Aces High Stephen Dunstone

Aces High For - Intermediate 3-part (or 4-part) harp ensemble Please click the "About this work & Performance Notes" heading below for further details This book is supplied as a score and set of 4 parts   Buy this music now £10.50 +p&p

Artist Profile and catalogue of works - Stephen Dunstone

Aces High

There are four parts as follows::-

Harp 1
Harp 2
Harp 3
Harp 4 (optional)

 

This is described as a "3- (or 4-) part ensemble". This is because the the main three parts are what define the piece's character and sound, but there is an optional extra 4th part so that less nimble players can join in. However, I should add that it's perfectly possible for relative beginners with a good sense of rhythm to play the Harp 1 and 2 parts with leapfrogging nifty index fingers, leaving the more advanced players to take the full harmony in the Harp 3 part.

I did originally include the 4th harp part in the full score, but it necessitated either having the score several pages longer in order to fit all the staves in (which would increase the cost), or making the font size too small for comfort (well, my comfort, anyway), so I have included it only as a separate insert.

I've also written the chord names in the Harp 1 part to provide extra performing flexibility: a Harp 1 player desperate to be doing more with their hands could provide a bit of extra (unobtrusive) accompaniment; or a guitarist might like to strum along.

There are no sudden, unexpected strange chromaticisms: the outer sections are Dorian Mode on A (i.e. G major tuning), and the middle section is C major, so the changes of key signature make it obvious what pedal harpists have to do. To make it easier for lever harp players, they should do the following:-

Harp 1: set the 1st octave F as a natural from the start; only the 2nd octave F will need to be flipped at the key changes.

Harp 2: set the 2nd octave F as a natural; only the 3rd octave F will need to be changed.

Harp 3: set the 4th octave F as a natural; only the 3rd octave F will need to be changed.

Harp 4: set all the Fs below middle C as sharps, throughout, and all the Fs above middle C as naturals, then no lever changes are required.

These instructions are in the individual parts.

Title:	Aces High
Composer:	Stephen Dunstone
Instrumentation:	3 (or 4) Lever or Pedal Harps
Level:	Intermediate
Format:	A4 stapled score and set of 4 A4 parts
Weight:	140gm
ISMN:	979-0-57046-290-2
Our Ref:	SD1021
Publisher:	Creighton's Collection
Printer/Distributor:	Creighton's Collection
Edition/Year:	2018
Origin:	UK