-G. Between every finger is on string free. The finger placing is 3-2-1. It doesn’t matter if the chord is played in an inversion. The fingering remains the same.

c) Chords:

At least 4 notes, one on the top of the other. Chords are played with 4 fingers, and are plucked together.

d) Arpeggio:

Is a chord or interval played note by note, mostly from bottom to top. An arpeggio can be played slower or faster, so that the sound is longer or shorter. An arpeggio played very fast is also called “Brise”.

e) Plaque

Is a chord or interval, where all notes are played together

f) Bisbigliando

Whispering effect. Two or more notes are played, changing between the right to the left hand.

g) Pedal-slide

Through the changing of the pedal, a pin is pushed again the string, so that the string is getting shorter (or longer) a half tone. Playing first the string, and than changing the pedal you get a buzzing sound.

h) Thrillers

There are more possibilities to play a thriller. They can be played with one or two hands. The fingers are playing the same string, it is very important not to damp the string. You can also play a thriller with two hands, like with a bisbigliando.

i) Scales Crossing-under and crossing-over

These are techniques used when playing a series of 5 or more notes that are either all ascending or all descending.

1) Ascending (cross-under)

- place all 4 fingers on the first 4 strings (C-D-E-F)

- play fingers 4,3,2

- before playing 1, bring 4 under the thumb and place it on G

- play the thumb

- pivot the hand towards you on the 4th finger so that the hand and fingers are in the proper position

- place 3,2,1

- play 4,3,2,1

Crossing the 3rd finger under, instead of the 4th, can also do this

2) Descending (cross-over)

- place all 4 fingers on the first 4 strings (C-B-A-G)

- play fingers 1, 2, 3

- before playing 4 bring the thumb over the 4 and place it on the F

- play 4

- open the hand down from the thumb so that the fingers are in the proper position

- place 2, 3, and 4

- play 1, 2, 3 and 4

This can also be done using only three fingers (1, 2, 3) with the thumb crossing over the 3rd finger.

j) Glissando

A glissando is the best known and most easily recognizable harp effect. It is produced by sliding a finger either up or down along the strings. A gliss. can be played slowly or quickly and can cover a few or many notes.

Ascending glisses are played with the fleshy part of the finger 2. Descending ones are played with the thumb.

To practice glisses well, it is recommended to play ascending and descending glisses with both hands (separately) at various speeds until all of the notes sound even.

k) Harmonic

A harmonic is a method of playing a string so that it sounds an octave higher than its normal pitch. This is done by touching the string in the center so that only half of the string vibrates, and then plucking the string. The note produced has a lovely bell-like sound.

Harmonics are played differently with the right and left hands.

Right Hand

Curl the fingers in towards the palm. Press the first knuckle of the finger 2 against the center of the string. Keep the thumb up. Gently pluck the string with the thumb and move the hand away from the string at the same time. Don’t force it.

Left Hand

Place the flashy part of the side of the hand (bellow the little finger) against the middle of the string. The thumb should be up with the fingers relaxed, not in to the palm. Pluck the string gently with the thumb and move the hand away from the string at the same time. Don’t force it.

l) p.d.l.t.= pres de la table

The string has to be plucked near the soundboard. The tone will change because the sting is vibrating less.

m) Sliding with the thumb or 4th finger

The thumb or 4th finger are sliding one the strings towards to the following string. (up or down).

Only when the finger 2, 3, and 4 (sliding with the thumb) or 1, 2, and 3 (sliding with the 4th finger) are placed on the strings, five notes can be played quickly after each other.

n) Etouffer

damp. This can be done in two different ways.

By replacing the fingers on the played strings, or by damping the strings with the flat hand.

o) Hook harp

It is only possible to play with 3 bemol and 4 diese. The hooks are changed while playing. To change the hooks, the left hand has to have a little rest, so it can change the hook. It is recommendable to write the changes in the music. In C Major, the E, A and B- hooks are in the upper position.

p) Pedal harp

Every Ton sort is possible. The pedals are prepared, before playing a piece. For example in G-Major, the F-Pedal is in the lowest position.

The pedals have 3 positions.

