Schwarzkopf Angela M 201506 DMA Thesis

The Life of Marcel Tournier and a Guide to the
Performance Practices of His Music
by
Angela Schwarzkopf
A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
© Copyright by Angela Schwarzkopf 2015

The Life and Marcel Tournier and a Guide to the
Performance Practices of His Music
Angela Schwarzkopf
Doctor of Musical Arts
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
2015
Abstract
The primary goal of this dissertation is to expand the body of knowledge related to the life and
compositional developments of harpist-composer, Marcel Tournier, thereby providing insight
into the performance practices of his music.
Through archival research in France, and through interviews conducted with Tournier family
members, the biography on Marcel Tournier has been expanded. In order to establish the
performance practices of Tournier’s music, interviews were conducted with three of his students:
Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche, Huguette Geliot, and Gérard Devos. The results of these interviews
provide insights into the compositional style and interpretive elements of Tournier’s music.
The second goal of this dissertation is to address the performer’s role within the discussion of
authenticity in music, encouraging the performer to make informed and thoughtful performance
choices in the harp repertoire of Marcel Tournier. Issues relating to the interpretation of the text
(score), and composer’s intentions are also explored.
Through a detailed interpretive analysis of Tournier’s Vers la source dans le bois (1921), a
model emerges which allows for understanding of the text and the composer’s intention, and
situates the performer’s role in the interpretation of the music. This model may be adapted and
applied to significant works of the harp repertoire.
ii
Acknowledgments
Although writing this dissertation has often been a solitary act, there are many people who have
contributed to the final product. First, I would like to thank my committee members Gillian
Mackay and Camille Watts for their advice and guidance, Judy Loman for her constant
inspiration and support, and my supervisor Cam Walter who through this whole process has been
nurturing and encouraging. I would like also to acknowledge Deborah Bradley, who edited my
writing in the final stages, and whose keen eye and advice has been so valuable to the final
product. Lastly I really appreciated the input from my external reader, Elizabeth Richter.
There are many people in France who greatly contributed to this project. My many interview
participants: Elisabeth Fontan-Bionche, Huguette Geliot, Gérard Devos, Michel Crichton (artistic
director of Editions Alphonse Leduc), and the great nephews of Tournier: Dominique Tournier
and Jean-Claude Tournier. I would specifically like to thank Elisabeth Fontan-Bionoche, who
hosted me in her home and spent several days sharing her passion for Tournier and his music
with me. A special thank you to Jean-Claude who also hosted me in his home during our
interviews, and further provided support and assistance through email; his contributions to
Tournier’s biography have been a great asset.
I would like to thank the Estate of Marcel Tournier for the information they provided and the
permission they granted so that I was able to access materials in several libraries. I am in deep
appreciation to Nicolas Guérin and the staff from the Centre de Ressource at the Conservatoire à
Rayonnement Régional de Rennes who assisted my work, both while I was in Rennes and once I
was back in Canada. Also many thanks to the staff from the Médiathèque Hector Berlioz and the
Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris for their help. Thank you to
the Museo dell’ Arpa Victor Salvi for granting permission for the historical harp photos used in
this dissertation.
Warm thanks to Massey College for their support over the past five years, and the travel grants
they have provided which allowed me to conduct my research. I would like to acknowledge
Journalist Fellow, Barbara Sibbald, who helped with structuring Tournier’s biography, and
Junior Fellow, Milan Hnyckyj who helped with photo editing.
iii
Sincerest thanks to the School of Graduate Studies for funding my first research trip to France.
I am blessed with an incredibly supportive family. I want to specifically thank my parents, Jane
and Tom Schwarzkopf, for their contributions. As my first editors they have read every word of
this dissertation (sometimes twice or three times), and their support has always been present
through regular phone calls and emails. Words cannot describe my gratitude to them. Je dois
aussi remercier grandement Marthe et Michel Levesque pour leur assistance en français dans ma
dissertation.
My final acknowledgment and thank you belongs to my partner Étienne Levesque. Étienne not
only traveled to France with me on both my research trips, he facilitated the interviews (and
helped transcribe and translate), and researched next to me in the libraries. In many ways I feel
this has been our project, as he has been beside me every step of the way. He has also been my
motivator, supporter, and cheerleader. I look forward to sharing future research projects with
him.
iv
Table of Contents
ABSTRACT'.............................................................................................................................................................'II!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS'.......................................................................................................................................'III!
TABLE'OF'CONTENTS'..........................................................................................................................................'V!
LIST'OF'TABLES'...............................................................................................................................................'VIII!
LIST'OF'FIGURES'.................................................................................................................................................'IX!
LIST'OF'MUSICAL'EXAMPLES'...........................................................................................................................'X!
CHAPTER'1! INTRODUCTION'AND'BACKGROUND'..................................................................................'1!
1.1! PROJECT!SUMMARY!.......................................................................................................................................................!1!
1.2! PURPOSE!OF!THE!STUDY!...............................................................................................................................................!2!
1.3! METHOD!..........................................................................................................................................................................!3!
1.4! PERSONAL!BACKGROUND!.............................................................................................................................................!4!
CHAPTER'2! REVIEW'OF'THE'LITERATURE'..............................................................................................'6!
2.1! AUTHENTICITY!...............................................................................................................................................................!6!
2.1.1! The'author,'composer,'and'performer'.........................................................................................................'7!
2.2! THE!ISSUES!OF!AUTHENTICITY!AS!EXPLORED!BY!TARUSKIN,!KIVY,!AND!BUTT!...............................................!10!
2.2.1! Historical'Performance'....................................................................................................................................'13!
2.2.2! Composer’s'Intentions'......................................................................................................................................'15!
2.2.3! Text'...........................................................................................................................................................................'17!
2.2.4! Performers'.............................................................................................................................................................'19!
2.2.5! Audience'.................................................................................................................................................................'21!
2.3! CONCLUSION!................................................................................................................................................................!22!
CHAPTER'3! HISTORICAL'CONTEXT'OF'THE'HARP'AND''
BIOGRAPHICAL'INFORMATION'ON'MARCEL'TOURNIER'.....................................................................'24!
3.1! HISTORY!OF!THE!HARP!..............................................................................................................................................!24!
3.1.1! Early'Harps'and'Artistic'Depictions'...........................................................................................................'25!
3.1.2! Harp'in'Europe'in'the'Middle'Ages'.............................................................................................................'25!
3.1.3! Seventeenth'and'EighteenthJCentury'Harps'..........................................................................................'26!
3.1.4! Nineteenth'Century'............................................................................................................................................'31!
3.1.5! Twentieth'Century'.............................................................................................................................................'35!
v
3.1.6! The'Erard'Harp'of'Marcel'Tournier'...........................................................................................................'38!
3.2! MARCEL!TOURNIER:!JUNE!5,!1879!–!MAY!8,!1951!...........................................................................................!38!
3.2.1! Early'Years:'1879J1899'...................................................................................................................................'38!
3.2.2! Early'Career:'1900J1914'.................................................................................................................................'39!
3.2.3! World'War'I:'1914J1918'.................................................................................................................................'42!
3.2.4! Post'World'War'I:'1919J1926'.......................................................................................................................'44!
3.2.5! Late'Life:'1926J1951'.........................................................................................................................................'46!
CHAPTER'4! PERFORMANCE'PRACTICES'OF'MARCEL'TOURNIER’S''
COMPOSITIONS:'''A'GUIDE'FOR'THE'MODERN'HARPIST'.....................................................................'48!
4.1! LITERATURE!................................................................................................................................................................!48!
4.1.1! La'Harpe'.................................................................................................................................................................'48!
4.1.2! Commentary'and'Poems'..................................................................................................................................'64!
4.2! CODIFICATIONS!AND!INNOVATIONS!........................................................................................................................!68!
4.2.1! Codifications'.........................................................................................................................................................'69!
4.2.2! Innovations'............................................................................................................................................................'74!
4.3! INTERPRETIVE!ELEMENTS!AS!DISCUSSED!BY!TOURNIER’S!STUDENTS!............................................................!77!
4.3.1! Dynamics'................................................................................................................................................................'78!
4.3.2! Phrasing'.................................................................................................................................................................'79!
4.3.3! Staccatos'and'Dampening'..............................................................................................................................'83!
4.3.4! Resonance'and'Muffling'..................................................................................................................................'84!
4.3.5! Chords'......................................................................................................................................................................'89!
4.3.6! Tempo'......................................................................................................................................................................'93!
4.3.7! Glissandi'.................................................................................................................................................................'96!
4.3.8! Harmonics'...........................................................................................................................................................'105!
4.3.9! Fingering'..............................................................................................................................................................'106!
4.3.10! Pedal'Markings'...............................................................................................................................................'107!
CHAPTER'5! PERFORMANCE'INTERPRETATION'OF'VERS%LA%SOURCE%DANS%LE%BOIS'.............'113!
5.1! PREPARATORY!WORK!.............................................................................................................................................!114!
5.1.1! Selecting'an'Edition'.........................................................................................................................................'115!
5.1.2! Terminology'and'Symbols'............................................................................................................................'121!
5.1.3! Structural'Analysis'..........................................................................................................................................'127!
5.1.4! Expert'Opinion'...................................................................................................................................................'131!
5.1.5! Literature'.............................................................................................................................................................'133!
5.1.6! Performance'Practices'...................................................................................................................................'134!
vi
5.1.7! Compositional'Style'and'Influences'..........................................................................................................'139!
5.2! INTERPRETIVE!ANALYSIS!.......................................................................................................................................!144!
CHAPTER'6! CONCLUSIONS'AND'FURTHER'RESEARCH'...................................................................'158!
6.1! CONCLUSIONS!...........................................................................................................................................................!158!
6.2! FUTURE!RESEARCH!.................................................................................................................................................!161!
BIBLIOGRAPHY'................................................................................................................................................'164!
MUSICAL'SCORES'.............................................................................................................................................'172!
DISCOGRAPHY'..................................................................................................................................................'179!
APPENDIX'A:'DESCRIPTIONS'OF'MARCEL'TOURNIER’S'MUSIC'.......................................................'181!
APPENDIX'B:'INFORMED'CONSENT'FORM'FOR'THE''
RESEARCH'OF'ANGELA'SCHWARZKOPF'..................................................................................................'197!
APPENDIX'C:'INFORMAL'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'...............................................................................'199!
APPENDIX'D:'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'FOR'ELISABETH'FONTANGBINOCHE'..............................'200!
APPENDIX'E:'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'FOR'HUGUETTE'GELIOT'.....................................................'206!
APPENDIX'F:'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'FOR'GÉRARD'DEVOS'............................................................'208!
APPENDIX'G:'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'FOR'JEANGCLAUDE'TOURNIER'.........................................'210!
APPENDIX'H:'INTERVIEW'QUESTIONS'FOR'MICHEL'CRICHTON'.....................................................'211!
vii
List of Tables
'
TABLE'1:'DIFFERENCES'BETWEEN'THE'LEDUC'EDITION''
AND'THE'WADDINGTON'EDITION'.............................................................................................................'117!
TABLE'2:'TERMS'AND'SYMBOLS'FOUND'IN'VERS%LA%SOURCE%DANS%LE%BOIS'(PUB.'LEDUC)'...'121!
TABLE'3:'GENERAL'FORM'OF'VERS%LA%SOURCE%DANS%LE%BOIS'..........................................................'128!
viii
List of Figures
'
FIGURE'1.'HARPE'À'CROCHETS:'ANONYME,'FRANCE?,'XVIIIÈME'SIÈCLE.'......................................'29'
FIGURE'2.'HARPE'À'SIMPLE'MOUVEMENT:'NADERMAN,'PARIS,'1770..'..........................................'30'
FIGURE'3.'HARPE'À'DOUBLE'MOUVEMENT:'ERARD'ET'CIE.,'PARIS,'1879..'...................................'33'
FIGURE'4.'HARPE'CHROMATIQUE:'PLEYEL,'PARIS,'VERS'1915.'.......................................................'34'
FIGURE'5.'HARPE'À'DOUBLE'MOUVEMENT:'LYON'&'HEALY,'CHICAGO,'1928'..............................'37'
ix
List of Musical Examples
Ex. 1. Claude Debussy, Interlude from Sonate extrait de six sonates pour flûte,
alto et harpe, mm.64-65. (Pub. Durand). ...................................................................................... 51!
Ex. 2. Marcel Tournier, Berceuse nègre from Pièces nègres, op.41, mm.1. (Pub.Lemoine). ...... 51!
Ex. 3 Parish-Alvars, Sérénade, op.83, mm.65. (Pub. Gérard Billaudot). ..................................... 52!
Ex. 4 Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op.33, mm.28-29. (Pub. Lemoine). ...................................... 52!
Ex. 5. Marcel Tournier, Lied from Suite, op.34, mm.13-15. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................. 53!
Ex. 6. Claude Debussy, Interlude from Sonate extrait de six sonates pour flûte,
alto et harpe, mm.62-63. (Pub. Durand). ...................................................................................... 54!
Ex. 7. Marcel Tournier, The Harp, pg. 55. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................................................ 54!
Ex. 8. Marcel Tournier, 2nd Sonatina, op.45, mm. 36-38. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................. 55!
Ex. 9. Marcel Tournier, Images No. IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane, op.55, mm. 85-86. (Pub.
Lemoine). ...................................................................................................................................... 55!
Ex. 10. Marcel Tournier, The Harp, pg. 58. (Pub. Lemoine). ...................................................... 56!
Ex. 13. Gabriel Fauré, Impromptu, op. 86, mm. 1. (Pub. Durand). .............................................. 57!
Ex. 14. Marcel Tournier, Quatre Préludes, op.16, mm. 2-3. (Pub. Lyra). ................................... 58!
x
Ex. 17. Maurice Ravel, Introduction and Allegro, mm. 127-128. (Pub. Durand). ....................... 60!
Ex. 18. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op.46, mm.6. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................. 61!
Ex. 19. Marcel Tournier. The Harp, pg. 79. (Pub. Lemoine). ...................................................... 61!
Ex. 20. Marcel Tournier, La Harpe, pg .78. (Pub. Lemoine). ...................................................... 61!
Ex. 23. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op.33, mm. 36-37. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................. 63!
Ex. 24. Marcel Tournier, Image No.II, Au seuil du temple, op. 29, mm. 1-3. (Pub. Lemoine). ... 65!
Ex. 25. Marcel Tournier, Image No.IV, Les anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib,
op. 35, mm. 1-4. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................................................................................. 66!
op. 35, mm. 77-81. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................. 66!
op. 35, mm. 102-105. (Pub. Lemoine). ......................................................................................... 67!
Ex. 28. En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm.
1-2. (Pub. Lemoine). ..................................................................................................................... 69!
Ex. 29. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from

Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Lemoine). .............................................................. 70!

Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 55-56. (Pub. Lemoine). .......................................................... 70!

Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 162-163. (Pub. Lemoine). ...................................................... 70!
Ex. 32. Bernard Andrès Absidioles, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Rideau Rouge). ........................................... 71!
xi
Ex. 34. Marcel Tournier, Image No.X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 55. (Pub. Lemoine). ... 72!
Ex. 36. André Caplet, Divertissements II, à l’Espagnole, mm. 98-100. (Pub. Durand). .............. 73!
Ex. 37. Carlos Salzedo, Modern Study of the Harp, pg. 12. (Pub. Schirmer). ............................. 74!
Ex. 38. Marcel Tournier, The Harp, pg. 82. (Pub. Lemoine). ..................................................... 75!
Ex. 39. Marcel Tournier, Au hasard des ondes No. III, En Afrique:
Fête chez les nègres, op. 50, mm. 72. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................... 75!
Ex. 40. Marcel Tournier, Le Rouet Enchanté, op. 44, mm. 88. (Pub. Lemoine). ......................... 76!
Ex. 41. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane,

op. 35, mm. 11-14. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................. 79!
Ex. 42. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib,
op. 35, mm. 70. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................................................................................. 79!
Ex. 43. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib,
op. 35, mm. 71-76. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................. 81!
Ex. 44. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30, mm. 32-33. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................... 82!
Ex. 45. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 27-30. (Pub. Leduc). ....................... 83!
Ex. 46. Marcel Tournier. Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El Azib,
op. 35, mm. 6-8. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................................................................................. 84!
Ex. 47. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 152-154. (Pub. Leduc)................................ 85!
Ex. 48. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 43-44. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................ 86!
Ex. 49. Marcel Tournier, L’Éternel Rêveur from Au hasard des ondes,
op. 50, mm. 31. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................................................................................. 86!
xii
Ex. 50. Marcel Tournier, Napoli- Tarentella from Au hasard des ondes,
op. 50, mm. 36. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................................................................................. 86!
Ex. 51. Marcel Tournier, Promenade du mandarin from Au hasard des ondes,
op. 50, mm. 1. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................................................................................... 86!
Ex. 52. Marcel Tournier, Image No. VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,
op. 35, mm. 48-50. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................. 87!
Ex. 53. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib,
op. 35, mm. 98-105. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................................................................................... 88!
op. 35, mm. 133-136. (Pub. Lemoine). ......................................................................................... 88!
op. 35, mm. 156-158. (Pub. Lemoine). ......................................................................................... 89!
Ex. 56. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 17-18. (Pub. Leduc). ....................... 89!
Ex. 57. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30. mm. 150-155. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................ 90!
Ex. 58. Marcel Tournier, Féerie, prélude et danse, mm. 304-310. (Pub. Leduc). ....................... 91!
Ex. 59. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib,
op. 35, mm. 68-69. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................. 91!
Ex. 60. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 1. (Manuscript). .................................... 93!
Ex. 61. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................ 94!
Ex. 62. Marcel Tournier, Ce que chante la pluie d’automne, op. 49, mm. 1. (Pub. Lemoine). ... 94!
Ex. 63. Marcel Tournier, Ce que chante la pluie d’automne, op. 49, mm. 1-2. (Manuscript). .... 94!
Ex. 64. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 5. (Pub. Leduc). .............................. 95!
Ex. 65. Marcel Tournier, Féerie, prélude et danse, mm. 1. (Pub. Leduc). ................................... 95!
xiii
Ex. 66. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 39. (Pub. Leduc). ........................................ 96!
Ex. 67. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op. 33, mm. 11-12. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................. 96!
Ex. 68. Marcel Tournier, Pastels du vieux japon, op .47, mm. 17-18. (Pub. Lemoine). .............. 97!
Ex. 69. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 53-54. (Pub. Lemoine)..... 98!
Ex. 70. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 96. (Pub. Lemoine). ......... 98!
Ex. 71. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 105. (Pub. Lemoine).......................... 98!
Ex. 72. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 112. (Pub. Lemoine).......................... 99!
Ex. 73. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 202-203. (Pub. Lemoine). ................. 99!
Ex. 74. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op. 33, mm. 65. (Pub. Lemoine). ....................................... 99!
Ex. 75. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 41. (Pub. Leduc). .......................... 100!
Ex. 76. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 216. (Pub. Leduc). .................................... 100!
Ex. 77. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,

op. 35, mm. 73. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................................................................................ 100!
Ex. 78. Marcel Tournier, Fête from Suite, op. 34, mm. 75-76. (Pub. Lemoine). ....................... 101!
Ex. 79. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane,

op. 35, mm. 81. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................................................................................ 101!
Ex. 80. Marcel Tournier, Image III, Lolita la danseuse, op. 29. mm. 26-27. (Pub. Lemoine). .. 102!

op. 35, mm. 17-20. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................................................................................... 103!

op. 35, mm. 9. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................................................................................. 103!
xiv
Ex. 83. Marcel Tournier, Image VI, La Marchande de frivolités,
op. 31, mm. 22. (Pub. Lemoine). ................................................................................................ 104!

op. 35. mm. 21-22. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................................................................................... 105!
Ex. 85. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30, mm. 49-50. (Pub. Lemoine). .................................. 105!
Ex. 86. Marcel Tournier, Images No. X, La Volière magique,

op. 39, mm. 71-72. (Pub. Lemoine). ........................................................................................... 106!
Ex. 87. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 1. (Pub. Leduc). ............................ 107!
Ex.88. Marcel Tournier, Berceuse du cavalier from Au hasard des ondes,

op. 50, mm. 8-9. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................................................................................... 107!
Ex. 89. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La Volière magique, op. 39, mm. 55. (Pub. Lemoine). ...... 108!
Ex. 90. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op. 46, mm. 13. (Pub. Lemoine). ............................ 108!
Ex. 91. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op. 46, mm. 8. (Manuscript). .................................. 109!
Ex. 92. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 40-41. (Pub. Leduc). ..................... 110!
Ex. 93. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 71. (Pub. Leduc). ...................................... 110!
Ex. 94. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 2. (Pub. Leduc). ............................ 116!
Ex. 95. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm .2. (Pub. Waddington). ................... 117!
Ex. 96. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 6-7. (Pub. Leduc). ......................... 129!
Ex. 97. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 21-22. (Pub. Leduc). ..................... 130!
Ex. 98. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 3-5. (Pub. Leduc). ......................... 135!
Ex. 99. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 21. (Pub. Waddington). ................. 150!
Ex. 100. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 40. (Pub. Leduc). ........................ 153!
xv
Ex. 101. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 40. (Pub. Waddington). ............... 153!
xvi
Chapter 1
Introduction and Background
1.1 Project Summary

