J.S.Bach Gigue B flat

[@glennlopez6772]

Wanted to see more of this type of harp and found this today, with a wizard playing it. Thanks!

[@crossharps]

That is absolutely astounding, Paola!! Very beautiful! I would love to see some more close-up video of various parts of that amazing Pleyel harp, too!! Thanks so much for sharing this. Very inspiring!

[@carlosalbertomendoza1921]

Imprcionate!! Felicitaciones! Gracias, saludos desde Argentina capital!

[@c33r0k33]

OMG -- Paola, that is absolutely excellent! Your ability to play Bach's Gigue in B flat on your Pleyel chromatic harp is simply marvelous! The Belgian chromatic harp school definitely produced skilled harpists and you are a great example. I will let, both John Metras and Kelly Yousoufian know about this video. Great performance, thank you for sharing it with us.

[@charpnatl]

I saw a Pleyel at the the Musical Instrument Museum in Berlin and wondered what it would sound like. That was AMAZING!! Thank You so much for posting.

[@harpenedo]

Exelente! Nunca había visto este bicho en acción. Sorprendente! Felicitaciones por la exelente interpretacion. Gracias por subir esta obra. 5 ***** .

[@mirjamrietbergharp]

Beatiful playing and beautiful harp!

[@attilakovacs5803]

You are my inspiration, Paula. Thanks! BTW Francisco Tárrega made an excellent transcription of this piece for guitar.

[@hugarupitopopotaries]

Excellent.

[@racevmtz]

Extraordinario!!!

[@c33r0k33]

@NoemiAndTheHarp I mentioned in an article in the folk harp journal, the cross strung chromatic harp is not strange at all once you learn its pattern and technique. From someone use to the chromatic harp who never touched a pedal harp, that would be strange. Time behind either harp with a good instructor would make either harp seem natural and familiar.

[@KathyPepers]

You are *amazing*!

[@harperodk]

Thankyou so much -delighted to find some of these old harps still around & being played so well. It's a pity that the Pleyel cross-strung harp didn't "take off" around 110 years ago. More sensible & less costly to have a string for every note same as a keyboard instrument than all the complicated machinery of a pedal harp, or levers on a Celtic harp.

[@benbrown8258]

With the chromatic harp, the Paris conservatory was pressured by staff to resist allowing the chromatic to be taught and never fully welcomed it although many French music critics praised the harp and its music. The first teacher, John Risler had to flee to Belgium to find a more hospitable music school. Harp companies even set up a false competition with a pedal harpist who had over a decade of training under the best instructors against John Risler, a pianist, who had the chromatic harp two years for which to develop a performance technique. I know of a couple formally trained pedal harpists who received their advanced degree focusing on the inferiority of the cross strung harp, rather than working on advancing pedal harp ability. No, the cross strung harp, is far more valuable, capable and usable than people imagine. The only people I would trust on how well this harp works are those who have studied it.

[@jimbuxton2187]

@@benbrown8258 the chromatic harp is beautiful, it can't do the lovely chord glissandos or harmonics the pedal harp can, but the pedal harp doesn't have the chromatic ability of the cross strung harp either! I think the eye focus and the cross strings and all the tuning did it in. I also heard they are 150 pounds because of all the metal reinforcement because of the tension of 94 strings. I also enjoy your playing!

[@c33r0k33]

Reply to Samulis Augustus1 year ago Samuel, I knew of a church in Grand Rapids, Michigan that wanted the sound of a glissando on the harp so badly and that was the "only" important thing they knew about the harp. They didn't want anything else because expectations had been set so low. They purchased what was then an $11,000.00 harp and had someone who had never played harp before learn how to set pedals and play the "harp" sound in 4 lessons for their orchestral piece. Yes glissandii are a valid part of pedal harp performance, but to say all music depends on them seems as deep as my friend's demand that is all a harp should be. A harp, whether pedal, or chromatic cross strung is more than a sterotype. Paola plays with exceptional skill which is worthy of regard and can answer questions by those who have never studied or played the instrument. Interestingly though, Risler, who founded the Belgium school is rumored to have expected his students to play glissandi in more than the obvious three on a chromatic. I've seen the music for it, but can't imagined the technical execution.

[@JD97711]

+c33r0k33 Excellent observation and thank you. I have learned something new via your insight. "Glissando" ! Yes, she does indeed glide, sweetly. I am new to this sound and it is honey to my ears. I am so very grateful.

[@DanaKowalsky]

This is amazing. I would love a cross strung harp

[@MrKadvaga]

celestial

[@jimbuxton2187]

Wonderful ! How long does a cross strung harp last?

[@ordisi78]

J. S. Bach, Partita No. 1, B-flat major, Gigue

[@SamGossner]

Very interesting, although I wonder if it is possible to play glissandi on this harp aside from just the default diatonic and pentatonic... I would think the loss of the infamous harp gliss would be enough reason for many composers to be wary of writing for it, even if they got an excuse to stop worrying about pedals.

[@benbrown8258]

Very good call Sam. For some composers glissandi are the most important, sometimes only strength, they think the harp is capable of. Even the pedal harp has much more ability than glissandi and enharmonics. The cross strung harp definitely as demonstrated here has a natural strength. From triple strung to wire string, harps can have much music in common. That is a benefit to society, not a liability or threat any more than women are the ultimate expression of the universe rather than men. That's silly. We are best off when both exist, respected and valued though there are many overlapping abilities.