- When all the pedals are in the upper position the harp is tuned in Ces-Major. Using only one pedal involves that all the strings from this pedal (for example B pedal), are tuned bemol.

- When all pedals are in the middle position the harp is tuned in C-Major. Using only one pedal involves that all the notes from this pedal are tuned neutral.

- When all the pedals are in the lowest position the harp is tuned in Cis-Major. Using only one pedal involves that all the strings from this note are tuned diese

[pic]

The order of the pedals. To remember the order, just remember this sentence:

Did Columbus Bring Enough Food Going (to) America

q) Tuning the harp

Put the tuning key on the right side of the tuning pin for the string you are going to tune. Hold it with your right hand. Be sure the tuning key is on the correct pin.

Determine the correct pitch of the string and play the note ( determine the right pitch with a tuning machine) Pluck the string with your left hand. While it is still sounding, turn the tuning key until the pitch of the string matches the tuning machine.

Always tune the lowest strings first and then tune the strings consecutively all the way to the top. This allows the soundboard to adjust to the tension of the strings. This only has to be done with a new harp, or one that is not tuned up to pitch at all. This will need to be done quite a few times on a new harp before the strings stretch and adjust to their pitches. Once the strings are holding their pitch, you can begin to fine-tune the harp.

Fine-tuning the harp begins to tune all the strings from the middle C to the next C. To check if the notes in this octave sound in tune with each other you should play the following notes: C-E-G-C, C-F-A-C, D-G-B. Each group should sound in tune. Adjust them as necessary.

Now tune the rest of the harp by tuning the octaves. That is, tune all of the G’s to the one G you have in tune, all the F’s etc.

Tuning the harp with a tuning, you should start with the note A. From here on you should tune with a schema. To tune without a tuning machine it is very important to hear if the string is pitched right or not. However, to tune the harp, you should choose intervals, which are easy to hear, such as octave, reine quint and reine qwart.

The tuning has an order: a’d d’g’ g’’c’ c f f’ back to a, e’ e b’b. All the strings of one octave are tuned. After this you should tune the rest of the harp in octaves.

To control the tuning, you can play some chords.

IV) TEACHING PLAN FROM GRADE A TO D

|Harp Technique |GRADE A |GRADE B |GRADE C |GRADE D |

|Intervals |Second till Octave, broken |Octave with open |Bind intervals until|Intervals with |

| |and plaque |hand in LH + damping|triads |sliding, binding until|

| | | | |sext |

|Triads |Broken and plaque, also ass|Extending and |idem |Idem |

| |acompagnement figuer |refining | | |

|Chords |- |Broken and plaque in|Extending and |Extending and refining|

| | |all positions. 4 |refining | |

| | |notes chords, and | | |

| | |7-chords with | | |

| | |transfer LH-RH | | |

|Placing/binding |Advancement until 4 fingers|Cross-over and cross|Sliding with thumb |Extending and refining|

| | |under |and 4th finger | |

|Arpeggios |- |RH and LH appart |RH and LH connecting|Extending and refining|

|Scales |Scales changing LH and RH |Technique of cross |Extending and |Extending and refining|

| |(with 4 fingers) |over and cross-under|refining | |

|Harmonics |- |Harmonics in one |Melodie played with |Doubble Harmonics |

| | |hand, with enough |harmonics |(Triads and quinte) |

| | |time to prepare | | |

|Glissando |With one hand |With both hand |Idem |Double glissandi |

| | |alternating | | |

|Damp |First both hands at the end|LH damping in a |Damp through |Extending and refining|

| |of a piece |piece. LH playing |replacing the | |

| | |bass in octaves and |fingers | |

| | |open hand playing | | |

| | |the thumb | | |

|P.d.l.t |First one hand, and then |Extending and |Extending and |Extending and refining|

| |two hands |refining |refining | |

|Tempo |- |Faster, slower tempo|idem |Idem |

|Extent |- |- |Pieces longer, and |Idem |

| | | |extent is bigger | |

|Soundquality/dynamics/ character |Good sound, dynamics |Extending and |Extending and |Extending and refining|

