Compose Harp: Standard Revisions for the Nutcracker Harp Cadenza

[@balletobsessedweirdo]

Wow, it was so cool to hear the original idea by Tchaikovsky , thank you for the video, the waltz of the flowers is one of my favorite songs in the entire world❤

[@dwilliams21]

Very helpful for me as a composer, trying to fashion a similar sound for a different project! Thank you for this!

[@daniellekuntz]

Absolutely!

[@briansolomons744]

As a composer I found this really interesting and I'm looking at my harp writing again. BTW you play Tchaikovsky's original beautifully. Thanks very much.

[@daniellekuntz]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful! (and glad I didn't completely botch the original!)

[@alisonpwilson8086]

Thank you - I learnt to play your own preferred version nearly 30 years ago and now, teaching it for the first time, found your video really helpful.

[@daniellekuntz]

I'm so glad to hear that!

[@yipengli1072]

Could I add something to your discussion? There is a Dutch tradition of replacing the long upward arpeggio with two arpeggios, one from the bottom to the middle and then a larger one to the top. I believe it originated in the Dutch orchestras like the Concertgebouw. I find it neater and tasteful than the Bolshoi glissandos in the Dulova edition. I have an attachment to this way. On one of the British story tapes produced by Pickwick for the Ladybird fairy tale books, there is a recording of the Waltz of the Flowers used as background music. The harpist on that recording replaces the long ascending arpeggio with two arpeggios.

[@daniellekuntz]

Thanks for sharing!

[@famorello9113]

As a beginner on harp i must say i love your content. Keep going!!!

[@daniellekuntz]

I'm glad to hear that! Thank you!

[@harpbykaty4551]

I love this video! Great information!

[@daniellekuntz]

Thank you! This was a fun one to record!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Just subscribed after checking out a few of your vids! Great stuff, it's always really nice to have a harpist's insight :-)

[@daniellekuntz]

Thank you! I'm glad you're finding the videos useful!

[@DaveGardner-Composer]

Including the score excerpts as you play is awesome for composers. It can be very difficult to translate what you are hearing (or even seeing) to what's actually on the sheet of music. I do a lot of harp writing these days, it seems...so, I'll be back for more videos!

[@daniellekuntz]

Awesome, I'm glad to hear the scores are helpful--I'll be sure to include them in future videos! Stay tuned, more videos coming soon!

[@reggie2570]

Impressive, Danielle! I am only a listener, not a composer or harpist, but even I find your explanations understandable and interesting. Though, it was a bit of a shock to discover the nutcracker piece I have watched/heard so many times is not Tchaikovsky’s original!😲

[@daniellekuntz]

Ahh, thank you! It's crazy how a lot of these orchestral harp parts aren't ever played as written!

[@emilyoskins8510]

What a great, informative idea for a video! Also, props for learning the original cadenza - I know it's a bear. I also favor the Gayle Barrington version. Wonderful job!

[@daniellekuntz]

Haha, it was a fun challenge! Thank you for watching!

[@laloflores7483]

Where can I find the gayle Barrington version ? Btw you did amazing !!

[@daniellekuntz]

it's available here: www.harp.com/product/the-nutcracker-ballet-complete-harps-1-and-2-combined/ Thank you!!

[@mesapdarecriminals0integri563]

I wanted to hear your idea of a glissando in it. Me, I’m just never able to play a glissando in the right key. Now I know, that sounds ridiculous and IS impossible. But it’s not...I have heard harpists play a glissando that fits a piece and just by the glissando I can say, hmm...he/she’s in...I dunno...D Major (like this cadenza). And it’s very clearly in D Major. I’m a self taught harpist so I guess I missed the class where you learn to do that because my glissando just sounds like, “yup, now that there is every single note...” My best guess is that it must have something to do with the notes on which you change direction and if that is the case, at the speed of a glissando I simply don’t have the control needed to build it around exact notes framing it.

[@daniellekuntz]

Personally, I do like the arpeggio rather than the glissando. But, you can do a chordal glissando by doubling notes to make it sound like a chord rather than a scale. For a D major glissando, you can set the pedals to D C# B | E F# Gb A. The doubled F#/Gb gives it more of the chordal feel.

[@Eliaszu1]

Gayle Barrington

[@daniellekuntz]

Her edition fits the modern harp so well!