New Harp Music from Adlais: Bellini's Norma - Parish Alvars

Fantaisie sur des motifs de Norma
Introduction & Variations on Bellini’s “Norma” op 36
For Harp and Orchestra
Elias Parish Alvars (1808-1849) prepared and edited by Jing-I Jang

Harp Solo, Piano Reduction, Conductors Score and the 13 Instrumental Players parts were published at the 11th World Harp Congress, Vancouver, Canada in July 2011. 



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INSTRUMENTATION

Solo Harp

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Flute
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in B-flat
2 Bassoons

2 Horns in E-flat
2 Trumpets in E-flat
3 Trombones

Timpani

Harp

Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Violoncello
Contrabass

Fantaisie sur des motifs de Norma for Harp and Orchestra ad libitum

Whereas the solo version of Introduction and Variations on Bellini’s Norma is well known and becoming ever more popular, the version with orchestral accompaniment has never been published and its existence is virtually unknown. Only one score is known to exist. Although unsigned, it is almost certainly in Parish Alvars’s hand. It is housed in the Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universitãt Basel, Switzerland. It is scored for full orchestra, consisting of one flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings. The harp solo part is almost exactly identical with the published solo versions (the negligible exceptions are noted in Jing-I Jang Elias Parish Alvars’ Fantaisie sur des motifs de Norma Part II, WHCR Fall 2010 pp10-11), but enters only after an orchestral introduction of 14 bars. The harp’s Introduction, Theme and Variation 1 are followed by an orchestral interlude, and three further orchestral interludes follow Variations II, III and IV, before the Final Allegro.

Thus the original harp solo is transformed into a Concertante for Harp and Orchestra – and the harp soloist is provided with a new Concerto without having to learn any new music. Furthermore, should he or she wish to play the work as a harp solo, all the performer has to do is to omit the orchestral interludes.

Jing-I Jang has prepared and meticulously transcribed the orchestral score from the Basel manuscript, and made a splendid piano reduction, which will be useful not only as rehearsal material, but which will stand on its own as a duo for harp and piano.

The first modern performance of the concertante version for harp and orchestra was premiered by Jing-I Jang at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on 14 September, 2008. The piano reduction, harp part and score were launched at the Eleventh World Harp Congress, Vancouver, Canada on 27 July 2011.