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CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR HARP

Contemporary music for harp | Harp pieces | Contemporary harp music | Contemporary harp repertoire | 20th-century music for harp | Harp composers | Modern harp compositions | Experimental harp pieces | Avant-garde harp compositions | Innovative harp repertoire | Harp music by contemporary composers | New harp works | Harp performance modern pieces | Cutting-edge harp compositions | Harp solo contemporary music

UNACCOMPANIED HARP

SOLO


East of the Cane Fields
8' | harp solo​
 

Unaccompanied harp music | Solo harp compositions | Contemporary harp solos | Modern harp repertoire | Solo harp performances | Solo harp pieces | Contemporary harp arrangements | Solo harp works | Avant-garde harp solos | Innovative harp compositions

CHAMBER MUSIC FOR HARP

chamber


Seven Haiku
12' | for flute (or alto flute) and harp
 

Contemporary chamber music for harp | Harp ensemble pieces | Modern harp chamber works | Chamber music repertoire with harp | Contemporary harp chamber ensembles | Harp ensemble compositions | Innovative harp chamber music | Avant-garde harp chamber pieces | Modern harp ensemble repertoire | Experimental harp chamber music

Veiled Echoes
15' | flute, viola and harp
 

Quartet for Flute, Clarinet Bassoon and Harp
27' | flute (doubles piccolo), clarinet, bassoon and harp
 

Flashes of Decay
12' | flute / piccolo; English horn; clarinet / bass clarinet; horn; tuba; percussion (2); harp; piano
 

VOCAL MUSIC WITH HARP

vocal


A’l Mishcavi Baleylot (Upon my bed by night)
5' | soprano and harp
 

Contemporary vocal music with harp | Harp-accompanied vocal pieces | Modern vocal-harp collaborations | Vocal-harp repertoire | Contemporary vocal-harp duets | Harp-accompanied vocal compositions | Innovative vocal-harp arrangements | Avant-garde vocal-harp music | Modern vocal-harp repertoire | Experimental vocal-harp pieces

Spring Calls
for soprano and ensemble
10' 30" | leggiero soprano (also plays small percussion instruments),flute, viola, cello and harp
 

Sheet Music for Harp:

List of Key 20th–21st Century Percussion Repertoire

  • Luciano Berio – Sequenza II – solo harp – 1963

  • Benjamin Britten – Suite for Harp – solo harp – 1969

  • Benjamin Britten – A Ceremony of Carols – harp and choir – 1942

  • Benjamin Britten – Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus – harp and tenor – 1974

  • Benjamin Britten – A Birthday Hansel – harp and high voice – 1975

  • David Bruce – Caja de Musica – solo harp – 2009

  • Howard J. Buss – Awakening – solo harp – 2010

  • André Caplet – Divertissement à la française – solo harp – 1924

  • André Caplet – Divertissement à l’espagnole – solo harp – 1924

  • Elliott Carter – Bariolage – solo harp – 1992

  • Jean-Michel Damase – Thème et variations – solo harp – 1995

  • Gabriel Fauré – Impromptu, Op. 86 – solo harp – 1904

  • Gabriel Fauré – Une châtelaine en sa tour, Op. 110 – solo harp – 1918

  • Peggy Glanville-Hicks – Harp Sonata – solo harp – 1953

  • Alphonse Hasselmans – Three Préludes, Opp. 51–53 – solo harp – 1902

  • Paul Hindemith – Harp Sonata – solo harp – 1939

  • Alan Hovhaness – Nocturne – solo harp – 1935 (rev. 1959)

  • Alan Hovhaness – Harp Sonata – solo harp – 1954

  • Alan Hovhaness – Suite for Harp – solo harp – 1973

  • Bertold Hummel – Gregorian Fantasy for Harp – solo harp – 1994

  • Vincent Persichetti – Parable for Harp, Op. 153 – solo harp – 1973

  • Karlheinz Stockhausen – Freude – harp duo – 2005

  • Karlheinz Stockhausen – In Freundschaft – solo harp – 1977

  • Iannis Xenakis – Mists – solo harp – 1980

ABOUT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR HARP

Contemporary music for the harp is an exhilarating and evolving field that has experienced notable growth and innovation in recent years. This genre is distinguished by its wide array of styles and compositions, ranging from solo works to large ensemble pieces, and from classical influences to avant-garde experimentation. The harp, with its ethereal and resonant tones, intricate pedal mechanisms, and vast expressive range, has become a favored instrument among many contemporary composers. These composers are consistently pushing the boundaries of what the harp can achieve, inventing new techniques and sounds that challenge traditional notions of the instrument's capabilities. From delicate, shimmering arpeggios to powerful, percussive effects, the harp's versatility makes it an intriguing and captivating choice for modern musical exploration.

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