| |playing dolce and marcato |refining |refining | |

| |etc. | | | |

|Timingaspect |- |- |Refining rit., |Extending and refining|

| | | |Accel., Fermate, | |

| | | |rubato | |

|Improvisation |Improvising accompagniment |Both hands together |Extending and |Extending and refining|

| |and melodie with one hand | |refining | |

|Prima vista |With one hand short |Easy pieces with |Pieces with both |Extending and refining|

| |melodies |both hands together |hands together | |

V) HARPTECHNIQUE AND MATERIAL PER GRADE

I = Interval

D = Triad

Ch = Chord

Ar = Arpeggio

P\B = placing\binding

S = Scales

H = Harmonics

Gl = Glissando

P.d.l.t. = Pres de la table; play near the soundboard

= Damp

1) GRADE A

Some material, to show which techniques are taught and used in this grade

TITEL |I |D |Ch |Ar |P/B |S |H |Gl |pdlt |d | |Grossi, Methode per arpa | |X | | |X |X | | | | | |Methode en etudes for hook harp A. van Campen |X |X |X | |X |X | | | | | |Mijn erste harpboek, L. van Baar |X |X | | |X | | | | |X | |Harpboek, R. Ederveen |X | | | |X | | | | | | |Songs for Sonja 1 and 2 R. Ingelfield | | | | |X | | |X | | | |Fun from the first 2 S. Miligan |X | | | |X | | | | | | |Old Tunes for new harpists, M.Dilling |X |X | | |X | | | |X |X | |First grade pieces, M. Grandjany |X |X | | |X | | | |X |X | |Marelles, volume 1 B. Andres |X | | | |X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

a) Scales:

in grade A, a scale is played with two hands, because the student doesn’t manage to place and play all fingers and cannot do a cross over and cross under. The student first learned to play with two fingers. Now slowly he has to learn to play 3 and later 4 fingers. Watch out, that the student has enough time to replace, after playing, the fingers together on the strings. This can be done as follows.

C-D-E; F-G-A

When the student manages to play these exercise, let him do the same exercise by placing 4 fingers on the strings.

The start to practice a scale, let the student play as follows:

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-D

b) Triads:

When a student can play a scale figure with 3 fingers, he will also manage to play a

triad. This technique is very good, to practice the second finger and thumb (open

between the two fingers, make a space).

The triads are played plaque or broken in all positions. The best is to start with

broken chords. Try to combine the left hand with right hand, by letting the left hand play an accompaniment.

c) Placing:

Placing the fingers on the strings before they are needed is an important aspect of harp

technique. It provides stability for the fingers and enables you to play more quickly.

To practice this, first start with thirds.

C-E; D-F; E-G….

- Place fingers 2 and 1 on the strings interval thirds

- Play finger 2 (C)

- While playing finger 1 replace finger 2 on the next string (E).

- While playing finger 2, replace finger 1 on the next string (G)….

This exercise can be done descending and ascending, and with other intervals.

When the student manages to do this correctly, you can start to practice scales with him. The student has to watch out that the fingers have to be replaced together.

Possibilities, while playing with 3 fingers:

C D E C D E C D E D E F G A B E D C D C B

Is used to indicate fingers that should be placed together. The fingers should be placed

on all the notes within the bracket before the first note in the bracket is played.

4 fingers:

C D E F C D E F C D E F D E F G E F G

Or

F E D C E D C B D C B A

d) Damping

Is only used at the end of a piece. The left hand damps the bass strings and the right

hand damps the strings in the middle.

e) Glissando:

Is played only with the right hand (second finger slides over the strings), and the left hand plays the last note of the glissando. With this system the end of the glissando is well marked.

f) Pdlt:

Can b played with both hands, but only with the second finger. Playing near the soundboard, gives the fingers less space to do the right articulation.

g) Hooks:

Changing hooks only is used in the beginning of a piece, before playing.

