4 PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS Even though only one ofthe instruments discussed in this chapter, the harp, isa regular member of the modern symphony orchestra, the others have been ap- pearing more and more frequently, especially in smaller orchestral combina tions. Every composer or orchestrator should know at least the number and tunings of the strings the range, manner of performance, and notation for each of these plucked string instruments. HARP Arpa (tr): Harpe (F.) Hare (GER) ‘The harp has a very long history as a solo and accompanying instrument, being cone of the earliest instruments known to humankind. It has gone through a se- ries of alterations that have gradually increased its overall size and number of strings, without changing its basic conceptual framework. The final result is today’s doubleaction harp, developed during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, The immediate predecessor of the double-action harp was the chromatic harp. This instrument had no pedals but instead a string for each semitone. ‘The sheer number of strings presented a challenge to the performer, and this, added to its rather poor tone quality and inability to accommodate a dia- tonic or chordal glissando, led to the development of the double-action harp. The pedals on a double-action harp, which can be placed in three dit- ferent positions (up, middle, down), allow all manner of tunings and new ways of playing, EnuceN MALONE, HARP90 THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION Tuning and Range ‘The double-action harp has forty-seven strings, encompassing six full octaves and six additional notes.* With all its pedals up the harp is tuned to Cb major. Its ange is: EXAMPLE 41. Range ‘The top of each ofthe forty-seven strings is atached to a tuning peg and the bottom to a pedal, which when put in its lowest position (that is, down) can raise each note one whole step. The three positions of the pedal perform the fol- owing functions: 1. Pedals all the way up give the original Cb major scale. 2, Pedals one notch down (middle) raise all the notes one half step, to C-D-E-FG-A-B, and soon, 3, Pedals two notches down raise all the notes a whole step, to CELDEELA-GHABBI, and 50 on. AAILC strings, for example, or all G strings, to take another example, are con- trolled by one pedal each, so that if the Cis depressed one notch, the entire se- ries of Ch strings (a total of six strings) becomes a Ct series Therefore, one cannot play a Chin one octave with a C¥in another, a fact that has been too often overlooked or misunderstood by some orchestrators and composers. Thus, one has to think creatively in writing for the harp. The composer or orchestrator could write the Chas a Btso that Cand Ci can be played on separate strings and therefore controlled by two different pedals. The lowest twelve strings of the harp are made of steel core wound with ‘wire; the rest of the strings are made of gut wound with wire. Each C string is zed and each G string is blue. Tuning a harp is a tedious task, so the harpist is usually on stage or inthe pit preparing the instrument long before the rest of the orchestra players arrive. The harpist uses a key to turn—that is, tune—the pegs atthe top of the harp around which the strings are wound. As with all string in- struments, the pitch ofthe strings needs frequent adjustment. “The pitches CD, and E are repeated at the very bottom of the range while Fand G are re- peated only atthe top ofthe harps range. ‘The two lowest strings, D? and Care not affected by the pede! mechanistn and have tobe tuned manually. The same was tre of the uppermost G’ unt! about five years ago it snow ‘controlled bythe G pedal that controls al ther Ge. Consequenly the lowest D and C, and por- Sibly the highest G, could require manual retuning i's change im pitch i called for during the performance ofa work. Before the piece performed, the harpist usualy tunes these pitches to the first pitch that is required. All other strings, however, do change pitches automatially when their pedals ae manipulte.PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 91 Arrangement of the Pedals ‘The pedals are arranged from left to right as follows: DCB/EFGA D, Cand Bare operated by the left foot and E,F,G, and A by the right foot tis {important to memorize the arrangement ofthe pedals on a harp, as wel as which foot operates which pedal in order to avoid requesting a simultaneous change of two pedals operated by the same foot*—for instance, asking the harpist to change the E and G pedals atthe same time. However, pedals operated by differ ent feet, such asthe D and G pedals, can be changed simultaneously. Just before the beginning of a passage, itis best to indicate to the harpist how the pedals should be set. This can be done in one of three ways, listed below; the frst two are preferred by harpist. 