Instrument Studies for Eyes and Ears

ISFEE

Harp: Blocked & Rolled Chords

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This passage from Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol is presented 2 different ways; once with blocked chords, and once with a slight rolling of the chords. Note that in both performances the chords are allowed to ring; the rests are not understood to indicate damping. This is largely a matter of style and taste, and may be governed by harpists' recognition of their role in relation to the sound of the rest of the orchestra. In contemporary works, harpists may suspect that rests do imply damping.


More pages:

  • Pedal Basics
  • Enharmonic & Glissandos
  • Scales
  • Chords, Registers, Articulations
  • Arpeggiation Idioms
  • Harmonics & Effects

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