This document has two main goals; the first is to expand the body of knowledge about Marcel
Tournier, and the second is to encourage performers to engage in the discussion of authenticity in
music. The literature review in Chapter 2 explores the performer’s role within the discussion of
authenticity by three significant scholars: Richard Taruskin, Peter Kivy, and John Butt.
Chapter 3 is divided into two parts: harp history and the biography of Tournier. The first part of
Chapter 3 provides a brief history of the harp in order to map the advancements of the instrument
towards the creation of the double action pedal harp for which Tournier composed. It further
describes how the development of the harp directly affected the progression of harp composition.
The second part of Chapter 3 contextualizes the importance of Tournier’s compositions and
teachings through a detailed biography. This section also presents biographical information that
previously has been unexplored.
Chapters 2 and 3 provide the theoretical framework for Chapter 4, which studies the performance
practices and interpretational elements in Tournier’s compositions. The first two parts of Chapter
4 provide a detailed account of Tournier’s book La harpe (written in 1944-1945), and his
innovations and codifications of compositional techniques for the harp. The final section of this
chapter applies this information while discussing the interpretive elements of Tournier’s music.
This section also uses information collected from interviews with three of Tournier’s former
students: Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche, Huguette Geliot, and Gérard Devos.
Chapter 5 provides a practical application of the information presented in Chapters 2-4 through
my interpretation of Tournier’s impressionistic piece, Vers la source dans le bois (1921).
Chapter 6 presents conclusions from this study and outlines areas for future research.
1
2
1.2 Purpose of the Study

Music scholars have approached performance practice and authenticity issues in twentieth-
century music from divergent perspectives. For example, Taruskin views the performer and the
text as working together towards a unique interpretation. Conversely, Kivy argues that
performers are ethically bound to honour the composer’s intentions, while Butt places emphasis
on historically informed performances. Research to date in the area of authenticity and
performance practice covers a wide range of repertoire for orchestra, piano, violin, and many
other instruments. The harp, however, is rarely mentioned in the literature dealing with
authenticity and performance practice—a surprising omission when viewed in the context of the
instrument’s emergence as a virtuosic solo instrument over the course of the twentieth century.
In addition to significant technological improvements in the instrument itself, harp performance
techniques have developed rapidly in recent years. Furthermore, composers have more readily
included the harp in their orchestral, ensemble and solo work, and the instrument has also
become more available in the school systems of North America. All of these recent
developments support the timeliness of my project. My study enters into the contemporary
authenticity debate by focusing on issues relating to the interpretation and performance practices
of compositions by Marcel Tournier.
The lives of fellow harpist-composers, Henriette Renié, Marcel Grandjany, and Carlos Salzedo,
have been explored and documented in literature through books, articles, and dissertations.
Furthermore, respected students of each harpist-composer teach in various cities in North
America, passing along insight into the performance practices of their teacher’s compositions.
However, with Tournier, this is not the case, as there is a distinct gap in the literature. An
important article by Scott Grimes in the American Harp Journal from 1986 presented a
biography of Marcel Tournier, and included anecdotal information from previous students.
However, biographies presented since that time have done little in the way of expanding
Tournier’s biographical information. In addition, his teaching legacy has not been continued in
North America, and those interested in learning from his former students must travel to Europe
in order to do so.
The continuing debates over performance and authenticity suggest the relevance of this research
project. Unfortunately, we can never really know for certain what Tournier intended for his
3
compositions; however, we do have the opportunity to understand how he envisioned his music,
and make that information clear and accessible for future generations. Given his significant harp
repertoire, not do so while his last students are still alive and active, would risk losing contact
with a critical body of knowledge and important understandings of contemporary music practice
grounded in this influential generation of musicians.
1.3 Method
My research began by surveying the literature on Marcel Tournier that could be accessed from
within North America. This literature is primarily comprised of journal articles, short references
in books, and CD liner notes, the most significant of which is Scott Grimes’ Marcel Tournier:
Musicien complet. Two other writings related to Tournier are worth mentioning; Jo Lynn
Dentith’s Masters in Musicology thesis, Romantic and Impressionist Style in the Harp
Repertoire of Marcel Tournier, and Kimberly Ann Houser’s Doctorate of Music dissertation,
Five Virtuoso Harpists as Composers: Their Contributions to the Technique and Literature of
the Harp. The gathering of recordings was also important in order for me to analyze various
performance interpretations, and to formulate questions regarding performance practices.
During the winters of 2012 and 2013, I completed two research trips to France with my research
assistant Étienne Levesque. Being fluent in both English and French, Levesque provided for
clear communication while researching in libraries, and assisted in conversation with interview
participants. As many of my interview subjects only spoke French, it was imperative (for their
comfort) to have a native French speaker to facilitate the interviews. My research in libraries and
archives was conducted at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Archives Nationales de
France, the Bibliothèque-Musée de l’Opéra, the Médiathèque Hector Berlioz at the
Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, and the Centre de
Ressource at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Rennes. Information relating to
performance practices was gathered through interviews with former students of Marcel Tournier,
and included an interview with Huguette Geliot, a phone interview with Gérard Devos, and four
days of interviews with Elisabeth-Fontan Binoche. Some interview time was spent with Fontan-
Binoche performing Tournier’s and other twentieth-century harp music, while discussing
performance issues related to French music of that era. In addition to interviews with Fontan-
4
Binoche I also received several private harp lessons. Through first-hand experience in
performance and lessons, I was able to identify, analyze, and provide commentary on
performance issues and practices.
Further interviews were conducted with two of Marcel Tournier’s great nephews, Dominique
Tournier and Jean-Claude Tournier. Extensive time was spent with Jean-Claude Tournier, who is
an active researcher of the Tournier family genealogy. I also conducted an interview with Michel
Crichton, artistic director of Editions Alphonse Leduc, one of the publishing houses that currently
print Tournier’s music. Following the second research trip, I processed all the information and
looked for links between my interviews. The insight gained from these interviews and research
has had a significant impact on my writing.
1.4 Personal Background

As an active musician, I frequently work with composers, assisting them with the writing and
editing of harp parts. More often than not the composers are not virtuosos on the instrument, and
therefore do not fully grasp how best to execute certain compositional ideas. For example, while
working with a composer on a new commission, he exclaimed in frustration that the way I was
performing the piece was not what he intended at all. As a classically trained harpist I was
playing strictly what was written on the page in my attempt to uphold the composer’s intentions.
The composer then performed the work on the piano so that I could hear his interpretation. He
had intended a certain amount of breath and natural movement in the music. In addition, his
tempo markings on the score were not reflective of his intentions, nor were many of his other
directions. Once he explained this to me, I was better able to perform the piece to his
performance expectations. As performers are often reliant on the text to expose the composer’s
intentions, I explained to him the importance of indicating his intentions in the score. This would
allow future harpists, who would not have the chance to study the piece with the composer or
myself, to be able to produce the intended performance.
During both my Masters of Music in harp performance and my Doctorate, I have been a student
of Judy Loman, the notable student of harpist-composer Carlos Salzedo. During our lessons, she
often explained to me how Salzedo actually wanted a work to be played, noting that the
5
published version is only the foundation of understanding. This leads me to question how I
would have approached the performance of repertoire by Salzedo if I had not been studying with
a teacher who had studied with him. My performance of the piece would certainly be
significantly different, and possibly not completely true to the original intentions of the
composer, if my performances were created in isolation from the unique knowledge provided by
my teacher’s personal connection with the composer. To illustrate the legitimacy of this concern
anecdotally, I once performed a piece by Salzedo for a harpist who had studied with one of his
students. This harpist gave me instructions in performance that directly contradicted those
communicated to me by my teacher, Judy Loman, which were based on her first-hand study with
the composer. This provides an example of how a performer, who was one generation further
removed from the performance practices of the composer, demonstrated an understanding of the
music that had already changed in significant ways.
My experiences with composers and my lessons with Loman have led me to question the
concepts of authenticity, composer’s intention, and performance practices. My research
originally was intended to explore the performance practices and oral traditions of Renié,
Grandjany, Salzedo, and Tournier. As I began the research focusing on Tournier, I was struck by
the many omissions in the literature about him. It was at that time that I narrowed my research to
focus on producing a detailed account of Marcel Tournier’s life and authentic performance
practices in order to fill this gap. This dissertation is the product of my research and analysis.
Chapter 2
Review of the Literature
2.1 Authenticity
Authenticity in music has been the topic of wide debate among scholars, performers, and critics
over the past several decades. The role of the performer as the interpreter of this authenticity in
musical works is often unclear in these debates. Musicologist Christopher Small states, “music
performance is thought of as a one-way system of communication, running from composer to
individual listener through the medium of the performer” (6). It seems all too easy to blame a
performer for a “bad” performance, indicating that he or she was not fulfilling the composer’s
intentions. To what degree, then, does the performer play a role in this communication of the
composer’s intentions? Without explicit instructions, or the ability to speak with the living
composer, performers are faced not only with a score but also the task of uncovering the
composer’s “true” intentions. In addition, the performer must grapple with how authentic the
score itself is, the oral aspect of any performance traditions involved with learning that work, the
amount of authority we give the composer, and any other related performance practice issues.
To date this topic has been addressed primarily by musicologists and ethnomusicologists, but not
as much by performers. Peter Kivy discusses Monroe Beardsley, author of Aesthetics: Problems
in the Philosophy of Criticism, saying that performers “frequently decide first how the music is
to be performed, and then infer the composer’s intentions from that” (The Fine Art of Repetition
100). This dissertation argues that the performer should take a more active role, to fulfill her
responsibility to decipher and understand the authenticity and authority issues involved in the
music being performed.
The following literature critique of the major works written to date on authenticity and the
performer’s role addresses: historical performance, composer’s intentions, text interpretation,
and the audience role, weighing the different sides of the argument in an effort to bring to light
the ways that performers have been discussed within these debates. By surveying this literature, a
theoretical framework will be established, along with illuminating the arguments related to
authenticity and interpretation in music. How these debates relate to the performer will become
apparent.
6
7
2.1.1 The author, composer, and performer

A good starting point for understanding authenticity and the role of the performer is first to
understand what an author, composer, and performer is. An author is generally defined as
someone who writes or creates a work. Similarly, a composer is a person who writes or creates
music. We can derive from these definitions that an author or composer creates something
original. To perform is to produce music on an instrument, or with ones body, with the intention
of it’s being listened to. Perhaps the performer is similar to the composer who creates an event.
What kind of authority, then, is ascribed to authors? If, as José Bowen states, “music can change
through both the creation and reception of performances” (424), then is it possible that the
performer has just as much authority as the composer? Can the performer then be a type of
composer? Oftentimes, performers attempt to create what they believe to be authentic
performance situations, but from what do the performers claim this authority in such
performance situations? Does authority lie with the composer, the text, or the performer’s
interpretation?
Generally, the tendency is to grant authority to the composer in Western art music. To better
situate authors and the authority placed with them, and from that to better understand the
performer’s relationship with the composer/author, I shall look at two important works that deal
with the author: What is an Author (1977) by Michel Foucault and the Death of the Author
(1978) by Roland Barthes.
Foucault questions the function of the author within a discourse, and focuses on the relationship
between the author and the text. He discusses two main themes: “that writing of our day has
freed itself from the necessity of ‘expression’” and “the kinship between writing and death”
(116). The first of these looks at writing as unfolding in a systematic way, and as such the
emotions involved with the act of composition are not a primary outcome. The second point
deals with the complex relationship that comes from works outliving the author, as a result
making them immortal, a point especially relevant in the realm of music. Foucault elaborates that
as much as a work creates the right to immortality of the author, it also creates the right to kill.
The name attached to the work becomes immortal, while the individual being does not. There is
a link between the individual’s name and the individual’s being, which causes problems to arise
from the use of an author’s name when attached to a work. For example, in music we know that
8
a musical work written by J.S. Bach is assumed to be superior, and a brilliant piece of writing. If
we later find out that the piece of music is in fact not by Bach, but by a student of his, our
opinion and concept of the work may change. Since the piece is no longer by Bach, it is no
longer associated with his authority and as such is valued differently, possibly losing value. This
brings into issue our association with the composer’s name. As Foucault states, the “function of
an author is to characterize the existence, circulation, and operation of certain discourses within a
society” (124). Thus we can begin to understand that a certain amount of authority is given to the
name of the author of a work, and that author has a role to fulfill within the discourse of that
society (which in music could be a defining style of an era).
Foucault later addresses four criteria for authorship according to Saint Jerome (the explanation of
the presence of certain events, the unity of the writing, the neutralized contradictions of several
texts, and the source of expression) from which one can determine the authority of that author
(128). After an in-depth explanation and relations of the “author-function” to many different
types of writings, near the end of the article Foucault highlights new questions he hopes will now
be asked, such as, “‘What are the modes of existence of this discourse?’” (138), instead of the
old “‘Who is the real author?’” issues (138). He asks these new questions in the hope of being
able to “imagine a culture where discourse would circulate without any need for an author”
(138), and as such challenges society to be able to remove the authority from an author, and
experience a work for itself. In music, this concept would relate to the removal of the composer
and his authority from the composition itself.
Barthes, similarly, deals with the author and the limits imposed by connecting an author with a
work. As he aptly puts it, “Once the Author is removed, the claim to decipher a text becomes
quite futile. To give a text an Author is to impose a limit on that text” (147). Knowing a text’s
author is necessary to understand and decipher that text, to interpret what the author really
means. In the case of music, this suggests finding out (most often posthumously) what the
composer’s true intentions were in composing that piece of music, understanding that “true
intentions” can never be definitively known, and that they evolve and change throughout a
composer’s lifetime. Barthes continues, “when the Author has been found, the text is
‘explained’” (147), implying that no true understanding of a work can occur without knowing the
author (or perhaps in music, without the comprehension of a composer’s thought process, an
9
understanding of the period in which he wrote, and the performance practices associated with all
of that).
The performer might thus be compared to the narrator; Barthes says that “the responsibility for a
narrative is never assumed by a person but by a mediator, shaman or relator whose
‘performance’ – the mastery of the narrative code – may possibly be admired but never his
‘genius’” (142). Such as it is, the performer’s role is to narrate the music, and if the
narrator/performer is well respected for their rendering of the work, they may develop a certain
amount of authority and respect, but will never reach the level of absolute authority, “genius” if
you will, of the composer. By the end of the author discussion, Barthes goes on to say that
“Classic criticism has never paid any attention to the reader; for it, the writer is the only person
in literature,” and further says, “we know that to give writing its future, it is necessary to
overthrow the myth: the birth of the reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author” (148).
What then would happen if the performer were seen as the author, and the reader as the
audience? The death of the performer would have to come at the cost of the rise of the authority
of the audience.
By changing the assumption that the author (and absolute authority) is the composer, to the
possibility that the performer is also the author, how then would the arguments and positions of
Foucault and Barthes be viewed? With Foucault and his concept of the name proper relating to
the status of authority linked to the composer, we would switch the association of the name
proper to that of the performer. The authority would now be delegated to the performer instead
of the composer. For instance, in the harp world (similar parallels could be found in other
instrument areas), “Judy Loman” is a name that all harpists will recognize and respect. Her
authority is such that her performance interpretations are rarely challenged. If one listens to a
recording of Loman, and takes from that a musical idea to put into one’s own practice, it would
be considered valid (especially when dealing with the performance of a work by her former
teacher, Carlos Salzedo). If one were later to find out that the recording was in fact not by
Loman, but by another harpist (perhaps with no connection to Salzedo), would it make the
performance interpretation less valid because the name associated with that performance no
longer had authority attached? The arguments of Foucault and Barthes become more complex
when applied to music, as there is a third variable to be considered – the performer. The
performer’s role can be both that of the narrator/interpreter and author, the audience being the
10
ultimate reader and receptor of the performer’s interpretation of the text (the text being the
musical score), while the composer remains the ultimate author. This third variable is thus often
identified as “the medium,” as the Small citation in the opening section of this chapter suggests.
One final point still needs to be addressed before we can fully move forward to the performer’s
role in creating authentic performances, and that is the understanding of the term “authenticity”
itself. Authenticity is considered to be genuine or the original, and is derived from the word
authentic. It may be helpful now to turn to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
definition of authenticity: “The most common use refers to classes of performance that might
synonymously be termed ‘historically informed’ or ‘historically aware’” (241). Authenticity is a
complex issue; authentic may relate to the historical performance situation the performer(s) tries
to render, the performer’s attempt to authenticate the composer’s intentions or the musical score,
or it may refer to the performer being authentic to herself.
2.2 The issues of authenticity as explored by Taruskin,

Kivy, and Butt
To begin the discussion of authenticity, reference to a few well-known arguments dealing with
authenticity and the role of the performer is essential. Two texts with similar ideas presented in
two very different ways were published in 1995; Richard Taruskin’s Text and Act: Essays on
Music and Performance and Peter Kivy’s Authenticities: Philosophical Reflections on Musical
Performance. Both Taruskin and Kivy comment on each other and build on each other’s
thoughts (the chapters in Taruskin’s book are a compilation of separate writings that were
published prior to the 1995 collection). From these two writings comes a later book published in
2002, entitled Playing with History by John Butt, which evolves directly from the first two texts
and builds arguments based on their works (either for or against). Interestingly, the definition of
authenticity provided above was written by Butt, and cites Taruskin and Kivy as two of the four
sources in the bibliography.
Text and Act, as already mentioned, is compiled from various sources, is re-edited from the
original publications, and includes a postscript that contains final additional thoughts and
conclusions. These writings are divided into two parts: authenticity in theory, and authenticity in
11
practice. Taruskin says early in his paper, “The Limits of Authenticity: A Contribution” that
authenticity “is more than just saying what you mean” and further that “Authenticity, on the
other hand is knowing what you mean and whence comes that knowledge. And more than that,
even, authenticity is knowing what you are, and acting in accordance with that knowledge” (67).
Taruskin is establishing a view that authentic performance can also perhaps relate to performers
being authentic to themselves through their performances. It is important, though, to note that
Taruskin does later in this chapter talk of the importance of historical performance and playing
on historical instruments. The performer is brought into the discussion of authenticity when
Taruskin states that “Modern performers seem to regard their performance as text rather than
acts” (71), again dealing with the concept of performers being authentic to themselves. Later in
an essay entitled “The Pastness of the Present and the Presence of the Past,” Taruskin deals with
authentic and historical performance in the present, further developing his ideas of authenticity.
Finally, in the “in practice” section of the book, Taruskin focuses on authenticity in Beethoven,
Mozart, Bach, and Stravinsky.
Taruskin sets the stage for the next work by stating that there tend to be more textual critics than
moral philosophers; enter Kivy dealing with the philosophies and the philosophers’ viewpoints
of authenticity. His book is also split into two parts: the first dealing with “How to Be Authentic”
and the second dealing with “Why to Be Authentic,” the philosopher’s viewpoint being the
second part. Kivy makes some strong statements in his preface, saying that classical music is
dominated by historical authenticity, and that “Performers are, primarily, doers, not thinkers or
knowers,” further elaborating by stating, “The question is, What should they do? More
particularly, Should they be authentic?” (xiii). This is exactly the premise of this chapter of the
dissertation, which presents the view that the performer should take a more active role in the
interpretation and understanding of the authority involved in the music they play. Kivy starts off
in his first chapter using a dictionary definition of authentic. He later uses this definition to come
to conclude that there are “four notions of authenticity meaningfully applicable to musical
performance practice” (6). These four notions are: “(1) faithfulness to the composer’s intentions;
(2) faithfulness to the performance practice of the composer’s lifetime; (3) faithfulness to the
sound of a performance during the composer’s lifetime; and (4) faithfulness to the performer’s
own self, original, not derivative or an aping of someone else’s way of playing” (6-7).
12
Kivy explores the idea of the performer as authentic to her own musical creation, but also deeply
rooted in honouring the composer’s intentions (which can been seen more in detail in another of
his works, The Fine Art of Repetition). After the introductory exploration of the concept of
authenticity, Kivy covers authenticity as intention, sound, practice, and “The Other
Authenticity,” in both the first and second part of his book.
Playing with History clearly comes out of John Butt’s need to comment on, and state his own
opinion of the works by Taruskin and Kivy. In his preface he describes how they fostered the
conversation of authenticity in music. In his first section and chapter, Butt further explores (as
well as titles the chapter) “Historically Informed Performance in Music Criticism: Joining the
historical performance debate.” In this chapter, he spends a great deal of time commenting
further on “Richard Taruskin and the Public Expansion of the Early Music Debate,” (14) and
“Peter Kivy and the Debate Within Analytical Philosophy” (24). It is clear that Butt’s work is
developed from his differences of opinion with these two. His work is split into three parts,
discussing the historically informed performance (HIP), first in music criticism, then in its
implications for the work, composer, and notation, and finally in the “Culture of the Late
Twentieth Century.” Nowhere is the performer mentioned predominantly, and even in Chapter 4,
entitled “Negotiation between work, composer and performer: rewriting the story of notational
progress,” where one might expect that Butt would deal with the performer, he in fact focuses the
chapter on notation and its relation to performance, and not the role of the performer in that
relationship.
In the words of Taruskin, “Do we really want to talk about ‘authenticity’ any more?” (90). As
mentioned before, although this hot topic has created much debate in the music world, an active-
enough role has not been taken by performers to understand their position in the debates. Kivy
states, “The highest praise one can bestow nowadays on a musical performance, in many
influential circles, is to say that it was ‘authentic’” (1). Throughout the first part of Taruskin’s
book, he explores the authority and authenticity of historical performance, the composer and his
intentions, the text, the performer, and the audience role. These ideas are also mirrored and
expanded in the writings by Kivy and Butt. In each category listed above, the performer can
learn more about authenticity, authority issues, and their place within the music, as the following
sections will elaborate.
13
2.2.1 Historical Performance

