works for harp

[OboeKing]

I am just reaching the grade 6/7 stage on the harp, and I was wondering (though, as a beethoven fan, I should know this) if Beethoven ever wrote any pieces for harp. Despite the fact I love playing his piano sonatas on the harp, (esp. pastorale op. 28 it sounds gorgeous!) I want to play something he wrote specifically for the harp. If such a piece does exist, please let me know here!

Thanks,
Michael.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
I am just reaching the grade 6/7 stage on the harp, and I was wondering (though, as a beethoven fan, I should know this) if Beethoven ever wrote any pieces for harp. Despite the fact I love playing his piano sonatas on the harp, (esp. pastorale op. 28 it sounds gorgeous!) I want to play something he wrote specifically for the harp. If such a piece does exist, please let me know here!

Thanks,
Michael.

I'll bet Op. 28 would sound good on the harp.

[OboeKing]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

I'll bet Op. 28 would sound good on the harp.

It does! I've adapted it slightly, a couple of arpeggios here and there, it sounds absolutely delicious! I'm almost inclined to say it sounds better on the harp than piano, but maybe that's taking it slightly too far!

[Rod]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
I am just reaching the grade 6/7 stage on the harp, and I was wondering (though, as a beethoven fan, I should know this) if Beethoven ever wrote any pieces for harp.
Thanks,
Michael.

I don't think he did as a chamber piece, the only piece I have for the harp from Beethoven is from the Prometheus ballet.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[OboeKing]

Originally posted by Rod:
I don't think he did as a chamber piece, the only piece I have for the harp from Beethoven is from the Prometheus ballet.

What a shame! Thanks a lot anyway

[lysander]

Beethoven completed a new string quartet in 1809, the 'Harp' (Opus 74), so called because of the unusual and striking pizzicato effects in the first movement.

[chopithoven]

Beethoven composed six variations on a "chant suisse" WoO64, dating from 1790-92. This is the only soloist work for harp in the beethovenian production I think.

[OboeKing]

Its a shame that the harp wasn't a more prominent instrument in Beethoven's day. Same goes for the cor anglais. I'd have loved Beethoven to write a cor anglais/harp duet I bet it'd sound amazing!

[Michael]

There's a lovely piece for soprano with harp accompaniment, "In my garden blooms a flower", woO 96 No. 2, part of the four pieces of incidental music for "Leonore Prohaska".

Michael
(NOT the Michael who is learning the harp! Although I can play the harmonica, which John Lennon called a "harp")

[Michael]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
Its a shame that the harp wasn't a more prominent instrument in Beethoven's day. Same goes for the cor anglais. I'd have loved Beethoven to write a cor anglais/harp duet I bet it'd sound amazing!

He did write a work for two oboes and a cor anglais, the Trio, Opus 87, well worth checking out. It's a substantial work in four movements and very tuneful, and an early work in spite of the high opus number.
It was available four or five years ago, very cheaply, on ASV CD QS6192 along with the set of Mozart variations, WoO28, for the same group of instruments.

Michael

Just spotted your entry on another thread about this. Anyway, the CD number might be useful.


[This message has been edited by Michael (edited February 27, 2003).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by chopithoven:
Beethoven composed six variations on a "chant suisse" WoO64, dating from 1790-92. This is the only soloist work for harp in the beethovenian production I think.

Good for spotting that one. They are easy variations for piano or harp, so I doubt if the piece will ever become a regular item for serious harpists.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited March 01, 2003).]