Prout | Chapter V | Figures
The Harp:
The Guitar:
The Mandolin:
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation:Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 73
Summary of Figure: The notes Cb1 and Fb7, which represent the limits of the harp range.
Exemplification of: harp range
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 73 [Note: The notes Cb1 and Fb7, which represent the limits of the harp range.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 74
Summary of Figure: An example from Prout's "Alfred" demonstrating a situation in which it is advantageous to write the harp part in an enharmonically equivalent key to the rest of the orchestra. In this example, the movement is in F-sharp major but the harp part is notated in G-flat major. The reason for this is that flatter keys require less shortening of the harp strings, producing a better sonority.
Exemplification of: harp keys, enharmonic equivalence
Composer and Work: Prout, Ebenezer | Alfred, op.16 <1885>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 74 [Note: An example from Prout's "Alfred" demonstrating a situation in which it is advantageous to write the harp part in an enharmonically equivalent key to the rest of the orchestra. In this example, the movement is in F-sharp major but the harp part is notated in G-flat major. The reason for this is that flatter keys require less shortening of the harp strings, producing a better sonority.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 75
Summary of Figure: An example from the final scene of Wagner's "Die Walküre" demonstrating "how NOT to write for the harp." The necessity of changing two or three pedals on every beat makes this passage nearly unplayable, and according to Prout, "absolutely antagonistic to the nature of the instrument."
Exemplification of: harp pedal changes
Composer and Work: Wagner, Richard | Die Walküre, WWV 86b <1854–1856>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 75 [Note: An example from the final scene of Wagner's "Die Walküre" demonstrating "how NOT to write for the harp." The necessity of changing two or three pedals on every beat makes this passage nearly unplayable, and according to Prout, "absolutely antagonistic to the nature of the instrument."]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 76
Summary of Figure: An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.
Exemplification of: harp arpeggios, violin and viola mutes, cello and bass pizzicato
Composer and Work: Schumann, Robert | Scenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe's Faust), WoO 3 <1853-1
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 76 [Note: (1/3) An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 77
Summary of Figure: An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.
Exemplification of: harp arpeggios, violin and viola mutes, cello and bass pizzicato
Composer and Work: Schumann, Robert | Scenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe's Faust), WoO 3 <1853-1
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 77 [Note: (2/3) An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.
Exemplification of: harp arpeggios, violin and viola mutes, cello and bass pizzicato
Composer and Work: Schumann, Robert | Scenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe's Faust), WoO 3 <1853-1
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 78 [Note: (3/3) An example from Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust" demonstrating a simple arpeggiated harp accompaniment to an oboe and voice melody. The arpeggiated harmonies are reinforces by muted violins and violas, and the bass notes are doubled in lower octaves by pizzicato cellos and basses.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 78
Summary of Figure: An example from Auber's "Le Cheval de Bronze" demonstrating a passage with arpeggiated harp interjections. In this example, the division of the arpeggios between the two hands is not notated, and is left to the discretion of the performer.
Exemplification of: harp arpeggios
Composer and Work: Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit | Le cheval de bronze (The Bronze Horseman) <1835>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 78 [Note: (1/2)An example from Auber's "Le Cheval de Bronze" demonstrating a passage with arpeggiated harp interjections. In this example, the division of the arpeggios between the two hands is not notated, and is left to the discretion of the performer.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 79
Summary of Figure: An example from Auber's "Le Cheval de Bronze" demonstrating a passage with arpeggiated harp interjections. In this example, the division of the arpeggios between the two hands is not notated, and is left to the discretion of the performer.
Exemplification of: harp arpeggios
Composer and Work: Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit | Le cheval de bronze (The Bronze Horseman) <1835>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 79 [Note: (2/2)An example from Auber's "Le Cheval de Bronze" demonstrating a passage with arpeggiated harp interjections. In this example, the division of the arpeggios between the two hands is not notated, and is left to the discretion of the performer.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 79
Summary of Figure: An example from Spohr's "Des Heilands letzte Stunden" or "Calvary" demonstrating a harp accompaniment to a melody in the solo horn, solo violin, and solo cello. The harp chords demonstrate a distribution of notes that creates a close voicing and never uses more than four fingers in each hand. In the third bar, the division of hands for the arpeggio is indicated in the notation.