The idea of historical performances is tricky at best. To be truly historically authentic one must
have an understanding of the time period and the conventions for reading the music (such as
figured bass in the Baroque era), and more than that, one may need to perform on period
instruments to create the sounds that the composer would have heard. But can that alone be
enough to constitute an authentic performance? Must the performance take place in the same
hall, to the same audience, in the same time for it to be authentic? Kivy would argue so. This
idea of historicism is one viewpoint that will be discussed later; however, Taruskin feels very
differently. In fact he states that:
‘historical’ performance today is not really historical; that a specious veneer of

historicism clothes a performance style that is completely of our own time, and is
in fact the most modern style around; and that the historical hardware has won its
wide acceptance and above all its commercial viability precisely by virtue of its
novelty, not its antiquity. (102)
Taruskin is frustrated since he feels historical performance has become more “politically correct
performance” (174) than historical. Taruskin argues “it is not historical but is authentic.” The
difficulty lies in the fact that musicians have “invested so heavily in the false belief that
authenticity can derive only from historical correctness” (175). Ultimately he concludes that
“‘modern performance’” is “‘historically authentic performance’” and vice versa (173). Though
he seems to argue both for and against historical performance, I think ultimately Taruskin
favours historical performance if it leads to an authentic performance situation. To him it is not
so much the idea of using the “most accurate instruments, tune to the lowest pitch, or read from
the most original notation” (81), but the idea of how it forces the musician to hear and experience
things in a new way.
Kivy, similar to Taruskin, feels that Classical music is dominated by particular understandings of
historical authenticity. Kivy explores the same idea of using historical instruments; his logic is
that in using historical instruments one hears the same sounds that the composer would have
heard while composing, thus bringing one closer to understanding the composer’s intentions.
This idea is expressed in his book, The Fine Art of Repetition, and also in the editorial response
by Roland Jackson on Kivy’s Authenticities. Jackson states that early music people feel that
14
original instruments “constitute something essential to the musical work” and “the sound of
original instruments are considered as likely to have resided in the composer’s mind at the time
of a work’s creation, and therefore as having had a bearing on the nature of the work” (5). Kivy
pushes the idea of historically authentic performances to the extreme when he questions if it is
enough to just be playing on historical instruments, or if we need to play in the same hall, and
further to the same size audience, even the same audience. Kivy ultimately draws a similar
conclusion as Taruskin: “In a word, historically authentic performance practice is not authentic
performance per se but rather the means to authentic performance in one or another of the senses
of historically authentic performance” (81), expanding on the historical being authentic, as
Taruskin concluded, to the historical being a means to an authentic performance.
Historical performance is predominately what Playing with History is about. Butt terms
historically informed performance as HIP. His arguments for the historical movement are
generally contrary to Taruskin and Kivy’s views. For instance, in response to Taruskin, Butt
comments that “his diagnosis is that very little historical performance is, or can be, truly
historical – much has to be invented; that the actual styles of historical performance we hear
accord most strikingly with modern tastes” (14). In response to Kivy, Butt says “The ultimate
danger of HIP is thus not Kivy's fear of the restriction of freedom, but the spectre of unlimited
freedom, the danger that everything we consider 'natural' can be undermined by historical
thinking” (35). His own views indicate that:
Not only does HIP suggest that some earlier music is better understood in terms of
event than abstract work . . . but it helps us focus on the role performance plays in
defining all works. Even pieces which are strongly associated with the ahistorical,
work-based view of music history are profoundly influenced by their performance
history. (69)
Butt questions the many facets of HIP within western music when drawing his own conclusions.
Although challenging Taruskin and Kivy, he feels that their arguments have allowed the
discussion and debate to continue, which is essential to the existence of HIP.
The three meet in some ways on the idea of what historical performance can offer to playing on
historical instruments. Butt comments that the “instrumentation and performance is crucial . . . in
suggesting to us how the surviving music emerged from a variable practice of performance
15
which, in turn, conditioned the way the music was notated in the first place” (68). Performance
on historical instruments can lead the performer to a greater awareness, either through hearing
the music differently (Taruskin), having a conceptual idea of what the composer may have heard
(Kivy), or creating insight into how this surviving music came to be created, based on the
notational means for the historical instrument (Butt).
2.2.2 Composer’s Intentions

Turning to the composer and his intentions, Taruskin feels it is a “naive assumption that re-
creating all the external conditions that obtained in the original performance of a piece will thus
re-create the composer’s inner experience of the piece and allow him to ‘speak for himself’”
(93). One can never re-create the exact situation, or ever really completely grasp the composer’s
full intentions. We will never be able really to know what Bach’s true intentions were, and even
if we did have some source indicating such, how do we know that it is definitive enough to say
that is truly what the composer intended? How do we know that he did not change his mind?
Taruskin elaborates on this point when he says that “We cannot know intentions, for many
reasons – or rather, we cannot know we know them. Composers do not always express them. If
they do express them, they may do so disingenuously” (97).
Often performers are so intent on upholding the composer’s intention by remaining as faithful as
possible to the score, they end up moving farther away from the composer’s intentions. Taruskin
outlines this type of situation throughout his book, and one such instance is in relation to
Prokofiev in the “Tradition and Authority” essay. An example found in an essay by José Bowen
entitled “Finding the Music in Musicology: Performance History and Musical Works” (2009)
best illustrates this. In this piece, Bowen discusses a recording of Debussy in which the
composer himself plays something different from what is written on the page. Bowen proposes
two reasons for this. The first is inherent to what may have been the performance practices of
Debussy’s day, and the other is related to the composer playing it the way he actually intended it
to sound—the notation he used may have been incorrect.
One problem that is found in the relationship between the composer’s intention and the authority
of the text is the oral tradition in music. Taruskin defines oral traditions as “the ordinary handing
down from performer to performer that keeps musical repertories alive” (179). Also highlighted
by Taruskin in his “Tradition and Authority” essay is the concept that the passing of composer’s
16
intentions from generation to generation greatly alters the actual meaning with each passing, and
that in the “present” day the manner of interpreting a piece may in fact be very far from the
composer’s original intentions. Interestingly, “conformity with oral traditions used to be what
conferred authenticity on interpretation” (180). However, based on Taruskin’s previous
statement on the passing on of oral instruction, he does not feel this is really a reliable means to
ensure the authenticity of a musical work.
Perhaps in an attempt to deal with the non-concrete oral tradition, Kivy discusses the increasing
detail of composer markings in the twentieth-century in comparison to composers of the past,
who “not only did not wish or intend to control completely the parameters of musical
performance but actually had a positive attitude toward personal authenticity in performance”
(141) (for instance in the Baroque era with the use of ornamentation, or the Classical era with the
use of improvisatory cadenzas). Kivy speaks much more passionately on the subject of composer
intentions in a chapter of The Fine Art of Repetition, entitled “Live Performance and Dead
Composers: On the Ethics of Musical Interpretation.” He feels that we have a moral obligation
to the dead and that “composers’ intentions do play a substantial role in decisions about how
scores are to be performed; that most performers, as well as musical scholars, do operate on the
principle of determining and being governed by the intentions of composers” (95), and further
“that intentions not only do play a major role but ought to” (96). As such Kivy argues that even
though the composer’s true intentions are inaccessible to performers, they owe it to the dead to
honour their music, and to explore what their intentions possibly might have been, and from that,
they are obliged to authenticate a performance fulfilling the composer’s intent. This concept will
be explored further in the following chapters.
Butt presents a complete chapter on the composer’s intentions in relation to historical

performance (Chapter 3). His position states that “instead of inquiring into the composer's
intention in order to discern a correct performance, this study suggests that HIP can actually
enable us to form a different concept of the composer and his intentions” (xii). He feels that the
others in his field are held back by questions of composer’s intention, which he says are
unnecessary since we will never really know exactly what the composer was thinking. He
discusses the composer’s rise in powers and as the “supreme controller of each work” (97),
through the increasing detail of their notation, suggesting that by the late ninetieth-century one
can see the creation of the definitive score and authoritarian figure of the composer. He even
17
goes so far as to say that “the increasing precision of notation may be one of the means musical
institutions and composers developed to counteract the fear of the increasing openness of artistic
meaning” (105), implying that the composers lived up to their authoritarian title. Butt feels
though that the “concept of HIP brings up the issue of intentionality in a way that it has never
been formulated before. It encourages us to rethink our customary sense of the relationship
between composer, work and performer,” and “it is an awareness of intention that helps us
discover the human presence in composition” (78).
Another way Butt deals with the composer’s intention is to divide it into two domains: active
intention and passive intention – active intentions being the things dictated or notated on the
score, and passive being the aspects the composer either knowingly or unknowingly wished the
performer to do, such as having a sense of breath in the performance. He also feels that just as
much as the composer influences the performers, the performers can influence the composer.
This idea can frequently be seen historically when composers wrote works with specific
musicians in mind. Butt is constantly relating this to the modern and post-modern, in response to
the views of Taruskin and Kivy. Bernard Sherman, who reviewed Butt’s book in the Journal of
the American Musicological Society was “less convinced that these are illuminated by
distinctions between the modern and the postmodern,” (487) especially in relation to HIP and
composers’ intentions. Taruskin thinks we will never be able to know the composer’s true
intentions, Kivy believes we are morally bound to attempt to uncover them, and Butt feels that
through the study of HIP we will be led to find another way to understand the composer’s
intentions.
2.2.3 Text
Composer’s intention ties in nicely with the issues involved with the authority of the text, and
how the performer may labour with this. Taruskin feels that “Text-fetishism, the exaltation of
scores over those who read or write them, has seriously distorted contemporary performance
practice” (187), and that the “ultimate authority rests not in the texts but in the interpreters (for
texts do not speak for themselves)” (185). As described previously, performers frequently see the
text as a means to understand the composer’s true intentions, and in labouring under this
assumption, they chain themselves to a performance that in the end may actually be
18
“inauthentic,” since the score may be riddled with editorial errors, and missing later additions or
changes.
Taruskin takes a different approach in viewing the text when he presents the question, “Can the
text not be an opportunity – for the exercise of imagination, the communication of delight, even
the sharing of emotions?” (72). Therefore, might the act of interpreting the text not be a part of
authenticating the musical performance? Later in another essay (essay 7), he uses the subheading
“Le text, c’est moi” (185) which translates literally to “the text is me” or can be interpreted as “I
am the text.” This is a play on the famous saying by Louis the XIV “L’état, c’est moi,” which
translates as “I am the state” demonstrating his absolute authority as ruler of France. From this,
one may infer that the text is the composer, and the composer is the text, in which case the
performer has a moral obligation (echoing Kivy) to fulfill the text, which embodies the
composer. Another way to view this is to see the text as the performer, or the performer as the
text, and that through interpretation, the performer becomes a part of the meaning of the text, and
therefore his performance of the work would be authentic, and genuine.
“Authentic” is defined in multiple terms in the beginning of Kivy’s book, and it is in the third
definition that text and author become part of the discussion: “The third of our definitions of
‘authentic’ makes a connection not with ‘authority,’ as the first one does, but with the other
obvious correlative, ‘author.’ The authentic version of a text is the one ‘really proceeding from
its reputed source or author’” (5).
With this, Kivy explores authentic performance in relation to the original text, and not later
editions or edits. Again Kivy loosely deals with text in relation to authentic notions, and the text
can been seen in relation to “faithfulness to the composer’s performance intentions” and
“faithfulness to the performance practice of the composer’s lifetime” (6-7), two of the four
notions discussed. Kivy primarily looks at text directly in relation to performance. He, like Butt,
addresses the idea of notation and text through different generations, and how it relates to current
performance. This is clearly outlined with one memorable example of Haydn’s Farewell
Symphony. In the example, Kivy describes the contemporizing of the text as each player makes
his or her exit turning off an electric light, which does not fit the graceful flow of using candles
and blowing them out, as dictated by the original text. Through this he has indicated that by
following the text, the movement and energy of a work will be more authentic.
19
Increasing detail in notation from Butt’s viewpoint was discussed previously regarding his
engagement with the composer’s intention, but there are still a few points worth expanding upon.
He examines the performer’s role in relation to past texts, when he says that “Perhaps the
composer’s markings were seen as part of the inviolable work as preserved in notation, and the
performer’s own interpretation was something contingent, not necessarily to be notated or
rationalised” (100). Also, Butt reminds us that it was “Only in the last decades of the twentieth
century did it seem that most performers and some composers saw a direct and literal correlation
between the notation . . . and the performance itself” (102), and that perhaps freedom of
expression was indeed something widely experienced within previous eras. He then covers
different types of notation (five in total) as it has evolved over the eras from “Notation as
Purposely Incomplete” to “Notation as an Alternative Embodiment of Music.”
Butt finally reaches a point with which I find it difficult to agree, specifically his position on
taped music (electronic music). Butt implies that taped music results in the performer and
notation being dispensed with, which is somewhat naive. Although some electronic music does
not need a performer in the conventional sense, one must always exist, if only to turn on the tape.
Composers may also be viewed as a kind of performer in these works, as they compile and put
together the music, much like performers go about piecing together their interpretations and
knowledge of a work. Perhaps some taped music dispenses with notation in the traditional way,
but composers always have some sort of notational system to organize their thoughts (whether or
not these are published is a different matter). While Butt feels that increasing notation in the text
is doing away with performance freedom (or even need of the performer), Kivy sees it as a way
to understand and interpret the performer’s creativity in different musical works, while Taruskin
sees more of a relationship between the text and the performer working together towards an
authentic performance.
2.2.4 Performers
To situate the performer’s authority within these debates can be challenging. Taruskin
commented, “Ever since we have had a concept of ‘classical’ music we have implicitly regarded
our musical institutions as museums and our performers as curators” (149). As a result, the role
of the performer has been to curate the music, to take care of it well and keep it authentic
(interestingly Kivy also uses the idea of museums, calling the modern concert hall a sonic
20
museum). This position leaves little power to the performer. Taruskin paints a wonderful picture
describing art and the dirt that covers it, implying that the dirt is personal choices. But if the
performer has the knowledge to back it up, those choices will no longer be dirt covering the art,
and the performance will be authentic (150). Ultimately Taruskin feels that “We [the performers]
need values of our own and the courage to live up to them, whatever the music we perform” (78).
Although we have a moral obligation to the composer, to some extent the performer may be
viewed as a transmitter (an idea from Stravinsky), or even as a translator. As such, things are
often lost or changed in the transmission or translation of the moment.
I will now turn briefly to some points related to the performer discussed by Christopher Small in
Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening. Small feels that in the discussion of
Western art music, one hears little about the performer, “at least not as creators of musical
meaning. It seems that they can clarify or obscure a work, present it adequately or not, but they
have nothing to contribute to it; its meaning has been completely determined before a performer
ever lays eyes on the score” (5). This is a crucial point, for the performers should be “creators of
musical meaning,” with valid contributions to make performance situations authentic and
interesting. Small also points out that “performance does not exist in order to present musical
works, but rather, musical works exist in order to give performers something to perform” (8).
Perhaps then the authority placed in the text should shift a bit more to the performer.
Kivy looks at the idea that “the musical performer is an artist, the performance his or her creation
or ‘artwork’” (6), implying that the performer, although morally bound to the composer’s
intentions, has a creative role in the interpretation of a musical work. He raises an important
point for the discussion of the performer’s role, in using the term “the study of ‘performance
practice.’ It is called neither the study of composer’s intentions nor the study of historical sound”
(80), from which we can understand that often the term ‘performance practice’ is used
interchangeably with the other two, and that there should be a distinction. The performer’s
creation is neither exclusively a response to the composer’s intention or of historical
performance (although these may play some part). Finally Kivy makes the point “that no
decision about authentic performance can be made, free of making interpretations about ‘how the
music goes’” (103), ultimately indicating that regardless of the importance of composer’s
intentions or historical performance to an authentic performance, the performer has the right to
free interpretation.
21
In the introduction to Butt’s book, he indicated that not too long ago “Composition stood at the
top of the hierarchy and performance . . . at the bottom” (ix). It is clear that Butt feels that HIP is
the most important directive to authentic performance. He is tired of the constant questioning of
composer’s intentions, and as a result spends a large amount of print space dealing with notation
and its evolution, and how that may lead to more “authentic” performances. As a result, his
discussion is lacking in direct relevance to the performer, a surprising omission considering his
self professed career as both an academic and a performer. Most of his comments on the
performer are in response to Taruskin and Kivy. He feels that “the boundary between work and
performance thus becomes much looser when the issue of historical performance is raised” (xii).
Butt is only really looking at the performer, though, in relation to notation, as indicated in the
above section on text. As mentioned, he explores notational systems throughout the different
eras, and derives from his exploration that much interpretational room was available to the
performer. Butt views the performer purely in relation to notation and historical performance;
Taruskin speaks of performers as needing knowledge to back up personal choices to create
stronger performances; and Kivy sees the utmost importance in the performer following the
composer’s intentions, while at the same time suggesting that free interpretation will lead to an
authentic performance.
2.2.5 Audience
One important aspect that has been left out of the critique thus far is the audience. Authenticity
and authority in historical performance, composer’s intentions, text, and the performer, have all
been addressed. Taruskin states that as a performer his “first commitment is to the mortal – that
is, the audience – and to their interests, since I am one of them” (18). In the discussion of
authenticity and authority, the audience is easily forgotten, but it is for them that we perform the
music. In the dialogue on historical performance, one point that emerges is the reception of the
audience. Would the audience truly enjoy an authentic performance on authentic instruments?
Taruskin argues that the music needs to be marketable to contemporary society, and that in some
cases “authentic” performance is only viable in a niche market.
In the editorial response to Kivy’s work, Jackson deals with the performers’ relationship to the
audience in the section “Sensible Authenticity,” describing it as “the meaning attached to a
performance by its audience” (1-2). He further states that it “is Kivy’s way of getting at what
22
may have occurred in the minds of audiences, a sensitivity or responsiveness lying beneath mere
surface impressions” (6). Kivy is interested in how past audiences may have reacted to musical
works in comparison to how we currently respond, having heard the work in the context of
today’s society and with the historical musical knowledge of what came after. Kivy highlights an
example from Beethoven: “The slow introduction to the first movement of Beethoven’s
Symphony no.1 in C is somewhat revolutionary, or at least significantly innovative, and certainly
would have been perceived as such by its early audiences” (54). He then goes on to discuss how
this piece, coming after the works of Haydn and starting “in the wrong key” (not the tonic)
would have felt to the audience. Today, audiences with the knowledge of Wagner and Stravinsky
and so on may perceive the “wrong key” differently.
Butt, in comparison to the other authors, does not place as much importance on the audience. He
presents the view that it is problematic that Taruskin seems to cater to his audience, referring to
the marketable commercial quality. He is in agreement however with the “idea of the performer
taking on something of the audience’s role, constantly monitoring the performance from a
listener’s perspective, and reacting to what she hears” (20). He goes on to say that although this
is a “golden rule for all performance,” it is especially important in historical performance, and “It
is precisely this reflexive attitude which is so often a sure sign of quality” (20).
It is apparent in all the books that although important to some extent, the audience is often
forgotten. Taruskin argues that performances are often marketable, and that the performer is
conscious of the reception of a “truly” historical performance. Kivy talks of the audience
response to works and how it has changed over the years. Butt thinks much less of the audience,
except for the audience’s reaction to the performance, which feeds the performer.
2.3 Conclusion
As highlighted by these three important texts on music authenticity, one important question
within the discussion still remains: where does the authority lie? Through the exploration of
historical performance, the composer and his intentions, the text, and the audience, the role of the
performer in the execution of authentic music still seems to be undefined. For this reason it is
important for performers to engage in the discussion of authenticity and to find their place within
23
these debates. The goal of this literature review is to assist performers in understanding the
debates, and the varied concepts of authenticity. Taruskin beautifully states that:
It seems to me that the special opportunity, and the special task, of a movement in
musical interpretation that aspires to authenticity is to foster an approach to
performance that is founded to an unprecedented degree on personal conviction
and on individual response to individual pieces. Such an approach will seek to
bring to consciousness and thereby to transcend the constraints that are variously
imposed by fashion, by conventional training, by historical evidence, and even, or
especially, by our intuition. (77)
The performer must then learn how, after attempting to be authentic to the score and the
composer’s intention, to be authentic to himself. The historical information, provided in Chapter
3 of this dissertation, informs the performer’s approach to the learning process, while Chapter 4
details the interpretive elements in the music of Marcel Tournier. Chapter 5 illustrates how the
information set forth allows for “personal conviction” in the interpretation of a work. Therefore,
this dissertation presents information intended to provide the necessary tools for performers to
make informed musical choices.
Chapter 3
Historical Context of the Harp and Biographical Information on
Marcel Tournier
In order to understand how and why we should authentically interpret the musical works of
Marcel Tournier, it is important to situate the discussion within a historical context. First I will
explore a selected history of the harp to allow for a greater understanding of the instrument for
which Tournier composed. The arguments from the proceeding chapter regarding historical
performance give context to the relevance of this information. As Kivy suggests, the sound of the
harp for which Tournier composed was most likely residing in his head as he wrote. As the
opportunities to perform on an authentic instrument from that era are scarce, an understanding of
the differences between the harp for which Tournier wrote and the current harp is critical in
making informed performance choices. By understanding the development of the harp and for
what kind of harp Tournier wrote, we gain a better understanding of his compositional process,
and a deeper knowledge of how that music should be interpreted. The second section will present
a biography of Tournier, contextualizing why the developments Tournier made in harp
composition are important and revolutionary, and why he is such an important figure in the
development of twentieth-century harp music.
3.1 History of the Harp

