Neshama by Alexandra Coursen - Downloadable Sheet Music
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Description
Runner Up of the Future Blend Project Competition 2017.
A note from Alexandra:
Neshama is Hebrew for spirit, and was composed as a wedding gift for my friends, Henry and Jani. To create this Name Piece, I assigned the letters in their names to notes. These “name-notes” were used for the melody and other sections of the piece.
The Introduction: Uses the initials of the names in an upward arpeggio.
The Melody: Uses the first and last names for the notes. “Henry Ettinger”sounds masculine and assertive. “Jani Klebanow” sounds feminine and winsome.
The Transitions: Uses scales, chords and patterns featuring the note “A”, pursuing the note, “C” (the first initials of the names). The first transition suggests the night when Henry and Jani met at a social club in New York City. Once Henry was introduced to Jani, he would not leave her side, and persistently followed her around the room. Henry was determined not to let Jani get away, just as the “A” note in- tently chases the “C#” note. As the piece progresses, the “A’s” and “C#’s” get closer in the transitions,
just as Henry and Jani became closer during their courtship.
The Coda: The notes of the surnames are intertwined in melody and harmony, symbolizing Henry and Jani’s marriage.
The Closing: A downward arpeggio uses the initials of the names, and echoes the Introduction.
Two versions of Neshama are provided. The first score shows how the letters of the names were used. The second is for performance, and omits the “name-notes”.
Neshama was composed over several months, and I wrote in detail about the process. You can view my blog for April-June 2016 at: http://www.alexandracoursen.com
A recording of Neshama performed by London-based harpist Olivia Jageurs is available for 3 pounds, and all proceeds benefit the Future Blend Project. The CD includes all the other 2017 Future Blend harp compositions are also performed on this CD. Please consider purchasing this CD to support the Future Blend Project. It makes a great gift for any occasion.
www.futureblendproject.co.uk
A note from Alexandra:
Neshama is Hebrew for spirit, and was composed as a wedding gift for my friends, Henry and Jani. To create this Name Piece, I assigned the letters in their names to notes. These “name-notes” were used for the melody and other sections of the piece.
The Introduction: Uses the initials of the names in an upward arpeggio.
The Melody: Uses the first and last names for the notes. “Henry Ettinger”sounds masculine and assertive. “Jani Klebanow” sounds feminine and winsome.
The Transitions: Uses scales, chords and patterns featuring the note “A”, pursuing the note, “C” (the first initials of the names). The first transition suggests the night when Henry and Jani met at a social club in New York City. Once Henry was introduced to Jani, he would not leave her side, and persistently followed her around the room. Henry was determined not to let Jani get away, just as the “A” note in- tently chases the “C#” note. As the piece progresses, the “A’s” and “C#’s” get closer in the transitions,
just as Henry and Jani became closer during their courtship.
The Coda: The notes of the surnames are intertwined in melody and harmony, symbolizing Henry and Jani’s marriage.
The Closing: A downward arpeggio uses the initials of the names, and echoes the Introduction.
Two versions of Neshama are provided. The first score shows how the letters of the names were used. The second is for performance, and omits the “name-notes”.
Neshama was composed over several months, and I wrote in detail about the process. You can view my blog for April-June 2016 at: http://www.alexandracoursen.com
A recording of Neshama performed by London-based harpist Olivia Jageurs is available for 3 pounds, and all proceeds benefit the Future Blend Project. The CD includes all the other 2017 Future Blend harp compositions are also performed on this CD. Please consider purchasing this CD to support the Future Blend Project. It makes a great gift for any occasion.
www.futureblendproject.co.uk