1. By letter representation: DoChBs / EXELGH AL 2. By graphic representation that gives the three degrees, or notches, of the harp pedaling mechanism, the top being the “all-lats” one. (The graphic representation is given in a score without the string names, which are in- cluded here in parentheses simply o highligh the altered pitches) >) B) | Eo & (coAy 3. By alternate ler representation, which gives the setting forthe first pedal first then second pedal, and so on, on each side. The pedals inthis version are numbered from the inside out, so that Eis number 1 on the right-hand side, B number 1 on the lft. This third setting isnot as common (or as cleat) asthe fist two. BIBGIAL BCID: ‘The setting given in the above examples is the one actually used for the fa- mous glissande at the beginning of Debussy’s Prélude a “Liaprés-midi d'un foune." Here, the harp produces only four pitches, Bb, F, Dh, and Ab, since the strings are tuned enharmonically (A¥ = Bb, CE = Di, Et=1, C4 = Ab, EXAMPLE 4-2. Debussy, Prélude i “L‘aprs-mii d'un fue,” mn. 4 ‘Tris modérs 4 Meth CheD, BR. obama, “itmay help to memorie a ite diy, taught to meby my Gre orchestration teacher. Tt has ‘tuck with me and enabled me to remember the sequence of the harp pedale with no dificult, Did Columbus Bring / Enough Food Going lo] Ate?92 THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION ‘The same pedal setting could also be used for a passage such as this: EXAMPLE 4-3. Harp Pedal Setting Enharmonic spellings may be necessary for passages or chords that cal, for instance, for both F and F¥. In this case either the F would be spelled EF or the Ft spelled Gb EXAMPLE 4-4, Enharmonic Spellings for Pedal Settings ‘There are many such examples of “strange,” but on closer inspection practi- cal, harp pedaling. Usually the harpist changes the pedal a split second before playing the note, for instance: EXAMPLE 4-8, Charging a Harp Pedal fo | Some experienced harpists will make the pedal change even later than marked above. The composer's or orckestrator’s main concer is that the tempo will per- mit time for the changes. Highly chromatic music must be carefully handled; studying the orchestral works of composers like Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky and the solo works of the great harpists like Salzedo and Grandjany can offer ‘many clues about writing idiomatically for the harp. Harpists are quite willing to try out new ideas as long as the composer has a well-grounded understand ing of the instrument's basic constraints. Tone Color The tone color of the harp is somber, dark, and sonorous in the lower two oc- taves, and lightens progressively farther up the range. The middle two octaves, are very rich and warm, while the top two octaves and a half are light and clear. This upper portion does not have a great dynamic range, sustaining power, oF carrying potential; the fortissimo atthe top of the range is like a mezzo fort in the middle. Because the string is longest when itis in fat position, the lat keys have ‘more sound potential, but a good harpist can make any tonality sound well by the power in his or her hands plucking the strings.PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 93 Harp Notation Music for harp is notated on two staves, like music for piano, using bass and areble clefs (note the tuning diagram given just above the score). EXAMPLE 48, Mozart, Concerto for Flue and Harp K. 298, first movemet smn, 454 ‘There is at least one instance in Which the notation is not followed literally [como ‘by the harpist: the famous harp cadenza irom Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet. | Ente rechniaue Example 47a gives the notation as itis found in every orchestral score, Example 4-7 as most harpists actually perform it. The story goes that the harpist who perforined this cadenza at the premiere, with the composer conducting, sug- gested this revised performance style, which every harpist from that time on has used; but Tchaikovsky never changed the score to reflect the custom. ‘EXAMPLE 47, Tehaikovsky, The Nutcracker, ‘Waltz ofthe Flowers,” mn. 16-33 [Soanw @ tH 2 cadena tu94 THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION —— SE a BLAS PERFORMED Chords Chords may be arpegziated or played in block fashion. Since the harpist uses only the first four fingers of each hand to play (the little finger is never used), an eight-note chord is the maximum for the harp. Three- and four-note chords (per hand) can most effectively achieve a very full sonority. The distance in an octave is much smaller than it is on the piano; for that reason tenths are quite simple to reach, Here isa passage that sounds well on the harp, with the chords spaced in an idiomatic way:— PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 95 EXAMPLE 4-8, Chords for Harp ere Macstose ‘Traditionally, all chords are rolled unless a bracket (L) precedes the chord, indicating itis to be played unbroken or “flat.” Particularly in slow passages, a composer will often place a wavy line (F) before @ chord, which directs the harpist to perform the arpeggio rather slowly and with greater expression. Just as in string chordal pizzicatos, one can indicate the direction of the arpeggio using the symbols { and [. there are no arrowheads on the wavy lines, harpist wil ol the chord frm the bottom up Here are two chordal passages that are notated as if the chords are to be played unbroken, but both are played at lsst slighty arpeggiated. Since the tempo of the frst example is fast most harpist perform the pasage witha fast rollon each chord. EXAMPLE 4-9. Bartdk, Violin Concerto, first movement, mm. 113, 1 Allegro non troppo ‘The block chords in the beautiful passage that ends the first movement of Brahme’s German Requiem (mm. 152-153) are traditionally arpeggiated, even though there is 70 indication to do so; playing the chords flat would be too abrupt.96 THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION EXAMPLE 4-10. Brahms, Ein deutsches Requiem, fist movement, mun. 150-158 ‘arp only recorded)PLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 