The Harp Cadenza from the Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major // An Excerpt Review with Danielle Kuntz

How difficult is the harp cadenza found in Ravel's Piano Concerto? In this video, Danielle breaks down the techniques used in this cadenza: glissandi, harmonics, and large left hand chords. She also compares this cadenza with a similar one found in Ravel's Introduction et Allegro.
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Video editing by Danielle Kuntz
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[@worsado2132]

Whoa, thank you so much for this video! This is so helpful for me, since I'll be accompanying this concerto soon. I don't play harp, but it's so amazing to be able to see the incredible details going on!

[@billklemm7284]

This is supremely helpful for us composers! Thanks for your awesome breakdown.

[@NeiAlmiraz]

I'm not a harpist, but your videos are eye-opening for me as a composer writing for orchestra and seeing what is actually possible on the harp and the physicality of what it looks like/what it's like to play. Thanks so much! Would you do a video on the harp part of Pavane pour une infante défunte by the same composer? The runs look intimidating to me as someone who used to play fast passages on the flute, but I suspect that they look scarier than they really are.

[@daniellekuntz]

I'm so glad the videos are helpful! Thank you! I'll add the Pavane pour une infante défunte to my video list. From my memory, the part isn't actually that bad. These short arpeggios are quite idiomatic on the harp!

[@paulcarey1354]

Wonderful that you are sharing this for aspiring arrangers and composers!

[@daniellekuntz]

Thank you!

[@jacqueline1598]

I adore this piece! Thank you for this in-depth look at the harp cadenza. 🎀

[@daniellekuntz]

This is definitely my all time favorite piano concerto (and makes me sad that I am no longer a pianist at the level where I could realistically play it!)

[@jmarkovich]

So informative, Danielle! You opened my eyes!

[@daniellekuntz]

Thank you!

[@bpe-music]

The gliss right hand + harmonic left hand trick from the Ravel Piano Concerto is one that I like to borrow every now and then when orchestrating ;-) It's just that good, and actually not that many seem to do it very often ^^

[@daniellekuntz]

It’s such a sparkly texture!

[@daviddas]

Wonderful. From one of my all-time favorite works, and this was a very helpful breakdown. I would have loved it if you explained the harmonics in more detail (how they are played, what's possible, etc.)

[@daniellekuntz]

I have a full video on harmonics from last year on my channel!

[@daviddas]

@@daniellekuntz Wonderful! KZbin tip: make sure to link to it (when you record a video, make a reference to a pre-existing video, and then put the link in the description, that way people who do want to cross-reference multiple videos from you can do so).