[Harp-L] 12th pos. National Anthem

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

sonny22@xxxxxxx wrote:

<Ok, so I'm getting sucked into learning the National Anthem on harp for some
<upcoming sports events.? It's easiest to play in first, but the emotional quality
<comes out better if there's some bent notes in there.? I'm playing it solo,
<so it doesn't really matter what key it's in, but I'll prob. be playing
<it in the key of F, in 12th, which would be a C harp.? My main trouble areas is 
<the very beginning, the little 3 note run that goes down, and then back up the <same
<3 notes, before hitting a higher note.( Oh say can you see, by the dawn's early
<light?)? And then the?other tricky part for me:? "Oh say does that star spangled
<banner yet wave..."(the climax that leads into the ending).? Fred Yonnet plays
<a killer version on Youtube, and I think its also in 12th(but I could be wrong).?
<I would greatly appreciate any help from anyone about this, because it's something
<I pretty much have to do.? If someone could either email me or replay back on the
<list, it would be wonderful.

12th position is necessary because of the sharped 4th in this piece (on "dawn's ear-LY" light, sharp 4 on LY). But there's a also a natural 4 placed an octave higher, which in 12th position must be played as a bent note in the top octave (on the highest hole) or an overblow on the 6 reed, neither of which is an ideal solution in my opinion.

This piece lays out very well on a country-tuned harp in 1st position (5 draw reed tuned up 1/2 step).  In this approach, there are plenty of harmony notes available as well as all the melody notes (without bending or overblowing).  The first melody note is played on the blow 6 reed in this position.  

You can hear my recording of this piece played solo in 1st position on a country tuned harp at broadjam.com/rhunter.  Select "play all 36 songs," then look for the piece on the list that follows.  This is a pretty simple arrangement with a few harmonizations.  I found in working this arrangement up for a performance in October 2001 that the simpler I played it, the more emotionally involved the audience got.  I avoided bent notes in favor of playing the melody with a clear, singing tone.  This melody speaks for itself, at least with an American audience.  I added "Taps" as a coda to the end, which really opened the emotional floodgates.

Regards, Richard Hunter