Exemplification of: harp accompaniment, solo violin, solo cello, solo horn melody
Composer and Work: Spohr, Ludwig (Louis) | Des Heilands letzte Stunden (Calvary), WoO 62 <1834–1835>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 79 [Note: (1/2)An example from Spohr's "Des Heilands letzte Stunden" or "Calvary" demonstrating a harp accompaniment to a melody in the solo horn, solo violin, and solo cello. The harp chords demonstrate a distribution of notes that creates a close voicing and never uses more than four fingers in each hand. In the third bar, the division of hands for the arpeggio is indicated in the notation.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 80
Summary of Figure: An example from Spohr's "Des Heilands letzte Stunden" or "Calvary" demonstrating a harp accompaniment to a melody in the solo horn, solo violin, and solo cello. The harp chords demonstrate a distribution of notes that creates a close voicing and never uses more than four fingers in each hand. In the third bar, the division of hands for the arpeggio is indicated in the notation.
Exemplification of: harp accompaniment, solo violin, solo cello, solo horn melody
Composer and Work: Spohr, Ludwig (Louis) | Des Heilands letzte Stunden (Calvary), WoO 62 <1834–1835>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 80 [Note: (2/2) An example from Spohr's "Des Heilands letzte Stunden" or "Calvary" demonstrating a harp accompaniment to a melody in the solo horn, solo violin, and solo cello. The harp chords demonstrate a distribution of notes that creates a close voicing and never uses more than four fingers in each hand. In the third bar, the division of hands for the arpeggio is indicated in the notation.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 85
Summary of Figure: An example from Rossini's "The Siege of Corinth" demonstrating a cello melody accompanied by two harps. The cello section is divided into two parts, and the harp accompaniment includes both chords and arpeggios.
Exemplification of: harp accompaniment, cello divisi
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 85 [Note: An example from Rossini's "The Siege of Corinth" demonstrating a cello melody accompanied by two harps. The cello section is divided into two parts, and the harp accompaniment includes both chords and arpeggios.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 84
Summary of Figure: An example from Meyerbeer's "Le Prophète" demonstrating a passage for voice accompanied by two harps and timpani. The harps play full rolled chords, and the second harp doubles the first an octave below.
Exemplification of: harp chords
Composer and Work: Meyerbeer, Giacomo | Le prophète <1849>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 84 [Note: An example from Meyerbeer's "Le Prophète" demonstrating a passage for voice accompanied by two harps and timpani. The harps play full rolled chords, and the second harp doubles the first an octave below.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 80
Summary of Figure: An example from Mendelssohn's "Oedipus at Colonus" demonstrating the combination of pizzicato strings and harp chords.
Exemplification of: harp chords
Composer and Work: Mendelssohn, Felix | Oedipus at Colonus <1845>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 80 [Note: An example from Mendelssohn's "Oedipus at Colonus" demonstrating the combination of pizzicato strings and harp chords.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81
Summary of Figure: The notes Bb2 and D5. This is the range within which Prout recommends writing harmonics for the harp.
Exemplification of: harp harmonics, range
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81 [Note: The notes Bb2 and D5. This is the range within which Prout recommends writing harmonics for the harp.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81
Summary of Figure: An example from Boieldieu's "La Dame Blanche" demonstrating a passage in harmonics on the harp. This example shows the notational practice of notating a "o" over the string to be played, rather than the sounding pitches produced (next example).
Exemplification of: harp harmonics, notation
Composer and Work: Boieldieu, François | La dame blanche <1825>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81 [Note: An example from Boieldieu's "La Dame Blanche" demonstrating a passage in harmonics on the harp. This example shows the notational practice of notating a "o" over the string to be played, rather than the sounding pitches produced (next example).]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81
Summary of Figure: An example from Boieldieu's "La Dame Blanche" demonstrating a passage in harmonics on the harp. This example shows the resulting sounding pitches produced by the harmonics, not the notation used (previous example).