The following history summarizes the substantial developments of the harp necessary to
maintain its place in the evolution of music (specifically Western art music). In addition to
recounting developments in the construction of the harp, I will also discuss the evolution of harp
music and the harp’s function in society. This history begins with the earliest indications of the
harp in the eastern hemisphere, continues through European developments, up until the arrival of
the modern pedal harp, for which Tournier composed. Several books were consulted in order to
compile this history of the harp. However, one author should be specifically attributed: Roslyn
Rensch, noted harp and art historian. Her books on the history of the harp have been integral in
mapping the history of the harp.
24
25
3.1.1 Early Harps and Artistic Depictions

Many know of the harp as an ancient instrument through its association in the Bible with King
David. In fact, representations of the harp exist well before this era. Throughout the eastern
hemisphere the remains of harps, along with artistic renderings, have been studied. Artistic
representations are found in tombs, on graves, and by altars, and include wall paintings, seals,
plaques, vases, and tablets. Although the exact date of the first harp or its depiction is not known,
Rensch’s well-researched book, Harps and Harpists, gives a detailed account of the development
of the harp and suggests that the harp had its place in art by at least 2800 BCE, although it is
likely that the harp itself existed long before this date. The first authenticated evidence of the
harp seems to be from Mesopotamia, from the Royal Cemetery in Ur, dated c. 2600-2350 BCE.
In Africa, there are significant depictions found predominantly in Egypt. There is also some
evidence of the harp in Israel, China, Japan, and India. Further examples of harps in art are
widespread. For example in Europe, areas such as Cyclades, Cyprus, and Greece, have ancient
pictorial evidence of the harp, although many of these seem to favour the lyre (Rensch, Harps
and Harpists 18).
As the harp developed in several locations and over thousands of years, the artistic
representations of harps differ in each example. The first primitive harps are often thought to
have come from a bow and arrow. The harp’s construction varied from one, two, or three pieces
of wood joined together in an often-triangular shape. Many terms are used to describe the shape
of these harps. Arched, angular, barrel, boat, bow, crescent, ladle, spade, and spoon-shaped, are
all terms Rensch used to describe the various forms and structures of harps found and also
documented in art, from different locations and over the BCE years. These various harps would
have been played seated, standing, or kneeling, and may have been held either vertically or
horizontally. In some cases they would have been played with a plectrum, and other times with
the hands. Some harps would have as few as three strings while others would have upwards of
twenty-one (New Grove 884).
3.1.2 Harp in Europe in the Middle Ages

Harps in Europe began to appear in manuscript art and relief carvings beginning with the early
Christian era, circa the seventh century. Unfortunately, no actual harps from this period still
exist, but through art of that time, it is clear the instrument was present and developing in Europe
26
(Rensch 29). These harps were primarily composed of three parts: soundbox, string arm, and
column (29). Most of these carvings are from Ireland and Scotland in the late seventh century to
early ninth century. In Scotland, carvings of harps show a variety of shapes and forms that
confirm “that knowledge of the harp, in various stages of development, existed in various parts
of Western Europe early in the medieval era” (39). In the eleventh century, English manuscript
art depicts a “developed” harp with “a slender slightly bent column, an ample soundbox and a
straight string arm. At the junction of soundbox and string arm, a rounded shoulder is evident
and just below it the soundbox expands” (41). This particular harp most closely represents the
first known physical harps in Europe. Rensch cites the first date of actual harps in Europe as the
fourteenth century (29). As the harp continued to develop in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,
more changes appeared to the structure of the harp, including the elongation of the instrument
(59).
Many of the harp representations in art are found in Psalters and manuscripts (including the
Utrecht Psalter and the Vivian Bible). The harp possibly was used for its religious symbolism
“since the triangular form suggests the Trinity” (Rensch 32). In art, the biblical figure of King
David is often seen tuning his harp, a reminder of his role as the “Keeper of Order in the realm of
sound,” and his “tuning symbolized his responsibility for the proper proportioning of musical
intervals, and further emphasized the reliance of medieval music on the respected science of
mathematics” (48). In Northern Europe before the fifteenth century, a distinction developed
between haut and bas instruments. Harp was classified as a bas (low and soft) instrument. As
such the harp and other instruments of its classification were considered appropriate to be
included in paintings of the Virgin Mary (65). Several different depictions of harpists appear,
including King David, some of the twenty-four elders, angels, grotesques, and animals
(specifically donkeys).
3.1.3 Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Harps

Harps with one set of strings are diatonic, using the same eight-note scale repeated throughout
the harp. Although this harp can be tuned to play in different keys, it cannot change key
signatures within a piece, and cannot accommodate accidentals. This period saw the
advancements of several different types of harps, including double and triple strung harps, with
the common goal of allowing the harpist to be able to play in all the major and minor keys. The
27
additional rows of strings provided an alternate tuning, which would allow the harpist to play
many more notes. In the seventeenth century, we begin to see hook harps, which are somewhat
comparable to the Celtic lever harps of today (Rensch, The Harp 97). These hooks, operated by
the left hand, were located at the top of the strings where they connect to the neck, and when
engaged, they shortened the string, thus raising the pitch of the note by a semi-tone (Figure 1).
From 1720-1740, the harp mechanism, most often credited to Jacob Hochbrücker (c. 1673-1763),
developed to include pedals that controlled the hook (97). The pedals, located at the base of the
harp and controlled by the feet, connected a complex mechanism that ran through the column of
the harp to the hooks at the top of the strings. Each pedal corresponded to a different note of the
scale; when one pedal was depressed all the corresponding strings to that scale degree were
sharpened (Figure 2). The first harps originated with five pedals and soon expanded to seven,
with all pedals moving in one position, earning them the classification of single action pedal
harps (98). The harp, tuned to E major, would allow the harpists to play in eight major keys and
five minor keys (98). This system was problematic as the hooks moved the strings out of line as
they sharpened the notes, consequently affecting the tuning (98). Several systems for raising the
pitch developed during this time, including the Crochet (hook) system (1760-1820), the Béquille
system (1780-1820), and the Fourchette system (1784), which is still used in the present
(Rensch, Trois Siècles de Harpes 53).
Because of these mechanism advancements, the structure of the harp changed to accommodate
them. The column and body became much stronger, with the soundboard widening down the
length of the harp. The shape of the neck changed to follow the harmonic curve of the strings,
which in turn caused the column height to increase (Rensch, The Harp 99). Further attempts to
develop the harp to allow for increasingly chromatic music included Cousineau’s attempt at a
double action harp, but this resulted in double the number of pedals—a staggering fourteen
pedals (101). Sébastien Erard (1752-1831) obtained the first English patent for a harp with his
two-pronged disc (the Fourchette), which pressed the string from either side and therefore did
not push the string out of alignment, solving the tuning issues of other methods (101). These
single action harps varied in the number of strings from thirty to forty-three strings, and were
coloured as harps are today, with the Cs as red and the Fs as black or blue, with the rest of the
strings white (Marson 40-43).
28
Hardly any solo harp works by major composers exist from the Baroque and Classical periods of
music. J.S Bach (1685-1750) never wrote for the harp; however, George Frideric Handel (1685-
1759) wrote a Concerto for Harp in B flat Major (1738) which remains in the current harp
repertoire. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) wrote the Concerto in C Major for Flute and
Harp in the 1770s, which, like the Handel, is still in the modern harp repertoire. The musical
function of the harp during this period was primarily that of a chordal instrument, a role similar
to that of the piano in parlor music. Some harpist-composer virtuosi’s music still exists, such as
Johann Baptiste Krumholz’s (1745-1790) numerous concertos, chamber, and solo works. Marcel
Grandjany (1891-1975) held the view that much of the music of this time was written for the
harp, but when the music was published, the instrumentation was often changed to organ or
harpsichord because those instruments were in much more common use (Defense 21). This can
be seen with the Handel concerto, which was first printed for organ or harpsichord presumably
because it would be more profitable, and then published for triple harp and later the pedal harp
(Marson 144). In orchestral works the harp was used in sporadic and short sections, often as
accompaniment or harmonic filler, such as in Handel’s opera Julius Caesar (1724), the oratorio
Esther (1731), and in Gluck’s Orfeo e Euridice (1762).
The harp was often seen as stylish and was ornately decorated. In art, women are often portrayed
as harpists, but in historical documents most teachers and composers listed are male (Rensch,
The Harp 108). During the Classical period the harp began to move from the parlor and private
salons into the concert hall, with the development of solo harp music and the eventual
appearance of harp virtuosi. Johann Baptiste Krumpholz was harpist in the orchestra of Count
Esterhazy under the direction of Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), and his wife Anne-Marie
Krumpholz (1766-1813), also a harpist, received more acclaim than any other harpist of her time
(Marson 27 and 147).
29
Figure 1. Harpe à Crochets: Anonyme, France?, XVIIIème siècle. Picture used with courtesy of the Museo
dell’Arpa Victor Salvi. Trois siècles de harpes. Photograph by Ruggiero Filannion (France: Western Central,
2004; print; 9).
30
Figure 2. Harpe à Simple Mouvement: Naderman, Paris, 1770. Picture used with courtesy of the Museo
2004; print; 27).
31
3.1.4 Nineteenth Century

Sébastian Erard developed the double action harp between 1801-1809, and in June of 1810 he
patented the “double-action” mechanism, which allowed the harpist to play in all the major and
minor keys (Rensch, The Harp 102). This new mechanism allowed each of the seven pedals to
move between three positions (flat♭, natural ♮, and sharp ♯). As was previously discussed, once
the mechanism evolved, the structure of the harp required change. The need for a larger pedal
box resulted in an overall increase in dimensions, bringing the harp to a height of five feet eight
inches (102) (Figure 3). These harps demonstrated a much more consistent tone in the high and
low registers, with fuller sound and resonance throughout (Zingel 25). Berlioz (1803-1869), in
his Grand traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration modernes, discusses the idea of a triple
action harp devised by Elias Parish-Alvars (1808-1949). This harp would allow for the three
synonyms (enharmonic notes) unattainable on the current double action harp (D♮, G♮, and A♮),
to be played through the triple action of the C, F, and G pedals (78). Alas, this harp has yet to be
built. In addition to the double action pedal harp, the chromatic harp created by M. Lyon of
Pleyel, Wolff & Cie, was also in construction. This harp possessed two sets of strings that
crossed in the middle and attached at either side of the neck and soundboard. The strings were
laid out in a similar fashion to the white and black keys of a keyboard (Chen 42-43) (Figure 4).
With the introduction of the double action harp in the Romantic era, several new performance
practices evolved, including chordal glissando, arpeggiation and full chords, a focus on tone,
colour, and pedal technique (including pedal slides). As emphasis shifted, composer interest
moved away from harp music, leaving composition to harpist-composers. As Zingel indicated,
“harp music of the nineteenth century was completely controlled by virtuosos, and in their biased
way, they influenced its further development” (61-62). These virtuosic harpist-composers filled
the void in the repertoire and developed a unique compositional style for the harp. For example,
Parish-Alvars appeared with the innovative use of enharmonic notes, melody in both hands, and
chordal and scalar figuration (39). On the harp, enharmonic notes (also known as synonym
notes) are two notes that produce the same tone. For example, if the C pedal is in the flat
position, and the B pedal is in the natural position both the C strings and B strings produce B♮
(as C♭ is equivalent to B♮).
32
Harp use in orchestras continued to develop as the double action pedal harp allowed the
instrument to play more of the harmonies used in Romantic music. Increasingly seen in
orchestras more than in previous eras, the harp was primarily found in operas and ballets, and
towards the end of the century its presence expanded into symphonies and symphonic poems
(54). Beginning with the standard one harp per orchestra, the number of harpists increased in the
orchestra to upwards of twelve, as recommended by Berlioz for some of his music (Traité 74).
There may be two reasons for this: first because of the delicate nature and general volume
produced by these early harps, and second because of the “intensely chromatic harmonies in the
modern orchestra” (Zingel 53-54). Selected orchestral works of this period include: Beethoven’s
ballet Prometheus (1801), Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique (1831), Verdi’s Aida (1871), Bizet’s
L’Arlésienne (1872), and Franck’s Symphony in D minor (1899). Harp cadenzas appeared,
including: Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (1816), Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol
(1888), and the Tchaikovsky ballets, Swan Lake (1876), Sleeping Beauty (1888), and Nutcracker
Suite (1892).
Erard’s invention of the double action harp “had regenerated the harp, but he had provided an
instrument for the gifted genius and serious concert artist, rather than for the casual amateur”
(Rensch, The Harp 117). Thus the double action harp did not necessarily replace the single
action harp in the parlor (117). Both women and men continued to perform on the harp, both in
the home and concert hall, as this era saw the increasing arrival of harp virtuosi throughout
Europe. Conservatories began offering harp classes, the most famous of which being the
Conservatoire de Paris. The first harp class at the Paris conservatory was established in 1825
and offered the single action pedal harp. In 1835, the double action pedal harp replaced the single
action harp class (Chen 83).
33
Figure 3. Harpe à Double Mouvement: Erard et cie., Paris, 1879. Picture used with courtesy of the Museo
2004; print; 73).
34
Figure 4. Harpe Chromatique: Pleyel, Paris, vers 1915. Picture used with courtesy of the Museo dell’Arpa Victor
Salvi. Trois siècles de harpes. Photograph by Ruggiero Filannion (France: Western Central, 2004; print; 77).
35
3.1.5 Twentieth Century

Both the double action harp and the chromatic harp continued to be played in Europe at the start
of the twentieth century. Pedal harp string count increased to forty-eight strings on some Morley
harps, with forty-seven (the standard today) being the most common (Marson 40). In America,
companies such as Lyon & Healy and Wurlitzer used the Erard model to create a more sturdy
double action pedal harp that included strengthening the harp with several types of woods and
metals, and extending the soundboard (Chen 27 and 34). Harpist-composer Carlos Salzedo’s
(1885-1961) influence on the harp in North America cannot be denied, as a model of harp was
created and named after him by Lyon & Healy (Figure 5). He also devised a new method for
colouring harp strings, in which the Cs would be green, the Fs purple, and all other notes red
(this did not last and the previous method is still in use) (Marson 44). With this model “The
mechanism of the harp was changed, due to the rescaling of the string row, creating a wider
spacing in the middle register, while narrowing that of the upper octaves” (Rensch, Trois Siècles
de harpes 90). Back in Europe, Erard harps continued to be made, and the company changed
hands many time before being acquired by Victor Salvi in 1978 (Chen 25). Composers such as
Richard Wagner (1813-1883), Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), and Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
gave a lot of attention to the chromatic harp (40 and 59). However, in the case of the Pleyel
chromatic harp, it is unclear when their production ceased. Versions of chromatic harps still
appear in both Europe and North America today, although with dramatically less frequency than
the double action pedal harp.
At the start of the twentieth century, the rivalry between the double action pedal harp and the
chromatic harp resulted in the composition of two of the most cherished pieces in the harp
repertoire. In an attempt to exploit the benefits of the chromatic harp, Pleyel commissioned
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) to write his Danses Sacrée et Profane (1904) for solo harp and
string orchestra. Erard counteracted this by commissioning Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) to write
his Introduction et Allegro (1905) for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet, which was
unplayable on the chromatic harp, in part due to its use of the harp glissandi. Shortly after the
Debussy Danses were composed, they were transcribed for pedal harp and have remained in the
current harp repertoire in that form (Rensch, The Harp 163). Harpist-composers, including
Marcel Tournier, Henriette Renié (1875-1956), Carlos Salzedo, and Marcel Grandjany,
continued to play a prominent role in the advancement of harp repertoire, the expansion of
36
performance practices, and extended playing techniques. In addition to new compositions, many
of these harpist-composers looked to fill the gap in the harp literature with transcriptions. The
harp continued to play an important role in orchestral works, including Debussy’s Pelléas et
Mélisande (1902), Puccini’s La Madame Butterfly (1903), Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé (1910) and
Stravinsky’s Fire Bird (1910).
With these advancements in the instrument and in composition, it is not surprising that the harp
continued to flourish as an instrument of choice for performers. In Europe, conservatories
continued to establish harp programs. In 1903, a second harp class dedicated to the chromatic
harp was formed at the Conservatoire de Paris. This class ran until 1908, was reestablished in
1912, and was terminated in 1933 (Grimes 11). The other noteworthy chromatic harp class was
offered at the Conservatory Royal de Bruxelles, which ran from 1900 to 1953. This class appears
to have reopened in 1978 and continued to run well in to the 1990s (Chen 63-65). In North
America, the pedal harp established itself at major institutions such as at the Curtis Institute of
Music and the Juilliard School.
37
Figure 5. Harpe à Double Mouvement: Lyon & Healy, Chicago, 1928. Picture used with courtesy of the Museo
2004; print; 91).
38
3.1.6 The Erard Harp of Marcel Tournier

It is worth mentioning that the harp for which Tournier composed was an Erard harp, as it was
the current and most popular style of pedal harp available in France at the time. Sébastian
Erard’s nephew, Pierre Erard, created the Gothic model harp in 1836. The Gothic harp had
several advancements including a longer soundboard, wider string spacing, and heavier wound
wire bass strings (Griffiths 9). Although this concert harp had forty-seven strings, it did not have
the extended soundboard, dynamic capacities, or general precision of the harps used today. It
also did not employ a fifth octave G wire string as the modern harp does, and it was strung with
gut. It is important to take this into consideration when understanding the performance practices
of Tournier’s music.
3.2 Marcel Tournier: June 5, 1879 – May 8, 1951

In the only book published by Marcel Tournier, he wrote that “at the mere sound of its name,
harp, [it] releases an ideal vision which exactly reflects its musical soul” (41). It is with that
beautiful imagery that Tournier taught and composed for the harp throughout his life. As a long-
standing professor of harp at the Conservatoire de Paris, and winner of numerous awards,
including the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, Tournier is credited with moving the harp from
a “parlor instrument into a concert one” (Houser 55). He is also recognized as being the first to
bring “the harp into the world of contemporary music” (55) with compositions that are only
playable on the harp, and for his codification of harp techniques and notation, which ultimately
furthered the harp’s development throughout the twentieth-century.
3.2.1 Early Years: 1879-1899

