> Greetings! > does anyone on the list have any experience of playing duets with a harp > (either renaissance or baroque lute)? I would be grateful for some help > in terns of possible repertoire! > Thanks > Charles
As any harpist will confirm, much depends on the harp. Historical harps were mostly diatonic, often playing only the 'white' notes of a scale. Not always a problem, especially if the harp is playing harmony. Some harps are equipped with 'sharping' levers that allow a rapid change in tuning, these are anachronistic to renaissance music. A few examples of chromatic harps are known from the late renaissance, they have two or three sets of strings which are angled differently and scissor thru each other so that either hand can be raised or lowered for access to an alternate set. Begin with the polyphonic duos, and look for material which is in one key. Besides the instrumental music listed in Brown _Instrumental music printed before 1600_ you will also find duos in masses and motets. Too much material exists to try and list it here; get thee to a music library! Also peruse the material published by the Lute Society. And, dont nglect 3vv and 4vv chansons, frotollas, etc; these can be reset - both the harp and the lute can do a bit of harmony to fill in the extra voices. Basically, consider how you can do whatever music pleases you. Dont forget the possibility of the odd pickup forming a trio (perhaps a recorder player). -- Dana Emery To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