97 "> A iis : ‘The following excerpt from Debussy’s Prélude d “L'aprés-midi d'un faune” ef- {ectively combines arpeggiated harp with fute: EXAMPLE 4:11, Debussy, Prfude d“L‘aprs-midi dum faune,” man. 79-81, [Smee (MJ = 50) ty, MouviduDébut douse98 THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION ao Harmonics Harp harmonics, which sound beautifully bell-like, are produced in two ways, both sounding an octave higher than the pitch of the string when played in nor- ‘mal fashion: 1. The player touches the center of the string (at the nade) with the lower por- ton of the left palm and plucks the string with the left thumb, 2. The player touches the center of the string (at the node) with the outside of the Kenuckle of the right index finger and plucks the string with the right thumb. ‘The right hand can play only single harmonics; the left hand can play ‘wo or three harmonics at a time (as multiple stops), but the pitches have to be all, sharp, all flat, or all natural Harmonics are usually notated with a zero over the note and sound an oc- tave higher than written, as in Examples 412, 413, and 4-14. Some composers write the note at sounding pitch and put a circle over it This can be confusing, unless the particular method used is explained somewhere in the score, For best results in employing harp harmonics, two factors should he kept in mind: 1. Harp harmonics are very soft and to be heard must be accompanied by a very light orchestration or played solo. 2. The most practical range for harp harmonic is between A? (2ES=) and ¥* ($>). Above and below these pitches the harmonics are too dificult to produce and therefore not always reliable. [cove e7]examPLe 412, Debussy, Nocturnes, “Nuages,” man. 74-78 1 Moderato ip ExameLe 4-13. Ravel, Daphnis et Chloé, symphonic fragments, “Nocturne,” mn. 49-53 Modéré ° esPLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 99 EXAMPLE 4-14, Salzedo, Matern Studies, “On Doubled Notes,” beginning Special Effects ‘The harp can be used as a melodic, an accompanying, and a doubling instru- ‘ment with great success. In addition, several special color effects are used quite often in orchestral literature, Pris de Ja table (FR.) ‘The harpist plucks the string near the soundboard to give a hard, brittle, al- ‘most metallic sound. [EXAMPLE 4-18, Britten, Four Sea Ineludes from Peter Grimes, “Storm,” mm. [epinm 9] n2ai6 a = ; = 7 ep Frege iniate a Sons étoulfes (Fe) a Bie eroures ach note is dampened as soon as itis phicked. The effet is that of a seeco pizzicato on strings. The passage must be slow enough wo allew enough time for the entire hand to dampen the string or strings. To ceate an even more metallic effect, the strings may be plucked with the fingernail. EXAMPLE 4-16, Sons cous Ema Sone ute 2S Glissando Perhaps the best-known harp sound is glissando, which should not be overused for the sake of “Showing off” the harp. Whenever a glissando is writ- ten, one must specify how the harp is to be tuned, and give the starting pitch as. well as the ending one.100. THE STUDY OF ORCHESTRATION EXAMPLE 4.17. Glissandi ODERCAB oles, ES EXAMPLE 4:1, Multiple Gissandi Ay as See also Example 4-2. [eror ___] Trills, Tremolos, and Bisbigliando (Ir.) ‘Trills can be produced in three ways: 1. By two fingers of one hand (this cannot be done at great speed) 2. By alternating hands plucking the same string (not always easy to execute or tomake even) 3. By tuning two different strings to sound the same pitch and then tilling with the two hands in alternation, The last method is the most effective and the one harpists use most frequently. EXAMPLE 4-19. Trill = = ‘Right han » ‘Annormal tremolo can be executed by alternating two hands on the strings. ‘Another type of tremolo unique to the harp, called bisbigliondo (“whispering”), is played very softly and creates a special rustling effect. EXAMPLE 420. Bsbigliando Bihigtando ree ‘Today, composers have devised many other harp effects for which standard no- tation is still evolving (see K. Stone, Music Notation in the Twentieth Century, [New York: W. W. Norton, 1980], pp. 228-256). Some of these arePLUCKED STRING INSTRUMENTS 101 1, Knocking on the soundboard 2. Phucking the strings with the fingernails 3, Using a plectrum or pick to pluck the strings 4, Playing harmonics other than the octave harmonic 5. Buzzing the string by first plucking it and then changing its pedal up or down Al these effects, and many more, can be achieved on the harp. The composer or ‘orchestrator should strive to make his or her musical intentions clear in the no- tation, and when doubtful about the feasibility of any unusual technique, should consulta professional harpist. BE AvbirionAt passaces ron stuoy Dus, L’Apprenti src (harp harmonics at opening) Falla, The Three Cornered Ha, [7 (10) (prominent harp) [L Foss, Symphony No.3, “Elegy,” beginning (string buzzing on the harp) Ginastera, Harp Concert Henze, Harp Concerto Hindemith, Concerto fr Woodwinds, Harp, and Orchestra, [B] to [E] (woodwinds and harp) Ravel, Introduction and Allegro, 10 measures after | slissandi, and so forth) ‘Stravinsky, The Firebird ballet (1919 version), “Berceuse,” mun. 1-16 (harp harmonics) ‘Vartse, Amériques, at (2) (striking the soundboard) E. Zwilich, Symbolon,[B) through | Study also the many exceptional harp passages in Tchaikovsky's Nuterackr, ‘which culminate in the “Pas de deux” of Act II (at [Id}) with a most effective passage for two harps. GUITAR (Chitra (tj; Guitare (Fe) Guitarre (Gen) Guan