Marcel Lucien Tournier was born into a musical family in Paris on June 5, 1879. His father,
Joseph-Alexis Tournier (1842-1920), was a luthier, and became the director of the family
business succeeding his father-in-law, Jules Martin (1826-1874). Joseph was a prominent
instrument distributor in the musical community of Paris during the early twentieth century, with
relationships to several organizations including the Opera, la Société des Concerts du
Conservatorie, and the Concerts Colonne. A father of seven, he encouraged each child to excel
in both piano as well as an additional instrument, and to help in the family business (Risacher
593).
39
Tournier first began his musical studies on the piano and in solfège (Mathieu 12), and at the late
age of sixteen, Tournier first began to study the harp with Alphonse Hasselmans (1845-1912)
and Raphaël Martenot (1875-1916). Hasselmans was a Belgian harpist and composer, who
taught at the Conservatoire de Paris from 1884-1912, and taught many prominent twentieth-
century harpist-composers including, Henriette Renié, Marcel Grandjany, and Carlos Salzedo
(Aber-Count 119). The Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse (often referred
to as the Conservatoire de Paris) was founded in 1795 as a music, dance, and drama school
(Gessele 315), with harp instruction beginning in 1825 under professor François-Joseph
Naderman (1781-1835) (Grimes 11). Known for its faculty and students alike, the Conservatoire
de Paris was home to notable performers and composers of the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries such as Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel. After two
years of private study, Tournier was admitted into the Hasselmans harp class at the conservatory
for the 1896-1897 academic year (4). In addition to the harp, Tournier studied composition at the
conservatory with Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937), counterpoint with Georges Caussade
(1873-1936), and harmony with Charles Lenepveu (1840-1910) (Mathieu 12). After two years of
study at the conservatory, in 1899 Tournier won the Premier Prix for harp (Grimes 4). The
Premier Prix is the equivalent to graduating with honors, the highest grade one could achieve at
the conservatory (Devos, Telephone interview).
3.2.2 Early Career: 1900-1914

As a performer, Tournier appears to have worked mostly as an orchestral harpist, although
throughout the early 1900s, a number of newspapers reviewed concerts in which Tournier is
noted to have performed (including Le Figaro and Le Temps). There are several theories as to
why Tournier did not have a solo career, including his preference for composition (Grimes 9). In
1908 he was appointed first harpist for the Théâtre National de l’Opéra, where he remained until
1914 (République Française 2). Also in 1908, he was appointed harpist for La Société des
Concerts du Conservatoire, and remained there until his resignation in 1912 due to his new
obligations at the conservatory (Tournier). He was also harpist for the Opéra Comique and
played premieres of landmark repertoire, such as Pelléas et Mélisande by Claude Debussy in
1902 (Grimes 4).
40
In 1900, Tournier joined the Army Reserve and spent a year in service, according to his file from
the Légion d’Honneur. It would also seem that Tournier spent additional time in service, based
on a letter written to Martenot on August 3, 1903, in which he explained his experience and
signed the letter with “Reserve Sergeant, 5th Company, 54th Regiment, Compiègne.”
During this period Tournier was also active with a number of different organizations. Starting in
1906 Tournier was a registered musician and teacher in the Annuaire des Artistes et de
l’enseignement dramatique et musical. In 1908, he was elected to the Conseil de l’Association
des Artistes Musiciens (Hébrard 3), a union for musicians founded in 1843; he continued as a
member in various positions for a large part of his career. Also in 1908, Tournier was elected to
the Bureau du Comité de la Société des Compositeurs de Musique (Heugel 215). In 1910, he also
became a member of la Commission des concerts (Delilia 7).
In 1909, Tournier was the recipient of the Deuxième Grand Prix de Rome for his Cantata “La
Roussalka” (Grimes 4). The Prix de Rome was a French government scholarship that had
originated for art students in 1663, and in 1803 expanded to include music. Notable recipients of
this award include such composers as Hector Berlioz (1830), Georges Bizet (1857), and Claude
Debussy (1884) (Gilbert 385-387). The same year Tournier also won the Prix Rossini for Laure
et Pétrarque: Fac et Spera, Scène lyrique en quatre episodes (Grimes 4). The Prix Rossini,
founded in 1878 and granted from the Institut de France (specifically from the Académie des
Beaux-Arts) in the name of composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), was awarded to young
composers and librettists in order for their works to be performed (Holoman 272). In his later
years, Tournier focused primarily on harp compositions and less on orchestral works. His solo
harp works were often chosen as the Conservatoire de Paris competition pieces: Féerie (1912,
1920, 1934, 1939), Sonatine (1926, 1941), and Danseuse à la fontaine and Soir de Fête (1945)
(Grimes 12). These achievements established Tournier’s reputation as a composer.
In 1912 Tournier succeeded his teacher (Hasselmans) to become the professor of pedal harp.
After the death of Hasselmans that same year, Tournier continued his legacy at the conservatory
by following in the l’école Française de Hasselmans. The instrumental instructors at the
conservatory were required to be well-rounded individuals or musicien complet (Grimes 6). A
person who was strictly a harpist was only a musician, but one who composed and also wrote for
41
the instrument, showed mastery and was considered a musicien complet. It is generally thought
that it was Tournier’s Prix de Rome that gave him a lead over the other competitors to secure his
position as professor of pedal harp, as he was the only candidate with this prestigious prize,
which symbolized his mastery of the instrument.
Most notably in the competition was colleague and adversary Henriette Renié. In opposition to
Tournier’s appointment, Renié began the “School of Renié” (6). Tournier respected Renié’s
compositions and referred to her concerto in examples in his book on the harp, but he did not
wish his students to study with her because of differing ideas on harp performance. Renié’s
school was focused and driven on technique, as is reflected in her compositions, while Tournier’s
teaching and compositions focused on atmosphere and ambiance (Fontan-Binoche, Personal
interview). It was these primary differences that led to the division of the schools. Tournier
noted: “It isn’t my ‘school’. . . not of Mlle. Renié, not of Mme. Laskine—it’s the method of the
‘Hasselmans school’” (7; ellipses in original). In addition to Renié, Raphaël Martenot, first
harpist with the Opéra Comique, had also been considered for the conservatory position. It was
Martenot who replaced Hasselmans at the conservatory between his death (May 19th 1912) and
Tournier’s new appointment (June 29th 1912) beginning October 1st (Professeurs 51). It is
believed Tournier did not fill in because the class at that time was studying Tournier’s
composition (as mentioned above, the competition piece in 1912 was Féerie) (Grimes 4).
During his reign at the conservatory, Tournier offered both lessons and master classes. Tournier
had a teaching assistant whose job was to give supplementary lessons and work on technique (5).
Every week the harp studio would join together, with the students expected to perform études for
the class from memory, such as those by Nicolas-Charles Bochsa (1789-1856) and François-
Joseph Dizi (1780-1840). Once each month, the group class played larger solos from memory,
such as the Sérénade by Elias Parish-Alvars (1846) and the Impromptu by Gabriel Fauré (1904).
If a student was unable to play from memory, Tournier would ask them to memorize a poem to
recite in class the following week. This was done not to embarrass the student, but in the hopes
of improving his or her memory (Fontan-Binoche, Personal interview). As a teacher, he was
known to behave “quite differently from one student to another. He would see what were each
person’s possibilities, and he would bring out their individual talents” (Grimes 10). The greatest
compliment a student could receive was a “‘That’s good, my child’” (9); conversely the student
42
knew if his work was unsatisfactory simply by Tournier closing his music. At the conservatory,
he was known to be very cold and proper, but in his home he was like another man—kind
hearted and full of warmth. A few of Tournier’s prominent students include Nicanor Zabaleta
(1909-1993), Jacqueline Borot (1916-1999), harp professor at the conservatory from 1958-1984,
Gérard Devos, harp professor at the conservatory from 1963-1992, Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche,
and Huguette Geliot.
Tournier was adamant that he taught using the “Hasselmans School” of technique. Fontan-
Binoche commented that as Tournier was a Hasselmans student, he was dedicated to him and his
method. Tournier modified and adapted Hasselman's technique to fit the current trends in music,
although he considered himself teaching the Hasselmans School of technique. The basic position
of this method follows the similar principles of other techniques, with a focus on the position of
the arms and elbows, a high thumb, and relaxed shoulders. The arms and elbows were not held as
high as other schools of technique, such as in Salzedo’s method. There was a focus on minimal
gesture. The action of playing came directly from the articulation of the finger, as it was not
necessary to make large movements with the harpist’s arms. Overuse of gesture tends to increase
tension, thus there was a greater focus on the pressing of the fingers and the action of the wrist,
in order to create precise, discreet movements. The intention was to accomplish all this while
maintaining a relaxed position. Rosenbloom commented on Tournier’s technique and said that
“one must play ‘back’ on the fingers, stressing that only in this way will one’s tone be enhanced
in quality and in quantity, and that through this one will achieve greater accuracy and strength”
(Grimes 10). In addition to issues of body position, Tournier placed importance on the harpist
hearing herself, focusing on the sonority and eliminating buzzing. He also felt there should be
equal importance placed on the left and right hands. In harp music, the melody is predominantly
in the right hand. There are several instances in Tournier’s music where the melody appears in
the left hand, in keeping with his belief that the left hand should function equally as well as the
right hand (Fontan-Binoche, Personal interview).
3.2.3 World War I: 1914-1918

There is scant information on Tournier’s military service and participation during World War I.
However, through a series of letters written to his colleague Raphaël Martenot, as well as
documents from the Conservatoire de Paris and his file from the Légion d’Honneur, the
following has been ascertained. On August 13, 1914, at the age of thirty-five and two years after
43
Tournier was appointed pedal harp professor at the conservatory, he was mobilized in the
military for four and a half years during World War I. A letter dated December 16, 1914,
indicates he was located in Oulchy-Breny (two cities close together) in the region of Picardie,
France. Another letter dated June 30, 1915, indicated Tournier was still serving in the war; he
ends his letter with, “It is always going good, they are bombing us from time to time!” On
February 19, 1917, Tournier was transferred to the Auxiliary Service, where he was stationed
until he was officially demobilized on February 27, 1919 (République Française 2-3).
During the years that he served in the war, the class “tableaux” (an official list of all the students
in each class at the conservatory) continued to state the harp class as the Classe de Marcel
Tournier, as if he were still teaching. There were two replacements for Tournier during the war
years. It seems Tournier himself favoured Martenot, as in a letter dated December 2, 1914,
Tournier writes to Martenot saying that it is “Too bad also to know that the students don’t all
work with you, this is no way my fault because I send everyone to you naturally!” He also talks
of the conservatory auditions and writes that Martenot is a “better judge than me for this
admission audition,” and asks him to accept one of his young students into the class (Françoise
Duroyaume, Huguette Geliot’s mother). However, a short reflection that appeared in the
American Harp Journal indicates that Caroline Tardieu (1873-1968), the apparent assistant harp
teacher at the conservatory, “became the de facto harp professor for the duration of the war”
(Huntley 60). Le Gaulois, states that on July 6, 1915, Martenot taught the class while Tournier
was at war (Meyer 4), and in a subsequent article on the 9th of July 1916, states that Mme
Tardieu-Luigini took over the class after Martenot’s death on April 5th (Meyer 4). Based on this
information, it appears that Martenot served partially in Tournier’s role at the conservatory,
taking over the bulk of Tournier’s duties, and was consulted during the audition process (as
indicated by his signature “R Martenot” on the bottom of documents pertaining to the auditions
at the Conservatory during the dates that Tournier was at war) until his death (Concours 224).
Tournier’s comment that not all of his students worked with Martenot affirms that another
teacher (Madame Tardieu) also assisted his class.
In the same above letter to Martenot on December 2, 1914, Tournier refused an invitation to
rejoin the Opéra, saying that “after this terrible war I will very much need to regain my health”,
and seemingly made the choice to perform less and focus on composition and teaching instead.
44
Several accounts suggest different reasons for why he withdrew from performance. Tournier’s
teaching assistant, Jacqueline Borot, said “he hadn’t had sufficient time, if you will, to . . .
[establish his solo career]. He was greatly drawn to composition” (Grimes 9; ellipses in original).
Further, student Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche said: “He stopped playing solos because what he
wanted to hear was not corresponding with his playing. He was really difficult on others and
himself.” In the genealogical study of Tournier compiled by his great nephew Jean-Claude
Tournier, a student commented that he “seldom performed in public, preferring to dedicate
himself to teaching and composition. Nevertheless, tireless worker and harpist of great virtuosity,
he loved to play his new works to his friends or students for whom he was a living example.”
Although Tournier was reportedly a talented harpist, he made the choice to contribute to music
through his teaching and composition rather than performances.
3.2.4 Post World War I: 1919-1926

It was during this interwar period that Tournier courted his future wife Renée Lénars. Lénars
(1889-1971) was born in Paris, and her family was of Belgian descent. Lénars was a chromatic
harpist and graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris, receiving the Premier Prix in 1908 under
the instruction of Marie Spencer-Tassu (1868-1924). The chromatic harp class was instituted in
1903 and ran until 1908 under Spencer-Tassu’s guidance. In 1912, the chromatic harp class was
re-established at the conservatory with Lénars as the professor (the same year Tournier was
appointed to the pedal harp class) until its conclusion in 1933 (Grimes 11). Tournier was known
to jokingly say, “‘The only way to destroy the chromatic harp was to marry its professeur’” (5).
On August 9, 1922, Marcel Tournier and Renée Lénars were married (Govea 283). After their
marriage they continued to live together in the 17th quarter of Paris on the rue de Courcelles
(Tableau 1922-1923). Their apartment was a cultural center full of paintings and books (Devos,
Telephone interview). It is interesting to note that the 17th quarter of Paris is situated next to
Montmartre, which was considered an artistic hotspot of the 1920s.
During the war, composition ceased for Tournier, and it was not until Vers la Source dans le bois
published in 1921, that Tournier began to publish compositions again. During Tournier’s life he
published twenty-four solo works for harp, twenty chamber works (many of which came from
original harp solo scores with the addition of other instruments), six piano works, and six
orchestral works (Grimes 12-14). Notably, some of his best writing came from spontaneous work
45
and not from commissions, with the exception of Féerie, which, as stated above, was
commissioned as the competition piece for the Conservatory (5). On his list of repertoire one will
not find any musical transcriptions, as Tournier was fundamentally against transcriptions.
Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche explained that aside from “the Handel Concerto and Arabesque by
Debussy, and also Romance sans parole by Fauré, . . . he thought that transcriptions went
against the nature of the instrument”, and he did not approve of them for the advancement of the
harp. Interestingly his fellow harpist-composers, Renié, Grandjany, and Salzedo, all produced a
number of transcriptions. Grandjany, who is often considered a friend of Tournier’s, felt very
strongly regarding the value of transcriptions for the harp repertoire, and stated as much in his
article In Defense of Transcriptions. As described previously, harp repertoire developed
predominantly in the nineteenth century, and many Western music composers strove to fill this
gap by transcribing early instrumental music for the modern pedal harp. Perhaps Tournier
believed that composers should not look back, but rather push forward in the musical
development of the harp by creating new music.
Tournier’s music is often classified as Romantic, or as part of the Impressionist movement (the
term “impressionism” is used widely today to describe a period of art and music, although during
its time many of the artists did not refer to their creations that way). His music is also strongly
influenced “orientalism.” Although this term is not longer currently used, it was commonly
utilized during Tournier’s life to describe a particular style of music; therefore this term has been
adopted for this dissertation. Both Ravel and Debussy, who were his contemporaries, influenced
him, and some of his works reflect structures that are similar to those found in Debussy’s music.
For example, Tournier’s Images is similar to Debussy’s Images (Fontan-Binoche, Personal
interview), and “the final of his Première Sonatine is somewhat a copy of the final from Ravel’s
Sonatine for piano” (Grimes 6). Tournier was one of the first composers to write pieces for the
harp, such as Vers la Source dans le bois, that could not be played on any other instrument
because of its use of enharmonics (Fontan-Binoche, Personal interview). The harp is the only
instrument that can produce the same tone on two different notes (enharmonics), allowing a
unique and special effect of quickly repeated notes without the sound of replacing. Tournier’s
music was also greatly influenced by jazz, as can be heard in the colourings of some of his
pieces, for example the chords and rhythms in the Plus lent section of the first movement of the
Sonatine (1924), and more specifically in his composition Jazz-Band (1926). In the conclusion of
46
his book, La Harpe, he remarked that the harp is “extending its dominion beyond the frame of
symphonic music and infiltrating its special hues among the curious colourings of Jazz” (93).
3.2.5 Late Life: 1926-1951

