new blues for pedal or non-pedal harp

Transcription

1 new blues for pedal or non-pedal harp deborah h e n s o n - c o n a n t a z z h a r p a r r a n g e m e n t "new blues" is printed here in two keys (for C lever harp and for Eb lever harp) either is playable on the pedal harp nd Edition October, 99 reprinted une 006 deborah henson-conant info@hipharpcom website: HipHarpcom Master reprinted 5/0/0 - - Filename: *New Blues MANUSCRIPT 0050

2 Other Publications by Deborah Henson-Conant For Solo Harp (pedal or lever) New Blues Nataliana The Nightingale Intro to Improvisation (with Vamps for Improv CD) For Two Harp Ensemble (pedal or lever) Off She Goes She's Gone Miscellaneous The Gurl's Guide to Amplification For information on these other titles: wwwhipharpcom or -888-DEB-STUF Your respect of the copyright laws will help support the musicians and arrangers who created this work, and will encourage more harp music to be produced in the future Please do not make multiple copies to pass on to others You can help keep downloadable harp music viable and available by encouraging your students, friends and relatives to purchase their own copies Thank you for your assistance in this endeavor Master reprinted 6/6/ Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout

3 new blues notes from the composer on fingering: For treble clef fingerings, please note that all fingerings written above the notes are for the right hand and all fingering written below the notes are for the left hand on articulations markings: ) The mark " " above or below a note, means to damp the string(s) after playing by returning your fingers to the same strings immediately after playing the notes This creates an effect something like the short "hits" you hear coming from a brass section ) The etouffe marking ("+" written below the note, in the left hand) is very important in azz harp playing To do it, lay your hand lightly against the strings in such a position that you can play each note with your thumb As you continue to do this, your palm automatically damps each note as you play the next, creating an effect like the sound of plucking an upright bass on pedalling: I originally wrote NEW BLUES for non-pedal harp, but started playing the "For Eb lever Harp" version on pedal harp NEW BLUES is a piece, however, which is harder to play with pedals than with levers It's even harder if you like to play the piece standing up, which I do I struggled with the pedalling for awhile, then I finally found a fun and painless solution: I discovered there is really only one string which causes all the trouble Once I "detuned" that string (tuned it a half-step lower), I could lock the pedals in position and play the entire piece without ever changing a pedal This is how I do it on tempo: All the variations need to be played at the same tempo (do not play some variations fast and others slow) If some variations are harder to play fast, then slow the whole piece down to the tempo of the hardest variation and don't worry about the metronome marking at the beginning of the piece I know it's tempting to play the piece fast, but its much more fun to listen to when it's played slowly and clearly In the "For Eb Lever Harp" version, which has a key signature of two flats: I locate the problem string (the first wire G string) With the G pedal in the flat position, and the F pedal in the natural position I "detune" the first wire "G" string so that, in the flat position, it is now an "F" instead of a "Gb" I check this string against the F string to make sure I have tuned it correctly Once that is done, I set my pedals thus and I can play the whole piece without ever changing a pedal All the G's on the harp will be G's except the first metal one, which will be a "G" In the "For C Lever Harp" version, which has a key signature of no sharps flats: Locate the problem string (the last gut A string) With the A pedal in the flat position, and the G pedal in the natural position, "detune" the last gut "A" string so that, in the flat position, it is now a "G" instead of an "Ab" Check this string against the G string to make sure you've tuned it correctly Once that is done, set your pedals thus: and you can play the whole piece without ever worrying about changing a pedal All the A's on the harp will be A's except the lowest gut one, which will be an "A" NEW BLUES SECOND EDITION OCTOBER, 99 REPRINTED UNE 006 deborah henson-conant box 09 arlington, MA 07 usa info@hipharpcom Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout - - Master reprinted 6/6/06

4 Lever Harp in Eb: Fix all A's natural all G except lowest Pedal harp: see page for pedalling info 8 qk»0-0 8 Ó New Blues For Eb Lever Harp Deborah Henson-Conant Ó 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/Bb/Master 00060diva Ó N Ó Ó Ó Master reprinted 6/6/ Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout

5 New Blues (Eb Lever Harp or pedal harp) 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/Bb/Master 00060diva Variation N Ó N + + Variation * w w N w w w w * REMEMBER! In the TREBLE CLEF: All fingerings written UNDER the note are to be played with Left Hand Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout Master reprinted 6/6/06

6 New Blues (Eb Lever Harp or pedal harp) 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/Bb/Master 00060diva Variation N simile w w w N Variation N (LEFT HAND "BASS" SOLO) * + + etc (play all notes with thumb, 'etouffe', except where marked with a "") N N * Note: When played on concert grand harp, this variation can be played an octave lower if desired Ó Master reprinted 6/6/ Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout

7 New Blues (Eb Lever Harp or pedal harp) Ó Ó Ó 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/Bb/Master 00060diva Ó N N Ó rit Ó U Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout Master reprinted 6/6/06

8 Lever Harp in C: Fix all A except lowest Pedal harp: see page for pedalling info 8 qk»0-0 8 Ó New Blues For C Lever Harp Deborah Henson-Conant Ó 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/C/Master 00060diva Ó N Ó Ó Ó vmaster reprinted 6/6/ Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout

9 New Blues (For C Lever Harp or Pedal Harp) Variation 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/C/Master 00060diva N Ó N + + Variation * w w N w w w w * REMEMBER! In the TREBLE CLEF: All fingerings written UNDER the note are to be played with Left Hand Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout Master reprinted 6/6/06

10 New Blues (For C Lever Harp or Pedal Harp) 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/C/Master 00060diva Variation simile N Variation N + + etc w (LEFT HAND "BASS" SOLO) * (play all notes with thumb, 'etouffe', except where marked with a "") N w w N N * Note: When played on concert grand harp, this variation can be played an octave lower if desired Ó Master reprinted 6/6/ Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout

11 New Blues (For C Lever Harp or Pedal Harp) 99 D Henson-Conant New Blues/C/Master 00060diva Ó Ó Ó Ó N N ṛit Ó U Filename: New Bluesindd - formerly *New Blues x7 Booklet Layout - - Master reprinted 6/6/06

12 new blues for lever harps in Eb or C or for pedal harp This booklet contains two versions of NEW BLUES, for solo harp One version is for Eb lever harp" (pg -5) and the other is for "C lever harp" (pg 6-9) Either is playable on the pedal harp New Blues is a azzy theme and variations for solo harp The variations are based on a "twelve bar blues" form As in many azz arrangement, the theme (called the "head" in azz circles) is played at the beginning of the piece, then there are a set of variations (called "solos" in azz parlance), and after the variations, the theme returns (this time called the "out head") with a "tag" or a "turnaround", the standard short "cadenza" found at the end of many azz arrangements The variations in New Blues for Eb harp are based on a twelve-bar blues in F, and the variations in the version for C harp are based on a twelve-bar blues in G Feel free to repeat each of the variations twice in performance ust for fun, you also might want to try creating your own variations, or azz "solos" To do that, use the left hand as written in either of the four variations and then improvise or compose right hand melodies to be played "over" this left hand accompaniment pattern Have fun! A note about the cover This sheet music used to have a different cover, but Deborah didn't like it, so she changed it The music inside is still the same as in all other "nd Edition" copies of "New Blues" NEW BLUES SECOND EDITION OCTOBER, 99 PRINTED UNE 006 File Update Code: UD 06070/08/DHC website: HipHarpcom Master reprinted 5/0/0 - - Filename: *New Blues MANUSCRIPT 0050