TITEL |I |D |Ch |Ar |R\P |S |H |Gl |pdlt |da | |Grossi, Methode per arpa |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |(X) | |X | |Technische oefeningen 1 A. Holy |X |X |X | |X |X | | | | | |Bochsa 50 lecons progressives 1 |X |X |X |X |X |X |X | | | | |Old Tunes for new Harpists |X |X |X |X |X | |X | |X |X | |Six pieces for harp |X |X | | |X | | |X | |X | |2) GRADE B

Some material, to show which techniques are taught and used in this grade.

a) Intervals:

All intervals are now played and used ( second-octave)

b) Triad:

The left hand is still used as accompaniment.

c) Chords:

The triads have to bee worked out. The 4th finger will be used. To practice chords,

first play them broken. Watch out, that the 4th and 3rd and 2nd finger are going into the

palm of the hand after being played.

d) Scales:

Now a scale is teached to be played with one hand. Therefore the student has to use

the crossing over and crossing under technique.

e) Hand transfer:

Here the left hand will be placed over (higher strings) the right hand. This is used

while playing triads and chords. It will be possible to play a triad ore chord, over the

whole harp from the lowest to the highest string.

f) Glissando:

The glissando is taught descending and ascending. The right hand plays the ascending

glissando, and the left hand plays the descending glissando.

g) Damp:

The left hand will be taught to play damps while playing octaves (the hand will be

opened so that you can damp the strings with open hand position after plucking the

strings)

h) Harmonics:

The student will be taught to play harmonics with the right and left hand. To practice

this, you can use the song, which you used in the beginning (playing with the 2nd

finger).

i) Hooks:

The student is taught to change a hook while playing a piece. This mostly happens

while the left hand has a rest. To practice this let the student only play the right hand,

and changing the hooks with the left hand on the right time.

3) GRADE C

All techniques are used. The student will also be taught to slide with the thumb and 4th

Finger.

Sl =sliding

Some material to show which technique is used in this grade

TITEL |I |D |Ch |Ar |R\P |S |H |Sl |Gl |pdlt |De | |Bochsa 50 lecons progressives volume 2 |X |X |X | | | |X | | | | | |Epices volume 1 B. Andres |X |X | | |X | |X | |X |X |X | |Epices volume 2 B. Andres |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

a) Sliding:

The thumb or 4th finger are sliding one the strings towards to the following string. (up

or down).

Only when the finger 2, 3, and 4 (sliding with the thumb) or 1, 2, and 3 (sliding with the 4th finger) are placed on the strings, five notes can be played quickly after each other.

b) Damp:

The student will be taught to damp with the second finger. To practice this, let student

play scales only with the second finger.

c) Arpeggios:

The playing of broken chords and triads will be speed up, so that the student can play

arpeggios. First begin with one hand than two hands. A good exercise is to play only

with two fingers. Beginning slowly and getting faster. Than with 3 and later with 4

fingers.

When the student manages to play both hands apart, you can go a step further, and

teach him to play arpeggio’s over two hands. To practice this first play only the thumb

of the left hand, and than the right hand arpeggio. Than left hand 2nd and 1st finger and

so one.

d) Harmonics:

go one to practice harmonics, so that you can play them faster. Later teach the student

to play double harmonics. First with thirds. Later bigger intervals.

e) Glissando:

The student will be taught to play double glissandos. Now 2 or 3 fingers are sliding

over the strings. The space between the fingers stays the same during the whole

glissando.

f) Hooks:

Hooks have to be changed quickly.

In this Grade the student will have his first contact with the pedal harp. Pedals only

are changed in the beginning of a piece and in a piece so that he can prepare it (rest,

slow tempo)

4) GRADE D

Some material to show which techniques are used in this grade

TITEL |I |D |Ch |Ar |R\P |S |H |Sl |Gl |pdlt |De | |Bochsa celebre etudes pour la harpe |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X | | |X | |Methode pour la harp, H. Renie |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X |X | |X | |Sept Sonate progressives Naderman |X |X |X |X |X |X | |X | | |X | |

a) Sliding:

Sliding will be extended to sliding of intervals.

b) Arpeggios:

The student will be taught to play arpeggio’s descending and ascending.

The student will be taught to play more arpeggios after each other.

c) Changing a pedal

The student is teached, how to make pedalplans, to organize the pedals, so that they

are used on the right time.

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