In Tournier’s later life he continued to be called upon to assume prestigious and influential
positions. In 1926, Tournier was elected as a member of the Conseil Supérieur de l’enseignement
du Conservatoire National de musique et de déclamation. He also served as the secretary general
for la Société mutuelle des professeurs du Conservatoire, and as a member of the jury for exams
and competitions at the conservatory (République Française 2-3). On February 3, 1929, Tournier
was decorated with the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. The Légion d’Honneur was the
highest award given in France and was established by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) in 1802.
It is divided into five categories, with Chevalier being the first category (Fondements). Tournier
received this award for his thirty years as an artist and for his military service. In a letter dated
April 29, 1932, Tournier, a profoundly humble man, tried to resign as Maître du comité of
l’Association des Artistes Musiciens, but in a subsequent letter dated May 30 he recognized his
re-election, accepting the ongoing appreciation that other musicians had for him. In 1948,
Tournier retired from the Conservatory, a post he held for thirty-six years—incidentally the
longest any professor of harp has taught at the Conservatory. On May 6, 1949, he was made an
honorary professor (Professeurs 51).
In 1944-1945, Tournier wrote La Harpe, which was published posthumously in 1959 with the
help of fellow composer, musician, and friend for more than thirty years, Marcel Dupré (1886-
1971). His book is an explanation of “exactly what Tournier intended in his compositions as
well as actively codifying notational aspects of harp music and precisely defining harp effects for
composers and players alike who wish to use them” (Houser 56). It is essentially a history and
technique book of the harp. The first part of the book is a history of the harp, not in the typical
way, but undertaking the “journey as a performer, a wondrous journey as a harpist eager to
discover for certain the existence of the harp throughout the work” (Tournier 11). The second
part is more technical and is meant for musicians and composers alike. In the next chapter I will
look at Tournier’s book in depth.
47
Tournier died on May 8, 1951, in Paris, where he was born. He was one of the most revered
harpist-composers of the twentieth century. During Tournier’s life as a musicien complet, he was
considered equal in stature to Fauré and other prominent composers of that time. Among his
friends were Debussy, Ravel, Noël Gallon (1891-1966), and Marcel Samuel-Rousseau (1882-
1955). Although Tournier never traveled outside of France, students from all over the world
came to study with him, establishing that his influence was far reaching. Through his teachings
and compositions he was influential on the development of the harp to its current form. Although
many of his musical contributions have been forgotten, Tournier’s legacy continues through
dynamic performances of his compositions, and their impact on the development of
compositions for harp. Tournier will forever be remembered as the “Poet of the Harp” (Mathieu
12).
Chapter 4
Performance Practices of Marcel Tournier’s Compositions:
A Guide for the Modern Harpist
The foundation of knowledge provided in chapters two and three of this dissertation now allows
for a detailed exploration of the performance practices related to Tournier’s music. This chapter
offers information to harpists that may enhance their understanding of Tournier’s writing,
provide insight into interpretative elements, and supply knowledge to make informed
performance choices. It is my intention that through an in-depth look at the literature by
Tournier, harpists will be able to gain awareness into the compositional practices, notation, and
poetic structure of Tournier’s music. It is hoped the awareness of Tournier’s codifications and
innovations will promote further discussion and debate. The chapter’s final section addresses the
interpretative elements that Tournier’s students discussed with me during interviews.
4.1 Literature
Although Marcel Tournier was a sought-after teacher and devoted composer of harp music, he
left little of his own musical impression in the literature, in part because he did not write a
method book. The principal goal of this dissertation seeks to expand the body of knowledge
regarding Tournier’s music, and as such would not be complete without a comprehensive study
of his only published book, La Harpe. In addition, Marcel Tournier’s estate has given me access
to documents containing commentary and poem-like descriptions on several of his harp
compositions. Although it is unclear who wrote these descriptions, Fontan-Binoche posits that
Tournier’s wife, Renée Lénars, may have written them. By studying these poems, harpists are
given a rare glimpse into the mind and thoughts of Marcel Tournier.
4.1.1 La Harpe
Although written documentation from Tournier is scant, through his book, harpists can gain an
understanding of the compositional techniques he valued in writing for the harp. As indicated in
the previous chapter, La Harpe was written towards the end of Tournier’s life, from 1944-1945,
and was not published until after his death in 1959 by Lemoine. The English version, which is
somewhat rare, was translated by Rita H. Pitt and also published through Lemoine. La Harpe is a
48
49
valuable resource as it provides insight into Tournier’s passion for the harp and its development,
and illuminates his style of composition. As much for the performer as for the composer,
Tournier concludes that his intention was:
To communicate my faith to the performer, a faith so deeply felt by certain great
masters in the instrument . . . I have tried to point out to the performer the
possibilities of the harp: its beauty, its tone quality, its facilities and difficulties,
illustrating them with many examples, for they are the best instructors. (93)
The first half of the book, A History of the Harp Through the World, documents the development
of the harp from its earliest forms up to the “modern” harp as produced by Lyon & Healy.
Starting with the development of the harp in Africa, Tournier travels from continent to continent
through Asia, Oceania, America, and finishes with Europe. The final subsection on Europe is
about France, in which the harp obtained “ultimate perfection, which will make the musical
world of all countries marvel” (34). This is in reference to the innovation of the Erard double
action harp. It is interesting that Tournier documents developments in America prior to those of
France in his “journey of the harp”, as the harp in America was modeled upon those built in
France. Tournier may have covered America first so that he could end with France and the
superior double action Erard harp, that he no doubt favoured. The pictures that follow the history
include: a triple harp, a single action harp, the double action Erard harp, a chromatic harp, and
the modern American harp with its extended soundboard. These images confirm that Tournier
was aware of these further advancements of the double action pedal harp in America (namely the
extended soundboard), although it is unknown if Tournier ever played such an instrument. Based
on the order of the information provided, it seems clear that Tournier believed that the Erard harp
was the “ultimate perfection.” This also assists in confirming that Tournier wrote his harp music
for the Erard harp.
Regardless of the order in which the information is presented, Tournier makes some interesting
observations in the section on America. He discuses the “magnificent republic” and the “grand
scale” on which things were built. He later writes of the progress in America and wonders “What
sensational musical metamorphosis (through electricity, perhaps) will emerge one day from the
American factories of musical instruments?” (26), perhaps foreseeing the creation of the electric
harp that would be produced over the coming decades by manufacturers such as Camac Harps
50
and Lyon & Healy. Additionally, Tournier writes that “America surrounds herself with the
greatest virtuosi . . . Many of the best old pupils of our national Conservatoire have become great
artists while teaching the art of the harp in the most famous American schools of music” (26).
This in all probability refers to Carlos Salzedo and Marcel Grandjany, who were both students of
the Paris Conservatory, and who went on to live in America and teach at the Curtis Institute of
Music and the Juilliard School, respectively.
The second, purely technical, half of the book, Harp Notation, aims to guide composers in a
method of writing for the harp. This part of the book is also intended for performers and provides
insight into the notational devices and compositional processes of Tournier’s writing. This
method is not based on the technique of playing but rather that of composing. It is split into eight
sections: “The Registration of the Harp and Pedals;” “Enharmonics, Homophones, Synonyms;”
“Harmonics;” “Muffled Notes;” “Scales;” “Chords;” “Arpeggios;” and “The Glissando.” Each
section and subsection contains several examples, many from Tournier’s own repertoire, with
additional examples from colleagues such as Ravel, Debussy, Renié, and Grandjany. This half of
the book ends with a table of glissandi on each scale degree (in flat♭, natural ♮, and sharp ♯), in
the perfect chord, modification of the fifth, and the chord of the dominant seventh. Following
that, Tournier provides a chart of the diminished seventh chord on each scale degree. Through
Tournier’s descriptions and notes regarding harp notation, his comments on other composers’
writings for the harp, and his optimal use of different effects, he communicates his compositional
style and preferences that in turn provide insight into the performance of his music.
In the first section, “The Registration of the Harp and Pedals,” Tournier outlines the basic
elements for harp composition, such as the range of the harp and the order of the pedals, after
which he expands into more specialized information. Tournier explains that the best tonalities in
which to write for the harp are those in flat keys, which resonate more, since no tension is added
to the strings as when they are sharpened. In a later section on “Harmonics,” Tournier uses an
example from the Debussy Trio (1915) in which the flute and viola are in B major and the harp is
in C♭ major, in order for the harp to be most resonant (Example 1).
51
Ex. 1. Claude Debussy, Interlude from Sonate extrait de six sonates pour flûte, alto et harpe, mm.64-65. (Pub.
Durand).
Similar instances can often be found in Tournier’s orchestral works, such as La sirène noire
(1908) where the harp is in E♭ major, and the orchestra plays in the corresponding sharp key.
Further to that, Tournier explains that “unusual tonalities” can be produced by the use of
different (unconventional) pedal combinations. One such example is Berceuse nègre from Pièces
nègres (1935), which uses the key signature of A♭ and D♭ with a B♮ and E♮ (indicating the f
minor tonality is used but in a modified key signature) (Example 2).
Ex. 2. Marcel Tournier, Berceuse nègre from Pièces nègres, op.41, mm.1. (Pub.Lemoine).
Tournier also addresses how certain orchestra treatises exaggerate the difficulties of pedal
treatment. One can assume Tournier refers to Berlioz, whose treatise devotes a lengthy
discussion to the difficulties of pedals and synonym notes. Tournier uses the term synonym notes
as opposed to enharmonic notes in his writing. This section of the book also describes the pedal
slide, with a clear explanation of the notation; Tournier credits the first use of the pedal slide
technique to Parish-Alvars. Tournier further elaborates that the technique is most effective when
used on multiple strings, and functions best when used on the bass wires. As outlined, Tournier
contrasts how effective this technique is compared to how Parish-Alvars first used the pedal slide
on a single string (Example 3).
52
Ex. 3 Parish-Alvars, Sérénade, op.83, mm.65. (Pub. Gérard Billaudot).
Floraleda Sacchi indicates in her book entitled Elias Parish Alvars: Life, Music, Documents:
“Parish Alvars used this effect to obtain gradual diminuendos that are controlled by the motion
of the pedal” (21). This differs from Tournier’s goal of strengthening the sound of the glissando
effect. This compositional device is only seen in one of Tournier’s works, Jazz-Band (1926)
(Example 4). Tournier finishes the first section of the book with a few general notes on the
physical ability of harpists, including possible hand spans and tone quality.
Ex. 4 Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op.33, mm.28-29. (Pub. Lemoine).
Enharmonics, homophones, and synonyms are all terms used to describe repeated notes produced
on two different strings (such as C♮ and B♯). In this section of the book, Tournier points out that
the harp is the only instrument that can produce this effect, and indicates that a circle around the
note signifies the synonym (see Example 33). He again refers to Berlioz (this time by name), in
regard to the synonym notes that cannot be doubled on the harp (D♮, G♮, and A♮). He then
provides a table of all possible combinations of synonym notes. Following that he describes how
synonyms can be used on multiple notes from two strings (producing the sound of one note) to
eight strings (producing the sound of four different notes). Tournier discusses the dynamics that
work best for each range, citing various effective uses of synonym notes (such as in arpeggios,
bisbigliandos, and in trills) through the harp literature current at that time. He finishes by
53
mentioning that trills are always most effective when produced with two hands and employing
the technique of synonym notes.
In the next section Tournier clearly indicates the correct notation of a harmonic. A harmonic note
is indicated by a circle symbol directly above or below the note that is to be played. When the
written note is played as a harmonic, it produces the same note but sounds an octave higher. This
description clarifies that Tournier did not adhere to the changed notation of harmonics devised
by Salzedo, which required the harpist to execute the harmonic on the note an octave lower,
producing the sound of the note written. Tournier explains that harmonics written on the wire
strings, although possible, tend to “become insipid and uninteresting” (53). It is curious then to
note the few instances in which Tournier does use a harmonic on a bass wire. It is especially
important to remember that on Erard harps, the fifth octave G would not have been a wire string
as it is on modern concert harps, but would have been a gut string, thus producing a very
different tone quality. In Tournier’s Suite (1929), movement three Lied, Tournier uses a G♯
harmonic, followed by an A♮, G♮, and B♮ (Example 5).
Ex. 5. Marcel Tournier, Lied from Suite, op.34, mm.13-15. (Pub. Lemoine).
It is tempting to play it as written but by playing the enharmonic equivalent of A♭ on the first
note instead of G♯, the harpist avoids the use of the insipid bass wire. Although there is now the
added risk of the pedal movement between the A♭ to the A♮, a skilled harpist should have no
problem executing this section flawlessly on all gut strings (except for the one G♮). One example
provided by Tournier in his book is from the Debussy trio (Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
(1915)), which shows the left hand harmonics going down to a fifth octave G♭ (Example 6).
54
Ex. 6. Claude Debussy, Interlude from Sonate extrait de six sonates pour flûte, alto et harpe, mm.62-63. (Pub.
Durand).
One should note that on the modern harp, it is not possible to replace that note with its
enharmonic equivalent in an attempt to use a gut string, since the F♯ would likewise be a wire,
which results in a different sound quality than was intended. Tournier further explains the use of
multiple harmonics and the ranges that produce the best tone qualities. He also outlines the idea
of mixing sounds, whereby the harpist plays some notes as harmonics and others as unaltered
strings. The concept is particularly useful when combined with a larger hand position, in which
the bottom note is performed unaltered, with the upper note or two played as a harmonic.
The section on muffled notes is the shortest covered in the book, and does not include any
examples from harp literature. Tournier indicates that muffled notes are similar to the pizzicato
notes of other stringed instruments. He does not explain how this effect is carried out, or how it
is notated in harp music. However, Tournier describes the most effective ranges for its use.
Contrary to what one might think, this section of the book does not cover any information
pertaining to muffling the harp during rests or other such effects. A hint about muffled notes may
be found a few pages earlier in the section on harmonics. Here Tournier cites an example from
his 2nd Sonatina (1940), which demonstrates how harmonic notes and “muffled” notes can work
together (Example 7).
Ex. 7. Marcel Tournier, The Harp, pg. 55. (Pub. Lemoine).
The right hand notes are written as harmonics, and the left hand notes are written as staccatos.
He also adds the indication “muffled notes” to further direct harpists in their understanding of the
staccato marking. The original published version indicates this somewhat differently: sons
55
étouffés, sans sécheresse translates as muffled sounds, without dryness, which gives the harpist
an even more specific performance directive (Example 8).
Ex. 8. Marcel Tournier, 2nd Sonatina, op.45, mm. 36-38. (Pub. Lemoine).
It seems clear that Tournier wishes the staccatos to be muffled. This is similarly found in other
works such as Images No. IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane (1930) where the indication sons étouffés
(muffled sounds) is seen directly under three staccato notes (Example 9). The use of this
additional wording under the staccato notes indicates to the harpist that he or she would muffle
(dampen) those notes in conjunction with the staccato marking in use.
Ex. 9. Marcel Tournier, Images No. IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane, op.55, mm. 85-86. (Pub. Lemoine).
There is one subsection on metallic tones, indicating them to be the same as the près de la table
effect (p.d.l.t.). This extended harp technique has become common in harp literature and is
produced by plucking the string close to the soundboard, creating a guitar-like sound. Tournier
notates the best range for producing this effect, and gives one short example of the effect paired
with a trumpet (the example is not credited to a composer or piece) (Example 10).
56
The section regarding scales on the harp starts by discussing the ability of the harpist to perform
in all major and minor keys, including chromatic scales, as long as they are at a moderate tempo.
Again Tournier outlines which registers are most effective for this compositional device.
Tournier provides fingering options for scales depicted in the examples and repertoire. He also
addresses the “thumb glissando” or finger slide, in thirds, fourths, fifths, sixths, and sevenths,
descending only (Example 11).
This technique is produced by sliding the thumb from one note to the next while simultaneously
plucking with another finger. Thumb glissandi can only be obtained in a downward direction and
are often used in conjunction with a scale like figure. Tournier does not mention that it is
possible to slide with the fourth finger. In current repertoire, harpists most often only slide a
single note with their fourth finger, unlike with the thumb glissando, which can easily slide the
span of an octave. Tournier also discusses appropriate lengths of the thumb glissando scale, and
the usefulness of synonym notes in order to obtain the optimal use of this technique.
The next section on chords is somewhat difficult to interpret, and the performance practice
elements will be addressed later in this chapter. In this section, Tournier discusses arpeggiated
chords (broken chords) and held chords (solid chords). Examples show the common arpeggio
sign before the broken chord and nothing notated before the solid chord (Example 12).
57
Tournier then says that “Composers nearly always put an arpeggio sign before their chord; this is
a mistake, since harpists are perfectly capable of holding chords” (65). There are two ways to
interpret this statement. The first is based on the ideology that composers believe harpists
predominantly play broken chords, and Tournier may be implying that harpists can just as easily
play chords in their solid form. Another interpretation suggests that Tournier did not believe it
was necessary to place the arpeggio symbol in front of every chord intended to be a broken
chord, hence the confusion. Several examples are given but it is unclear in which examples the
harpist would execute the chord as rolled, especially since some examples include the marking
and others do not. Further illustrating this confusion is the inclusion of some examples such as
the Fauré Impromptu (1904). Based on performance practice and tradition, the opening of this
piece is performed with broken chords, although Fauré did not explicitly indicate such with an
arpeggio marking (Example 13).
Ex. 13. Gabriel Fauré, Impromptu, op. 86, mm. 1. (Pub. Durand).
Tournier uses this example to demonstrate “excellent tone quality,” but does not elaborate on
how the chords are performed. Tournier ends this section with a piece of advice for the
composer: “Make a written note of your intentions: whether dry or weighty, held or without
arpeggio. The performer is always influenced by a composer’s indications” (68). This statement
is somewhat confusing as Tournier rarely adds additional instructions for the execution of
chords. One instance can be found in the Quatre Préludes (n.d) at the top of the first prelude in
which un peu arpègé (a little arpeggiated) can be found (Example 14).
58
Ex. 14. Marcel Tournier, Quatre Préludes, op.16, mm. 2-3. (Pub. Lyra).
This section is particularly interesting for understanding Tournier’s compositional preferences,

as he outlines which chords produce the best qualities, and which arrangements and inversions
are best. The chord is demonstrated as a rolled chord from bottom to top and vice versa. Large
chords that require hand crossovers are similarly notated.
A subsection on the glissando chord opens with:

Musical art has evolved and will always evolve; so it is natural that certain
transformations should take place in the way that instruments can express
themselves musically.
It seems that the chord which has gradually been harmonically enriched should ne
[be] able to transform and enrich its sonority, hence the invention of a chord
which we shall call ‘glissando chord’ (I). It takes its place beside the held chord
and the arpeggioed [sic] chord. (67)
Further explanation follows on the execution of the glissando chord, and its most suitable
notations. Glissando chords are produced by performing a short quick glissando over a range of
notes that make up a “chord.” It may be performed a variety of ways but is most effective when
played with both hands, in contrary motion, and covering a span of two octaves that cross
themselves. There are two ways to notate this. The first is written as a chord with arrows
indicating the direction of the glissando and includes the directive glissando chord. The second
notation does not utilize a chord but simply uses two crosses ‘x’ marking an approximate range,
with an arrow indicating the direction of the glissando (Example 15).
59
Tournier writes: “Here, crosses replace notes, because it is difficult to stop exactly on the notes,
when both hands are occupied in reverse directions in a quick movement” (68). The use of the
‘x’ notation is particularly interesting, and will come up later in discussion on the execution of
various glissandi in Tournier’s repertoire. Tournier further describes the glissando chords as
“played as quickly as the chord (otherwise it would become a simple glissando). It contains
many more notes than a chord and the rapidity of performance makes it superior in brilliance”
(68).
Following the section on chords, Tournier naturally moves on to the arpeggio. Tournier clearly
outlines the best use of the arpeggio in different ranges, which fingers can be used, and common
mistakes (such as writing for five fingers and repeating the top note of the arpeggio). Tournier
addresses the vibration of the harp and indicates, “each time that a vibration is stopped, however
small it may be, the sonority receives the repercussion of this” (69). These instructions are
followed by an extensive list of examples, many of which come from his repertoire.
A subsection examines the mixed arpeggio—the combination of an arpeggio and a glissando—in

which the beginning of the gesture is fingered and seamlessly moves into a glissando (Example
16).
60
Tournier clarifies that this is a new concept; past harp writing had included arpeggios followed
by glissandi, but this concept differs as “the glissando section is welded to the line of the
arpeggio, so completely that together they form one unit” (75). Tournier suggests that this
technique will undoubtedly be useful in creating a stronger crescendo. A few examples follow,
mostly from Tournier’s literature, which show the mixed arpeggios used in both ascending and
descending passages.
The final section is dedicated to the glissando, a technique that Tournier describes as having
“magical possibilities” (38). Tournier refers to the first uses of the glissando in orchestral music
by the likes of Liszt, Debussy, and Ravel, while attributing the exploration and use of the
glissando by harpist-composer Parish-Alvars, to his writing for the revolutionary double action
pedal harp. A section dedicated to the technique of the glissando includes information pertaining
to how many fingers can play a glissando, in which ranges it is most effective, and what volumes
work best for the execution. Interestingly, Tournier indicates that it is possible to play the
glissando with up to three notes in each hand. One well-known example of the three-fingered
glissando is from the Ravel Introduction and Allegro (1905) (Example 17); this type of glissando
has resulted in some discussion among harpists.
Ex. 17. Maurice Ravel, Introduction and Allegro, mm. 127-128. (Pub. Durand).
One argument holds this type of writing as unidiomatic for the harp, since the close proximity of
the chords causes the resonance of one finger to be cut by the second and third finger following;
as such it may indicate a composer who lacks understanding of the instrument. The other side of
the argument is that the composer would surely know what sound would be produced and was
aiming for that specific sound. Tournier alleviates any doubt that the three-fingered glissando
was an accepted compositional practice of the era, although Tournier never utilized this three-
fingered option (however he did make use of the two-fingered glissando in thirds in Fresque
marine (1942) (Example 18)).
61
Ex. 18. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op.46, mm.6. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier divides the glissando into two types: “The diatonic glissando”, and “The glissando with
a combination of pedals (i.e. in chords)” (78). The first is based on any of the scales and contains
no synonyms; Tournier argues that the effect produced lacks richness or sonority. The second
type of glissando allows for the doubling of certain notes through enharmonic equivalents, thus
increasing the vibration of those tones and the overall sonority (Example 19). This type of
glissando may also utilize unusual pedal combinations without relating itself to any particular
key.
Ex. 19. Marcel Tournier. The Harp, pg. 79. (Pub. Lemoine).
The following subsection pertains to the notation of the glissando. Tournier explains that many
notations are vague and lead to confusion, and thus outlines the glissando as follows: “It seems
that the best notation is: to give the first note the value of the duration of the glissando, then to
build up the first octave (in little notes) and link it to the final note by a dash on which the
abbreviated form glis[s] is mentioned” (78) (Example 20).
Ex. 20. Marcel Tournier, La Harpe, pg .78. (Pub. Lemoine).