Exemplification of: harp harmonics, notation
Composer and Work: Boieldieu, François | La dame blanche <1825>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81 [Note: An example from Boieldieu's "La Dame Blanche" demonstrating a passage in harmonics on the harp. This example shows the resulting sounding pitches produced by the harmonics, not the notation used (previous example).]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81
Summary of Figure: An example from the "Ballet des Sylphes" of Belioz's "Damnation de Faust" demonstrating the use of harmonics with two harps. In this example, the harp harmonics are accompanied by a D pedal in the cello and double bass, interjections in the timpani, and clarinets in the last chord. All instruments play "pppp," or as softly as possible.
Exemplification of: harp harmonics, dynamics, as softly as possible
Composer and Work: Berlioz, Hector | La damnation de Faust, op.24 <1845–1846>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 81 [Note: An example from the "Ballet des Sylphes" of Belioz's "Damnation de Faust" demonstrating the use of harmonics with two harps. In this example, the harp harmonics are accompanied by a D pedal in the cello and double bass, interjections in the timpani, and clarinets in the last chord. All instruments play "pppp," or as softly as possible.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82
Summary of Figure: An example showing all the notes on the harp that can be played as two differently named, enharmonically equivalent notes. Prout also refers to these pair as "synonyms" or "homophones."
Exemplification of: harp note synonyms, enharmonic equivalence
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82 [Note: An example showing all the notes on the harp that can be played as two differently named, enharmonically equivalent notes. Prout also refers to these pair as "synonyms" or "homophones."]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82
Summary of Figure: An example showing the tuning of each string of the harp necessary to produce the three fully diminished seventh chords (next example).
Exemplification of: harp note synonyms, enharmonic equivalence, chords, diminished sevenths
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82 [Note: An example showing the tuning of each string of the harp necessary to produce the three fully diminished seventh chords (next example).]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82
Summary of Figure: An example showing the three fully diminished seventh chords that can be produced on the harp by tuning some pairs of strings as enharmonic equivalents (previous example).
Exemplification of: harp note synonyms, enharmonic equivalence, chords, diminished seventh.
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 82 [Note: An example showing the three fully diminished seventh chords that can be produced on the harp by tuning some pairs of strings as enharmonic equivalents (previous example).]
Chapter: The harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 83
Summary of Figure: An example from Liszt's "Dante" Symphony demonstrating a passage in a harp cadenza that uses pairs of enharmonically equivalent notes to tune to a fully diminished seventh chord. The chord cycles through several octaves, at dynamics ranging from pianissimo to fortissimo. The notation in this excerpt indicates the enharmonic equivalence explicitely, but this type of passage is often written with one note name per pair for simplicity (next example).
Exemplification of: harp note synonyms, enharmonic equivalence, chords, diminished sevenths, dynamics
Composer and Work: Liszt, Franz | Dante Symphony, S.109 (Eine Symphonie zu Dantes Divina Commedia) <1855–1856>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 83 [Note: An example from Liszt's "Dante" Symphony demonstrating a passage in a harp cadenza that uses pairs of enharmonically equivalent notes to tune to a fully diminished seventh chord. The chord cycles through several octaves, at dynamics ranging from pianissimo to fortissimo. The notation in this excerpt indicates the enharmonic equivalence explicitely, but this type of passage is often written with one note name per pair for simplicity (next example).]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Harp
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 83
Summary of Figure: An example showing a simplified notation for a passage from a harp cadenza in Liszt's "Dante" Symphony. The passage uses pairs of enharmonically equivalent notes to tune to a fully diminished seventh chord, and the original notation indicates the enharmonic equivalence explicitely (previous example). This example shows only one note per pair, to reflect the actual pitches produced.
Exemplification of: harp note synonyms, enharmonic equivalence, chords, diminished sevenths
Composer and Work: Liszt, Franz | Dante Symphony, S.109 (Eine Symphonie zu Dantes Divina Commedia) <1855–1856> Movement I. Inferno
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 83 [Note: An example showing a simplified notation for a passage from a harp cadenza in Liszt's "Dante" Symphony. The passage uses pairs of enharmonically equivalent notes to tune to a fully diminished seventh chord, and the original notation indicates the enharmonic equivalence explicitely (previous example). This example shows only one note per pair, to reflect the actual pitches produced.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86
Summary of Figure: An illustration showing the appearance of the guitar.
Exemplification of: Guitar illustration
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86 [Note: An illustration showing the appearance of the guitar.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86
Summary of Figure: An example showing the tuning of each string on the guitar, at sounding pitch in bass clef. In practice, guitar music is notated an octave above sounding pitch and in treble clef (next example).
