Marcel Tournier

Intermediate Pieces for Solo Harp 3 Band 3

Marcel Tournier (1879-1951) was one of the most important harpists/composers in the history of the harp. During his long career, he added a significant catalog of very beautiful works to the harp repertoire. Many of his almost one hundred solo works have been reissued since their first publication. In recent years, however, harpist Carl Swanson has discovered a treasure trove of previously unknown and unpublished pieces by Tournier. These include the Déchiffrages in this edition as well as songs for voice, harp and string quartet and ensemble arrangements of some of his most popular works. All the works found by Carl Swanson were only available in manuscript. With the help of the great harpist Catherine Michel, he has brought these pieces into a playable form and is now publishing them for the first time. He and Catherine often had to re-notate passages to make it clear how they could be played, adding fingerings and musical nuances, tempi, pedals and pedal diagrams. Tournier wrote these pieces when he was in his twenties and before he became the impressionist composer that those familiar with his work know so well. They are written in the romantic style of the late nineteenth century, which was taught at the Paris Conservatoire at the time. These are short pieces for intermediate level by a first-rate composer who is in dire need of repertoire at this level.