62
This notation is useful when the glissando is moving in one direction from start to finish. When
the glissando moves in an up and down fashion, Tournier indicates that composers may wish to
use crosses or arrowheads which are used at the meeting points of the glissandi (see examples in
section 4.3.7). This indicates to the harpist that she should attempt to glissando as close to that
sign as possible. The final point on the notation of glissandi discusses the use of enharmonic
notes and the different systems for displaying them (either the doubling of a note, or the
synonym notated). Tournier agrees with the notation of composers including Liszt, Debussy, and
Ravel, who notate the synonyms needed for the glissando (Example 21).
The next section covers the structure of the glissando, both the diatonic glissando and the
glissando with pedals (a glissando with a unique arrangement of pedals). Tournier explains that
by using the glissando with pedals, the composer is able to create the sound of chords through
the use of synonyms. Tournier then builds on this concept while covering the change of harmony
during a glissando. The harmony can change through the movement of pedals during the
glissando, or through the use of synonym notes creating the sound of inversions. For example, as
Tournier suggests, the harpist would play: B♯, C♭, D♮, E♯, F♭, and so on. The resulting sound
would be: C♮, B♮, D♮, F♮, E♮ (Example 22).
The final subsection covers the glissando-piccolo. Tournier explains:

If the shortest glissando until now is that of an octave (use by Rimski-Korsakov in
his Capriccio Espagnol), it seemed to me that it could be still shorter and invested
63
with a different character from that of the true glissando. It is like a dwarf beside
a giant, so I have called it, on account of its smallness: glissando-piccolo. (81)
The invention of this technique will be discussed more fully in the next section. Tournier
describes this technique as “played with one or both hands on four, five or six strings in the
medium or high register, either loud or soft” (81). It is notated with “a very short wavy line and
the mark glis[s]” (81). Tournier explains that like the glissando, the finger pad is used for its
execution, although he has “imagined it played with the finger nail which gives it a metallic
resonance” (81); for such instances he has included a performance note indicating such. Tournier
uses examples of the glissando-piccolo from his own repertoire, including Jazz-Band (1926) and
Au Hasard des ondes No.III, En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres (1945) (Example 23).
Ex. 23. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op.33, mm. 36-37. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier concludes this section on the glissando by referring to the previous section on the
mixed arpeggio, explaining that a glissando can also evolve from a chord. A final note reminds
composers about the repeated use of the glissando and the resulting harshness on the harpists’
fingers. He suggests the occasional use of a plectrum, which although altering the sound of the
harp, allows for a more fortissimo sound.
The second half of the book regarding harp notation is particularly significant as it clarifies
Tournier’s notational devices, and confirms for harpists the correct execution of certain
compositional techniques commonly found in the literature of Tournier. Although confusion
arises in some sections (such as muffled notes and chords), others are substantially clarified
(such as harmonics and the glissando). Several techniques discussed above will continue to be
explored and elaborated on in the final two sections of this chapter, “Codifications and
Innovations,” and “Interpretive Elements.” The value of Tournier’s book should not be
minimized. Although other insightful writings do exist, as will be seen in the next section, La
64
Harpe is the only published writing that communicates Tournier’s thoughts on composition for
the harp.
4.1.2 Commentary and Poems

Some commentary and poem-like descriptions exist on the harp pieces by Tournier; Fontan-
Binoche presumes Tournier’s wife wrote them. The commentaries, along with a biography of
Tournier, and a list of compositions, are housed in the Marcel Tournier Estate. All three
documents were produced in the same fashion (on a typewriter), but indicate no attribution.
Tournier’s music is full of characters and colours, and these commentaries are fitting, as they are
impressionistic and poetic in nature.
The commentary begins with a brief discussion of the transformation of Tournier’s style from the
reserved classical works of the Quatre préludes (n.d) and the Thème et variations (1908) to the
fairy-like style of Féerie: Prélude et danse (1912). Starting with Féerie, descriptions of each of
Tournier’s solo harp works follow, excluding his four Pièces brèves et faciles (1913), and ending
with Le Rouet enchanté (1937). Included in the list are references to the ensemble
accompaniment of Féerie (1912), Sonatine (1924), Jazz-Band (1926), and Images Suite No.3
(1930). In addition, a description of the chamber work Suite (1929) is included. The remaining
five harp solos from 1940 onward are not discussed. These poem-like descriptions with their
characters and images aid the performer’s creativity, which in turn allows Tournier’s music to
become more alive and full of imagery. To illustrate this point two descriptions taken from the
Images will be explored.
The first commentary, from Image No.II, Au seuil du temple (On the Temple’s Threshold
(1925)), translates as follows:
At the moment when the church doors open, we remain troubled at hearing the
hesitant voice of the followers of God, that are already singing psalms of the
office, while the soft voice of the bell slowly exclaims to the village that it is time
to pray.
Now with the addition of the poem-like description, the effects and tonalities of the composition
bring the story of the music to life. The use of the repeated harmonic creates a bell like quality
that is reflective of the slow bell. The cédé allows the phrases to trail off, creating the effect of
65
one listening from a distance, perhaps right at that moment of opening the doors of the church.
The phrases and harmonies create the sound of chant or the singing psalms of the office, a
characteristic trait of the impressionistic era (Example 24).
Ex. 24. Marcel Tournier, Image No.II, Au seuil du temple, op. 29, mm. 1-3. (Pub. Lemoine).
The above example helps to create an atmosphere. The second example, from Image No.IV, Les
anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib (The grey donkeys on the road to El-Azib (1930)), tells a
narrative. It translates as:
Of a small and light step, the grey donkeys leave, barely trampling the ground,
while the donkey-drivers sing from their nasal voices… They become lazy,
wheezing a bit while climbing the road… and here they are trotting, their little
hooves accompanying the nasal chant that resumes, then that little caravan
disappears in a light ribbon of dust tinted with sun, gold, and pink.
66
The repetitive bass figure found in the opening gives a sense of the donkeys moving along
(Example 25).
Ex. 25. Marcel Tournier, Image No.IV, Les anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib, op. 35, mm. 1-4. (Pub.
Lemoine).
Fontan-Binoche explained that this ostinato should be played with a swing or lilt to exaggerate
the movement of the donkeys. In contrast to the left hand figures, the melody of the right hand
clearly becomes the song of the donkey drivers. As Fontan-Binoche described it, one can
imagine the groups of five notes as a donkey stumbling a bit in its onwards trudge. The
appearance of the triplet figures suggests the moment where the donkeys are wheezing (Example
26).
Lemoine).
Fontan-Binoche thought perhaps they had fallen asleep in a dream. It is clear, though, at the
Tempo plus animé that the sixteenth note patterns represent the donkeys trotting, and the melody
of the drivers begins again in full, this time played by the left hand (Example 27). As the last line
of the piece fades out, one can imagine the caravan disappearing into the sunset.
67
Lemoine).
In contrast, some of the commentaries are less poetic, and more explanatory in nature. The third
example from the Sonatine (1924) is as follows:
Allegro...
Poetic...
Feverish...
are in fact the 3 aspects of this Sonatine, solidly constructed and pared with the
richest sonorous attractions of the harp.
The swiftness of the first movement communicates from the start the fresh air of a
sunny spring morning.
A troubling poetic atmosphere expresses itself from the 2nd movement with its
engrossed and warm sonorities, found in the velvet middle range of the
instrument. It is an emotional realization of the poetic ideal of the harp.
The finale throws us abruptly in a river of arpeggios where the harp masterfully
reigns. All is light and joy.
The initial theme of the first movement returns and its swiftness mixes with the
general ambiance. It will transform, developing and surrounding the themes of the
finale. The piece ends victoriously in a feeling of life overflowing with joy.
This commentary primarily addresses the form of the sonata and directs attention to specific
aspects of each movement (themes, sonority, or motives). Picturesque imagery is still utilized but
not to the extent found in the examples taken from the Images.
68
The intimate writing style indicates one who is connected to the composer (although clearly not
the composer himself). As mentioned, Fontan-Binoche believes Renée Lénars compiled them,
for as a couple they shared similar beliefs about the interpretation of music. Therefore, these
commentaries are good references for harpists, as they provide insight into Tournier’s thoughts.
Additionally these commentaries allow for the stimulation of the performer’s imagination.
Although the poem-like descriptions do not relate to each section of the pieces, they provide
inspiration for an overall interpretation of the music and its character. Each description varies in
length and descriptiveness and is included in Appendix A of this dissertation, in both the original
French and English translations.
4.2 Codifications and Innovations

A number of codifications and innovations are credited to Tournier. For the purposes of this
dissertation, to codify means to develop a notational system intended to become the standard,
and innovation means to create a technique that is unique and new. Tournier has been credited
with codifying such notations as unusual key signatures, synonym notes, and the pedal slide, and
has been recognized for the innovations of the glissando chord and the glissando-piccolo, to
which the mixed arpeggio is added. As was seen in the preceding section on Tournier’s
literature, it is not completely clear if Tournier should be credited as the primary innovator of all
of these codifications and innovations. Fontan-Binoche writes in Harp Today: “In his own
music, Tournier explored the full capabilities of the instrument employing such innovative
techniques as pedal glisses, sliding chords, simplified glissandi, synonymous note combinations,
and enharmonics in his composition” (29), indicating that Tournier utilized these techniques
consistently in his own music. Kimberly Ann Houser’s dissertation, Five Virtuoso Harpists as
Composers: Their Contributions to the Technique and Literature of the Harp, has been helpful in
the attempt to authenticate this information. The next section of this chapter aims to explore
these techniques with the goal of creating an understanding of the contributions of Tournier to
harp literature and composition, as well as to provide further knowledge to the harpist on the
interpretation of Tournier’s music.
69
4.2.1 Codifications
Unusual key signatures are one of the notational devices Tournier is thought to have codified. In
Tournier’s book, the first section in the harp notation portion addresses unusual key signatures.
An unusual key signature is the combination of sharps, naturals and/or flats together which do
not make up a standard key signature found in Western art music. Tournier does not directly say
that this is a new technique, but simply demonstrates its possible use. The example provided in
Tournier’s book is from Pièces nègres No.I, Berceuse nègre (1935) in which the key signature is
stated as having a B♮, E♮, A♭, and D♭ (with the first natural notes written surrounded by
brackets) (see Example 2). Prior to Pièces nègres Tournier also uses this technique in Image No.
II, Au seuil du temple (1925) (see Example 24). Tournier specifies in his book that, “on account
of the special key signature, no pedal is used in this work” (44); in both instances the harpist
does not move any pedals to alter any tone during the piece. This technique is again seen in
Tournier’s final work, Au hasard des ondes (1945), which would have been completed alongside
Tournier’s book. In the third movement, En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres, Tournier uses the
unusual key signature of A♭ and D♭ with B♮ and E♮ with minimal pedal changes throughout
(Example 28).
Ex. 28. En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Lemoine).
All of the examples thus far have displayed a key signature with the natural correction of some
of the flat notes. The use of this system clarifies for the performer that the composer intends that
naturals, rather than the normally occurring flats in the key of A-flat major/f minor, should be
played throughout. This system also indicates the tonality (home tone) of A-flat major/f minor
without using all of the flattened notes associated with those key signatures. In movement 5 of
Au hasard des ondes, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux, Tournier moves away from
this practice of indicating the natural correction of some notes with the “key signature” of F♯,
A♯, and D♭, which does not include any natural corrections (Example 29). This is maintained
until the key signature changes to F♯, followed by another key signature change to F♮, D♯, and
70
G♭ (Example 30). The piece utilizes many more “key changes” with the final section using F♯,
C♯, G♮, D♯, and A♭ (Example 31).
Ex. 29. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 1-
2. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 30. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm.
55-56. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 31. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm.
162-163. (Pub. Lemoine).
It is clear in this later style that Tournier experimented more with these unusual key signatures,
and with pedal changes throughout the work that subsequently affect the harmonies. Since the
only example provided in Tournier’s book comes from his own repertoire, it is difficult to cross-
reference the technique without surveying all of the harp literature from the invention of the
double action pedal harp onwards. Houser implies in her dissertation that Tournier codified this
notational device when she states, “In this work [Absidioles (1974)] Andrés uses Tournier’s key
signature devices to indicate the setting of the pedals” (59). In current harp writing it is not
71
uncommon to view music with such key signatures as the example provided by Houser from
Bernard Andrés (b.1941) (Example 32).
Ex. 32. Bernard Andrès Absidioles, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Rideau Rouge).
As Houser further explains, this technique is most useful and effective in keeping the score clear
of a multitude of accidental corrections (59). Devos commented that Tournier pushed the limits
of the harp repertoire with newer methods such as these altered key signatures. With these
different key signatures, Tournier devised new scales distinctive from the traditional scales and
modes.
Tournier is credited with codifying another notational device—the indicator for a synonym note.
This indicator is a hand written circle surrounding the note head, which acts as a signifier that the
enharmonic equivalent is to be played, and not the note written (Example 33).
Tournier mentions this technique in his book when he outlines how the synonym functions,
although the notational system is not further mentioned or utilized in examples provided from the
harp literature. Houser explains that “The notes played enharmonically are circled, which is a
common way harpists indicate them in their scores. This practice of circling the notes to be
played enharmonically was suggested by Tournier” (62-63). In discussions with Fontan-Binoche
regarding the circled synonym notes, she explained that Tournier did not always use them
consistently in his teaching. Sometimes instead of circling the note, the harpist would be
expected to know the proper execution by the pedal marking instead. Alternatively, Tournier
occasionally uses execution markings in his music to indicate the enharmonic notes to be
performed (such as seen in Image No.X, La volière magique (1932) (Example 34)).
72
Ex. 34. Marcel Tournier, Image No.X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 55. (Pub. Lemoine).
Fontan-Binoche suggests it is unclear if it was Tournier or a previous harpist-composer, such as

Parish-Alvars, who first used the system of encircling the note head. Geliot remembers actively
using this system to identify synonyms in Tournier’s music and believes Tournier may have been
the first to use this system. Tournier explored the use of synonym notes, a unique characteristic
of the double action pedal harp, in a vast number of his works. It is possible, given the timeline
of the development of the harp and Tournier’s compositional tendencies, that he invented this
system, but given the absence of concrete evidence it is unknown if it is, in fact, his codification.
As mentioned in the previous section on literature, Tournier credits Parish-Alvars with the first
use of the pedal slide (although as noted the desired effect differed for each composer). Houser,
in her dissertation, credits Tournier as the first to codify a notational system when she says:
“This effect is very idiomatic to the harp and has been in use in the literature for a long time, but
in the pre-Tournier literature it had never been clearly stated” (59). This is a misleading
statement. The two examples of pedal slides given by Tournier in his book are from his own
Jazz-Band (1926) and from Divertissements II, à l’Espagnole by André Caplet (1924) (Example
35).
73
One can see from the publication dates that the Caplet example predates Tournier’s work by two
years. Houser incorrectly states that “Some of Tournier’s colleagues started to use pedal slides in
their harp works, as can be seen in this example from Divertissements II, à l’Espagnole by André
Caplet” (60). It is worth mentioning that the Durand edition (copyright 1925) of the Caplet does
not utilize the notation device as outlined by Tournier. Tournier explains in his book that there is
“a broken line linking the note played to the modified note, the latter in brackets, to show that it
is performed by the pedal” (45). This broken line appears as a wavy line in Tournier’s examples
of his work and Caplet’s, although in Caplet’s published version neither the wavy line nor the
bracketed note appear. Caplet, however, does indicate the pedal slide with a straight line
connecting the two notes, the pedal marking underneath, and further explanation in a performer’s
note at the bottom of the page (Example 36).
Ex. 36. André Caplet, Divertissements II, à l’Espagnole, mm. 98-100. (Pub. Durand).
It is not uncommon for the examples in Tournier’s book to be modified from their original.
Several of Tournier’s examples of his own literature demonstrate some minor adjustments
74
(changes in stemming, dynamics, performance directive, as so forth). Based on the information

present, it appears that Tournier clarified the notation of such a device, although it has not
become the standard notation.
4.2.2 Innovations
As discussed in the literature section of this chapter, the glissando chord is one of Tournier’s two
possible inventions. Although Tournier does not take credit for the invention of the technique in
his book, he does bring attention to its novelty. He footnotes the information, indicating that this
information had been passed along to Henri Busser (1872-1973) for the revision of Ernest
Guiraud’s (1837-1892) treatise on instrumentation (something Tournier mentions in a number of
different footnotes). In the 1933 version of Traité pratique d’instrumentation by Guiraud
(revised by Busser), no such information on the glissando chord is present. It is unclear when
Tournier may have passed along such information to Busser. In Busser’s later publication, Précis
de composition (1943), there are no subsections relating to the specifics of each instrument, nor
is information on the glissando chord provided. It remains unclear if this is Tournier’s invention
or simply a newer technique he presents. Again, Houser credits Tournier with the invention of
this technique when she states that “The other new effect devised by Tournier is the glissando
chord,” (64) prior to writing that “Tournier used two effects which he considered his own
additions to the harp’s collection of sounds” (63). The two examples Tournier gives are from his
own literature: Fête from Suite (1929), and Image No. XII, La danse du moujik, (1932). In the
Modern Study of the Harp (1921), Salzedo describes a similar technique called the gushing chord
(Example 37).
Ex. 37. Carlos Salzedo, Modern Study of the Harp, pg. 12. (Pub. Schirmer).
Salzedo describes the execution of this technique as follows: “Sliding brusquely in the center of
the strings from the starting-note to the end-note, as the arrow points, upward with the third
75
finger, downward with the thumb” (12). While Tournier focuses on the explanation of the
notation of this device, Salzedo focuses on the performance directive. Although they are notated
slightly differently, one cannot deny the similarity of the techniques. We can be certain that the
glissando chord is an invention of the early twentieth century springing forth from the
advancement of the double action pedal harp; but without further research it is not possible to
solely credit Tournier with this invention, especially since the first appearance of this notation is
in his Suite composed in 1929, while Salzedo’s book was published in 1921.
The second innovation credited to Tournier is the glissando-piccolo. In addition to the glissando
chord, Houser indicates that Tournier was the inventor of this technique. Both examples
provided by Tournier are from his own literature (Jazz-Band (1926) and Au hasard des ondes
No. III, En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres (1945)). It should be mentioned that in the 1953 printed
version of Au hasard des ondes, Tournier notates the glissando-piccolo as a note head followed
by a straight line, as opposed to the wavy line indicated in his book (Example 38 and 39).
Ex. 39. Marcel Tournier, Au hasard des ondes No. III, En Afrique: Fête chez les nègres, op. 50, mm. 72.
(Pub. Lemoine).
As mentioned previously, Tournier often changed the notation of his pieces in the book. From
this, the harpist should be aware that not all of Tournier’s short glissandi are categorized as the
glissando-piccolo notated and outlined in his book. Tournier’s music includes an abundance of
short glissandi, and many are only an octave in length or less. For example, in Le Rouet
Enchanté (1937), Tournier uses several glissandi of seven notes or less (Examples 40).
76
Ex. 40. Marcel Tournier, Le Rouet Enchanté, op. 44, mm. 88. (Pub. Lemoine).
These glissandi differ slightly from the glissando-piccolo, as they have an end note written and
are beyond the six-note maximum Tournier suggests in his book. It is very possible that the
glissando-piccolo was Tournier’s innovation, although it would be impossible to confirm without
a fuller survey of harp literature from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. What is
interesting about this technique is that Tournier does not include a footnote indicating that he has
passed this information along to Busser, as he did with information regarding pedals and the
glissando chord. This leads one to conclude that Tournier did not think of this technique as his
own.
One innovation not mentioned either by Fontan-Binoche or Houser is the mixed arpeggio.
Tournier explains the origin of this technique when he writes: “it seemed possible that the
arpeggio . . . could undergo a transformation and clothe itself with new brilliance. We call this
new arpeggio: mixed arpeggio” (75) (see Example 16). He compares the mixed arpeggio with
another “change in character of a chord,” presumably the creation of the glissando chord. Of the
five examples provided, four are from Tournier’s own literature, and one is from Noël Gallon’s
Quintet for Harp and Strings (1953). Tournier finishes this section by commenting that “Apart
from the extract from Noël Gallon, I apologise for quoting only examples from my own works,
but I am not aware that the mixed arpeggio has been used in orchestra writing” (76), indicating
his belief that this is a new and unique technique. Similar to the glissando chord, Tournier notes
that this information has been passed to Busser for the revisions of the treatise. Given the
language used by Tournier and the examples provided, it appears that Tournier may have been
the creator of such a technique. As with the other techniques, without undergoing an in-depth
investigation into the prior compositions for harp, it is difficult to confirm when the first instance
of the mixed arpeggio appeared.
Although it is beyond the scope of this dissertation to correctly attribute each of these
codifications and innovations, the above discussion provides insight into the execution and
77
interpretation of these techniques. Houser correctly states that: “The importance of The Harp by
Marcel Tournier should not be underestimated. With the codification of his innovations such as
the pedal slide, glissando chord, glissando-piccolo, and synonyms, these effects have become
standard elements in harp compositions” (68). Indeed these elements, once innovative and new,
have become common techniques in harp music and notation. Devos believed that Tournier
wrote for the harp with newer methods and pushed the limits of the repertoire. He believed that
no one had written for the harp as Tournier did during that time. In an article on Tournier,
Grimes contrasts the major twentieth-century harpist-composers. He writes that “Among
[Tournier’s] contemporaries, some would share in the new order (notably the younger Carlos
Salzedo); some would resist it (Henriette Renié); some would refine and develop it (Marcel
Grandjany)” (4). Understanding these notational devices and their usage in music allows the
harpist to understand what is necessary to perform the music in a way consistent with the
composer’s intentions.
4.3 Interpretive Elements as Discussed by Tournier’s