Exemplification of: Guitar strings, tuning
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86 [Note: An example showing the tuning of each string on the guitar, at sounding pitch in bass clef. In practice, guitar music is notated an octave above sounding pitch and in treble clef (next example).]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86
Summary of Figure: An example showing the tuning of each string on the guitar, with the notation used in practice: an octave above sounding pitch, in treble clef.
Exemplification of: Guitar strings, clefs, transposing notation
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 86 [Note: An example showing the tuning of each string on the guitar, with the notation used in practice: an octave above sounding pitch, in treble clef.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 867
Summary of Figure: An example from Weber's "Oberon" demonstrating a simple guitar accompaniment to a solo soprano melody.
Exemplification of: guitar accompaniment, voice melody
Composer and Work: Weber, Carl Maria von | Oberon, J.306 <1825–1826>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 867[Note: An example from Weber's "Oberon" demonstrating a simple guitar accompaniment to a solo soprano melody.]
Chapter: The guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 87
Summary of Figure: An example from Auber's "Le Duc d'Olonne" demonstrating a vocal melody doubled by the guitar at the sixth with an embellished line. The string accompaniment is light and pianissimo so as not to overpower the guitar.
Exemplification of: Guitar-voice combination, string accompaniment
Composer and Work: Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit | Le duc d’Olonne <1841-1842>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 87 [Note: (1/2) An example from Auber's "Le Duc d'Olonne" demonstrating a vocal melody doubled by the guitar at the sixth with an embellished line. The string accompaniment is light and pianissimo so as not to overpower the guitar.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Guitar
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88
Summary of Figure: An example from Auber's "Le Duc d'Olonne" demonstrating a vocal melody doubled by the guitar at the sixth with an embellished line. The string accompaniment is light and pianissimo so as not to overpower the guitar.
Exemplification of: Guitar-voice combination, string accompaniment
Composer and Work: Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit | Le duc d’Olonne <1841-1842>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88 [Note: (2/2) An example from Auber's "Le Duc d'Olonne" demonstrating a vocal melody doubled by the guitar at the sixth with an embellished line. The string accompaniment is light and pianissimo so as not to overpower the guitar.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Mandolin
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88
Summary of Figure: An illustration showing the appearance of the Neapolitan mandolin.
Exemplification of: Mandolin illustration
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88 [Note: An illustration showing the appearance of the Neapolitan mandolin.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Mandolin
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88
Summary of Figure: An example showing the tuning of each string on the Neapolitan mandolin.
Exemplification of: mandolin strings, tuning
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 88 [Note: An example showing the tuning of each string on the Neapolitan mandolin.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Mandolin
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 89
Summary of Figure: An example from Handel's "Alexander Balus" demonstrating unison doubling between harp and mandolin. They are accompanied by divisi cellos and double basses playing pizzicato.
Exemplification of: Harp-mandolin unison doubling, cello divisi
Composer and Work: Handel, George Frideric | Alexander Balus, HWV 65 <1748>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 89 [Note: An example from Handel's "Alexander Balus" demonstrating unison doubling between harp and mandolin. They are accompanied by divisi cellos and double basses playing pizzicato.]
Chapter 5: The Harp, Guitar, and Mandoline: The Mandolin
Citation: Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 90
Summary of Figure: An example from Paisiello's "Il Bariere di Siviglia" demonstrating the combination of mandolin with pizzicato first and second violins. Violas, cellos, and double basses play the same arco bassline, doubled in two octaves. The clarinets follow a simplified version of the mandolin melody, helping to sustain the harmony.
Exemplification of: mandolin melody, mandolin-clarinet-pizzicato violin combination, viola-cello-double bass two-octave doubling
Composer and Work: Paisiello, Giovanni | Il barbiere di Siviglia, ovvero La precauzione inutile <1782>
Prout, 1899 (vol.I), p. 90 [Note: An example from Paisiello's "Il Bariere di Siviglia" demonstrating the combination of mandolin with pizzicato first and second violins. Violas, cellos, and double basses play the same arco bassline, doubled in two octaves. The clarinets follow a simplified version of the mandolin melody, helping to sustain the harmony.]