main droit/main gauche
Right hand/left hand. Notated m.d./m.g. The really good harp composers (e.g. Debussy and Ravel) lay out the music so that it is clear which hand plays which notes.
Chords
Note
that the little finger is never used in harp playing. Stretches
beyond the standard chord shapes (root position, 1st and
2nd inversions) present considerable physical problems for
the harpist.
Chords:
Bisbigliando
Italian word meaning 'whispering'. This is a form of tremolo on chords (or indeed on enharmonic notes)
Fr: chuchotant Germ: flüsternd Sp: murmurando. Notated as for trill, but often used with chords. This effect is designed for quiet dynamics only.
Bisbigliando:
Près de la table
hands near the soundboard of the harp. verbal instruction, often abbreviated to p.d.l.t.
Près de la table:
Trills
Trills on the harp are really tremolos, and notated as such. The notation given here shows a common solution: the enharmonic trill. This is rapid alternation on a single pitch but across two strings. This allows for more resonant trills.
Trills:
Damping
Stopping the string vibration with the flesh of the hand.
Notated, Fr: sons étouffés; Germ: dämpfen; It: velare;
Sp: amortiguar.
When this is not specified, it is assumed that the note will die away naturally.
If in doubt, indicate l.v. (laissez vibrer) to hear a note undampened.
It is possible to damp some notes in a chord but allow others to ring on. Note
that staccato is not very common on the harp.