Stimmungen in Moll (Moods in minor), for Viola and Hook Harp (Piano)

In the present sheet music volume «Stimmungen in Moll» I combine the warm and soft timbre of the viola and the harp. The 13 character pieces in (neo)classical style are composed exclusively in natural and harmonic minor. I like to be inspired by painting; in this album it is the expressive paintings of Brigitte Backhausen that reflect the mood of each character piece.
With this album I would like to enrich the teaching literature for young people and adults. (Level for both instruments: advanced lower to intermediate). The theme, as the title suggests, is minor keys. Based on the peculiarities of a hooked harp, I have limited myself to the natural and harmonic minor keys, starting with three B-flat accidentals and ending with four # accidentals. For B, F-sharp and C-sharp minor, the harmonic variations are omitted, since the hook harp does not allow this.
Of course, the alternative is to play the harp part on the piano. Except for a few typically specific playing techniques of the harp, which cannot be implemented on the piano in this way (such as harmonics or the muted xylophone sound), the compositions also sound very interesting with piano.
A CD of the same name has been created, which I recorded myself, and this can also be heard online on Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube. Harp playbacks for the pieces will also appear soon.
Quite recently - at the request of colleagues who describe my compositions as a real »gap in the market« - I have also written the viola part as a violin version and also as a cello version. Judith Frenk

Duet

• Eigenverlag, 2023