Students
With the increasingly detailed notation of twentieth-century music, one wonders what margin is
left for performance interpretation. What is interesting to consider is that the increasing notation
of performance directives often allows for greater choices, and as such places more responsibility
on the performer. The inclusion of a ritardando in music allows for the performer to decide how
much ritardando is required and what makes musical sense in the work. Two different
performers will never execute a ritardando exactly the same way, just as two orchestras will
never interpret a work the same way. Many share this belief, including Fontan-Binoche who
elaborated that as performers, we ourselves never perform a piece the same way twice in the
small details. Fontan-Binoche further discussed the idea that even though everything is marked
in great detail in Tournier’s music (especially in comparison to previous eras), there are many
more liberties that may be taken, as each performer’s interpretation of a marking will be
different. Additionally, many interpretive elements are not notated in the score, and many
stylistic elements are left to intuition and not marked. Interpretation differentiates performers and
makes certain players unique. Conversely it can also create controversy and stimulate discussion.
78
Oral tradition plays a large role in the interpretation of music. As musicians we are fortunate that
many twentieth-century composers have left valuable information that assists with understanding
their works. Furthermore, many composers passed along information to their students and
performers, who in turn have passed it along to their students. Harpists today are privileged that
Tournier had several students who were eager to share the knowledge gained from their studies
with him. I spent several days interviewing, and much time at the harp, playing music of the
early twentieth century with Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche, in addition to subsequent interviews with
Huguette Geliot and Gérard Devos. The following information serves to provide greater
knowledge on several interpretative elements found in Tournier’s music. These interviews
focused more on the atmosphere and the experience of the music rather than theoretical analysis.
The elements explored covered dynamics, phrasing, staccatos and dampening, resonance and
muffling, chords, tempo, glissandi, harmonics, fingering, and pedal markings. Although not a
definitive guideline of what Tournier intended, my intention is to provide helpful insight into the
teaching and interpretation of his music. It should also be noted that it is not expected that
Tournier would have necessarily given the same directives to each student, since each musician
is unique in their approach. As interpretation plays a key role in the understanding and
performance of music, the next section of this chapter is presented with the goal of creating an
increased knowledge base, on which the harpist may draw when making informed performance
choices for playing Tournier’s music.
4.3.1 Dynamics
The dynamics in Tournier’s music are clearly notated and specifically situated, leaving little
guesswork for the performer. Geliot explained that the dynamics are precisely notated so that
performers need only respect exactly what is written on the page. If the performer follows them
they are certain to achieve what Tournier envisioned. Regardless of the detailed notation of
dynamics, there is still some room for discussion. Fontan-Binoche spoke often of the concept of
progression and its effects in Tournier’s music. For example when performing a crescendo
progressively, each subsequent note should be louder than the previous one. One must take into
consideration the level of intensity the performer wishes to reach at the height of the crescendo
and progress towards that. Additionally, the performer needs to be able to move from one
dynamic to the next and not to exceed the dynamics marked. For example, if the music dictates a
forte followed by a decrescendo with the next section starting at a mezzo forte, then the
79
performer in making a decrescendo should not move past the mezzo forte and then come back up
in volume at that marking, but rather decrescendo towards that dynamic (Example 41).
Ex. 41. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane, op. 35, mm. 11-14. (Pub. Lemoine).
This may seem fairly logical but often performers, in an attempt to exaggerate the dynamics on
the page, will do more than is necessary or needed for the music. One oddity that has arisen
during my study of Tournier’s music is the use of a cresc. (or decres. or dimin.) marking either
before or after an actual crescendo or decrescendo sign. One example of this is found in Image
VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib (1930) (Example 42).
Ex. 42. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib, op. 35, mm. 70. (Pub. Lemoine).
Fontan-Binoche explained that although the cresc. sign was essentially unnecessary prior to the
crescendo marking, its function was to insist on the crescendo. Similar to Geliot, Fontan-Binoche
emphasized that it is important not to misplace any of the dynamics in Tournier’s music. The
crescendo should begin where it is notated and move towards the dynamic that is marked.
4.3.2 Phrasing
There is a special relationship between speech and phrasing in music. Fontan-Binoche spoke of
the flow of the French language in relation to twentieth-century French music. She contrasted it
with her experience with students from different countries and with different primary languages.
80
Further discussion revealed how the natural inflections associated with different languages
translate and shape the unique approach to phrasing and breath in music. This idea is discussed
further in the American Harp Journal from 2010, Vol.22, which covers the idea of multiple
languages and their varied effects on the sound and breath of the music. It is interesting to
consider this concept specifically in relation to Tournier’s music, and his influences from other
cultures. Fontan-Binoche explained that Tournier encouraged his student to breathe while
playing both physically and in their music. Although breath marks can be notated in music, they
are typically only found in vocal or wind instrumental music, not harp music. Just as breathing is
a natural part of speech, it should also be a natural part of musical process, and therefore the
harpist should breathe with the phrasing of the music. According to Fontan-Binoche, it is this
concept that most often marks a distinction between a poor interpretation of Tournier’s music
and a good one. Breathing, however, is not to be confused with rubato.
Within the topic of phrasing, Fontan-Binoche spoke at length on the concept of progression in
Tournier’s writing. Fontan-Binoche described progression as being similar to a rainbow. Just as a
rainbow is progressive as it changes from one colour to another, so should the phrases overlap
and interchange in Tournier’s music. For example, in his music it is common to find a phrase
beginning with a forte, followed by a diminuendo, and ending with a change in tempo. The
common mistake is to begin with the tempo change and then begin the diminuendo. This type of
writing can be seen in Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib (1930) (Example 43).
81
Ex. 43. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib, op. 35, mm. 71-76. (Pub.
Lemoine).
This style of progressive writing allows the dynamics to become lengthened and broadened. Both
Fontan-Binoche and Geliot believed that in Tournier’s music, the phrasing dovetailed so that the
end of one phrase was the beginning of the next. A great example of this is found in the second
movement of the Sonatine (1924) (Example 44). At the end of bar 32 of this example, a musical
idea has clearly come to a conclusion; however, Tournier has indicated, via a phrase marking, to
connect these musical ideas until the marking is concluded at bar 34.
82
Ex. 44. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30, mm. 32-33. (Pub. Lemoine).
In other instances, phrase markings may not be present, but the elision of phrases is expected. In
Vers la source dans le bois (1921) the en retenant peu à peu should flow into the a Tempo, so
that there is no pause between these sections (Example 45). This should seem evident to the
performer since no fermata or double bar line is indicated; nevertheless, a common mistake in
performance is to pause before the a Tempo, as it often gives the appearance of a resting place
before the melody is taken up again. Pausing at this point would be contradictory to the character
and flow of the piece.
83
Ex. 45. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 27-30. (Pub. Leduc).
4.3.3 Staccatos and Dampening

In harp music staccatos are one of the more challenging markings to interpret. There are several
ideas suggesting how to play staccato on the harp. Most often, harpists attempt to create a
staccato sound through their initial attack of the string. Alternatively they may attempt to mute
each string after it is played. Often it is acceptable to play staccato notes (especially those the
harpist attempts to dampen) a little lower on the string, almost to the point of being p.d.l.t.
Fontan-Binoche demonstrated staccatos by plucking the string close to the soundboard and
attempted a detached and very dry sound. Additionally she explained that in a moderate tempo,
the harpist could attempt to dampen or mute each note to help create the staccato sound.
Similarly, Geliot also discussed playing staccatos closer to the soundboard, and in conjunction
with p.d.l.t. For example, in studying Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El Azib (1930)
with Fontan-Binoche, the staccatos found in bars 6-8 (and subsequent sections) would not be
dampened, but rather the harpist should strive for a dry and crisp sound in the attack of the string
(Example 46).
84
Ex. 46. Marcel Tournier. Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El Azib, op. 35, mm. 6-8. (Pub.
Lemoine).
When I asked Fontan-Binoche specifically how Tournier played staccatos, she explained in
terms of the body and the muscles. She elaborated on the muscle contraction of the fingers and
how the harpist should remain close to the string after the execution, and not use unnecessary
force on the string. As mentioned, if the speed of the music allows for dampening, this assists
with the creation of the staccato sound. Playing close to the soundboard and dampening is most
practical in the mid and lower range of the harp. Although it is possible to play close to the
soundboard in the high register, it is preferable to play in the middle of the string and dampen, as
this is more feasible and technically possible. Fontan-Binoche, when dampening with the left
hand, angles her hand upright, which allows her to facilitate the action with greater ease. It is
unclear if this technique is unique to Fontan-Binoche, or if it had been passed on by Tournier.
The harpist can therefore experiment with any combination of these elements (attack of the
string, dampening, and p.d.l.t.) to help create the desired staccato effect that reflects a sound
quality appropriate to the piece. It is this type of interpretive element that leaves much choice up
to the performer. While those elements may be notated and appear clear in its performance
indication, many variables remain open to the performer (such as the different ways to attack the
string and the different emotions that can be presented). In attempting to authentically interpret
Tournier’s music, elements such as staccatos rely greatly on the sensibility of the musician, and
his or her understanding of the interpretive elements within a style of music.
4.3.4 Resonance and Muffling

It is evident in Tournier’s compositions that he favoured the resonance of the harp. In his
compositions, effects such as staccatos were used to create contrast and a specific sound quality,
but as Fontan-Binoche specified, Tournier was predominantly interested in the resonance of the
85
harp. Tournier comments in his book on the vibrations of the harp, and how the sonority of a
section is affected by the muffling of the sound. A current trend among harpists, Fontan-Binoche
believes, is to focus on minimizing the resonance of the harp. This is particularly apparent in
transcriptions of music from the Baroque era, in which it is stylistically fitting to do so.
However, this trend has infiltrated other genres of music and resulted in perhaps unnecessary
muffles in the music of composers such as Tournier. With the developments of the Erard (double
action) harp at the turn of the century, expansions in the developments of sound and volume
were still a novelty. These innovations in sound production were developed to meet demands of
the music of the time, especially with the growth of the harp in ensembles and orchestras. With
the increase in volume and resonance, in addition to such effects as glissandi, these
advancements contributed to making the double action pedal harp so significant.
As the harp continued to develop, composers such as Salzedo became increasingly detailed in
their performance directives regarding resonance, and codified several distinctive signs for a
variety of different types of muffles in music. However, muffles were never actively codified in
Tournier’s book and appear rarely in his music. In early works, if Tournier utilized a muffle the
word étouffez would appear. This can been seen in Thème et variations (1908) (Example 47).
Ex. 47. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 152-154. (Pub. Leduc).
Instances of actual muffle signs are found primarily in Tournier’s later works, such as in Fresque
Marine (1942), where the appearance of a lone muffle sign accompanied by le bas indicates the
harpist should muffle the bass of the harp (Example 48).
86
Ex. 48. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 43-44. (Pub. Lemoine).
In the forty-seven page work, Au hasard des ondes (1945), muffle signs appear in only three
instances: page 18, line 5; page 32, line 6; and page 42, line 3 (Example 49). Also on page 42 the
directive étouffez le bas (muffle the bass) replaces the marking (Example 50).
Ex. 49. Marcel Tournier, L’Éternel Rêveur from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 31. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 50. Marcel Tournier, Napoli- Taremtella from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 36. (Pub. Lemoine).
It is far more common in these works to see the term laissez vibrer (let vibrate) than to see
muffle markings (Example 51).
Ex. 51. Marcel Tournier, Promenade du mandarin from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 1. (Pub. Lemoine).
87
Fontan-Binoche discussed reverberations; the resonance created in the lower range of the harp,
along with the use of arpeggios, allows the sound to extend forward into continuing sections. She
succinctly stated that resonance is what sustains the melody most times in Tournier’s music. As
such in Tournier’s compositions, when there are silences and rests, these are not always
indications to muffle. If there is a rest during a sustaining melody, it is acceptable to let it
resonate as long as it belongs with the harmony. Of course, as Geliot pointed out, it is sometimes
required that the harpist muffle one note to avoid a buzz. In fact, Tournier felt it important to
muffle single notes as required, although he did not encourage this technique all the time. In
addition, the muffling of a single note can often be avoided simply through the placement of the
hands. An example of an appropriate use of a single note muffle can be found in Image No. VIII,
Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham (1930). On page 16 at the 3/4 bar, muffling the low G ♭
as the low F is played would be appropriate, allowing for a clear change in harmony (Example
52).
Ex. 52. Marcel Tournier, Image No. VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham, op. 35, mm. 48-50. (Pub.
Lemoine).
Often Tournier clears up any possible confusion about what is to be left ringing by his indication
laissez vibrer. In Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib (1930), the harpist has a
few opportunities to debate the necessity of muffles. For instance at the Tempo plus animé,
Tournier has clearly indicated rests in the left hand (Example 53). Although it would be
appropriate to mark the start of this next section with a muffle in the bass, it is not required. Even
with the changes in harmony, the carrying over of the resonance is important to unify the two
sections. Additionally, because of the range of the harp in use, the naturally short decay reduces
any undesirable clashes of harmony.
88
Ex. 53. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les Anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib, op. 35, mm. 98-105. (Pub.
Lemoine).
In contrast, there are a few moments when muffles are appropriate and are not marked in the
music. The first is at a Tempo at the end of page 9 (Example 54). If the harpist takes the first set
of notes with the right hand, the left hand is free to clean up the bass. With the return of the
“donkey” motive from the opening (see Section 4.1.2 for discussion), this section, more so than
the previous one mentioned, warrants the use of a muffle. By cleaning up the bass as the harpist
plays the first note, she is able to bring out the desired character at the piano dynamic level
marked, while at the same time clearing the resonance that has built up from the previous
sections, yet still allowing a certain amount of overlap and carrying over of sound between the
sections.
Lemoine).
89
The other appropriate muffle is found in the last line of the piece (Example 55), where a rest is
notated in both the right hand and the left hand. This is the only time in the piece where this
occurs, and as such indicates to the performer that a differentiation is required. Although only the
length of a sixteenth note rest, a quick left hand muffle on the beat clears any of the resonance in
the mid range of the harp and allows the final pianissimo to sing out.
Lemoine).
4.3.5 Chords
Understanding which chords to roll and which chords to play as solid is an ongoing debate in
French impressionistic music. Fontan-Binoche explained that since solid chords are rare in
Tournier’s music, playing chords as solid would be an exceptional approach. In the scores of
Tournier’s music, some chords are marked as rolled while others are not. In Vers la source dans
le bois (1921), each chord is marked clearly with a roll, leaving no doubt for the performer
(Example 56).
However, in other works, such as in the Sonatine (1924), some confusion may result from the
inconsistency in rolled chord markings. For example, at the end of the first movement in the
Lentement section, Tournier has clearly marked some chords as rolled, leaving others without the
marking (Example 57). How then would one interpret this section? Would the harpist roll all
90
chords and assume that the ones that are marked as rolled are just an insistence? Would the
harpist only roll the chords marked as such and play the others as solid? Or would the harpist
find a middle ground? Fontan-Binoche concluded that the chords marked as rolled were to be
executed with longer rolls, whereas the chords without the roll marking were also to be played
rolled but executed more quickly. She also indicated that it is not wrong to play the chords as
solid, and that the rolls are simply used as a way to prolong certain chords. Fontan-Binoche
elaborated that if a chord is marked as broken in Tournier’s music, it is to enforce that that chord
is to be played broken. She further explained that most of the time in Tournier’s music, chords
that aren’t marked as arpeggios are not played rolled, nor solid, but broken really fast (commonly
referred to as a cracked chord).
Ex. 57. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30. mm. 150-155. (Pub. Lemoine).
Another interesting example can be found in the final chords of Féerie (1912), where Tournier
has indicated that the chords, in addition to being played fortissimo, and with accents, are also to
be played sec (dry) (Example 58). Performance practice implies that the first three times the
chords are presented they are played solid. Of the final chords marked décidé (decided), the first
two, with the same rhythm as the previous three statements, are likewise played solid, but the
final two chords, although not marked with a roll, may be played quickly as cracked-chord rolls.
91
Ex. 58. Marcel Tournier, Féerie, prélude et danse, mm. 304-310. (Pub. Leduc).
Additionally, in some instances both hands may start the roll at the same time and end together to
give the sense of a broken chord without the expanded length. Fontan-Binoche indicated that
such an example can be found in Image VII, Les anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib (1930) on
page 6 (Example 59). In order to keep the energy and excitement on the two rolled chords, which
has built up over the previous bars of the en animant peu à peu, it is appropriate to roll both
hands at the same time.
Ex. 59. Marcel Tournier, Image VII, Les anesses grises sur la route d’ El-Azib, op. 35, mm. 68-69. (Pub.
Lemoine).
92
As there is no notational method for this in Tournier’s music (methods have since been
developed), an understanding of the mood created should suggest to the performer the style in
which the chords should be performed. Similarly, Geliot explained that Tournier taught her to
play chords with both hands rolling at the same time; she did not play one hand followed by
another, but rather both hands functioning at the same time, not as a slow roll, not as a solid
chord, but somewhere in-between.
It is worth mentioning at this point Salzedo’s principles on playing chords. Although there is
nothing to indicate that Tournier would have followed such rules, the two composers were
contemporaries and were aware of each other. In both Salzedo’s Modern Study of the Harp
(1921) and Method for the Harp (1929), Salzedo outlines principals on chord playing. The
following is taken from the Method for the Harp:
The playing of all chords is based on the three following principles:
1. The manner of “arpeggioing” the chords must vary according to their musical
character.
2. In general, because of the nature of the harp, all chords not preceded by a special sign
must be slightly arpeggioed. This “arpeggioing,” however, should always be rather
rapid (and very even) in order to distinguish it from a real arpeggio.
3. Octaves and chords of two notes (two notes played with one hand or both hands, or
four notes—two played with each hand) must never be broken, i.e., “arpeggioed”,
unless specifically indicated to that effect. In exceptional cases, chords of two notes
may be broken if they form part of a succession of chords of three or four notes. (17)
It is interesting to consider these points in relation to Tournier’s music and the performance
directives passed along to his students. Point number one, although it seems fairly evident, is
exactly the point Fontan-Binoche made in relation to the performer’s use of common sense on
when to roll a chord and by how much. In point two, Salzedo speaks of a special sign. Salzedo is
referring either to a broken chord marking (so that all chords without it must be slightly
arpeggioed), or he is referring to a solid chord marking (in which case all chords not marked with
such a sign must be slightly arpeggioed). In Tournier’s music, no solid chord marking exists. In
regard to the final point, there is no way to know definitively Tournier’s position on two-note
rolled chords. One can only assume that, as in Salzedo’s compositions, octaves and other two-
93
note groupings in Tournier’s music, unless marked, are to be played solid, as they do not really
constitute a chord.
In some final thoughts on chords, Fontan-Binoche described that the performer has to anticipate
the roll so that the final note lands on the beat, so as not to lose time. To make chords, arpeggios,
and glissandi more intense, it is acceptable to start slowly and speed up to make a more brilliant-
sounding finish. Geliot also concluded that Tournier taught evenness in chords and would not
have liked the top note “sticking out” of the chord, although bringing out the melody is a
different situation. In conclusion, Fontan-Binoche explained that Tournier throught that in music,
the performer had to be able to intuitively feel what he must do. The performer must read
between the lines and insert her sensibility in executing chords.
4.3.6 Tempo
Metronome markings are occasionally a topic of contention in music. It is often unclear from
whom the tempo markings come, the composer or the editor. An assessment of Tournier’s
manuscripts brings clarity to the issue, as Tournier indicates tempo markings that are similar to
the final versions in print. For instance, in the manuscript of Fresque Marine, the tempo marking
is =108-112, where as the print version is marked as =112, indicating that between the 1942
manuscript and the 1946 print version Tournier settled on =112 as the final tempo (Example 60
and 61).
Ex. 60. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 1. (Manuscript).
94
Ex. 61. Marcel Tournier, Fresque Marine, op. 46, mm. 1-2. (Pub. Lemoine).
This is also seen in Ce que chante la pluie d’automne, where the manuscript dated 1943 shows a
tempo range of =100-104 with the 104 blacked out; the final print version from 1947 only
indicates =100 (Example 62 and 63).
Ex. 62. Marcel Tournier, Ce que chante la pluie d’automne, op. 49, mm. 1. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 63. Marcel Tournier, Ce que chante la pluie d’automne, op. 49, mm. 1-2. (Manuscript).
This is not to say that ranges of tempos are not used in Tournier’s music. One example of a range
of tempos is found in Vers la source dans le bois (1921), where the Allegro Moderato is marked
as =92-96 (Example 64).
95
Ex. 64. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 5. (Pub. Leduc).
However, such ranges of tempos are few in Tournier’s music, as he most often indicates an exact
tempo for each piece. Additionally, a few pieces exist without a tempo marking. These seem to
be primarily in his earlier works, including the Thème et variations (1908) and Féerie (1912)
(Example 65). Similarly, in Tournier’s works aimed for younger harpists, such as his Pièces
brèves et faciles and Deux petites Pièces brèves et faciles (1913), tempo markings are also
absent.
Ex. 65. Marcel Tournier, Féerie, prélude et danse, mm. 1. (Pub. Leduc).
Both Fontan-Binoche and Geliot spoke of the speed of Tournier’s music and how today’s
harpists follow the trend to perform pieces very quickly. Both felt this was contrary to the music
of Tournier, which when played excessively fast does not allow for natural breath and thus loses
expression. Fontan-Binoche explained that what is primarily important is the relationship of the
tempos, and the relativity of them. All of the a tempo sections should be the same within a piece.
As with the execution of dynamics, if the performance indication is to slow down into a new
slower section, the performer should slow to that tempo and not pass beyond it. When a
rallentando is marked the performer should not immediately play slower but gradually slow
down. This fits in with the over-arching theme of progression in Tournier’s music; the tempos
should be relative as well as progressive, and fit with the overall breath of the music. As Fontan-
96
Binoche insists, the important elements regarding tempo are how it will affect the expressiveness
of the piece, and the performer’s ability to express herself through the music. This is ultimately
why both Fontan-Binoche and Geliot feel that there is no benefit to playing a piece fast simply to
demonstrate one’s technical facility.
4.3.7 Glissandi
Glissandi are notated several different ways in Tournier’s music and can roughly be divided into
three categories: standard glissandi, glissandi with no ending notes, and unique glissandi. The
first category is based on the design principle outlined in Tournier’s book: the duration of the
first note represents the length of the glissando, and the first octave is written in smaller notes (to
indicate the tonality), followed by a line and the term gliss. As Tournier’s book was written
towards the end of his life, this technique is not always apparent in his earlier works. For
instance, in the Thème et variations (1908), Tournier writes out the whole glissando in large
notes (Example 66).
Ex. 66. Marcel Tournier, Thème et variations, mm. 39. (Pub. Leduc).
In Jazz-Band (1926) glissandi represented in large notes have metric numbers underneath
(Example 67) to indicate the number of notes that must fit into the beat. This system was the
forerunner to the system outlined in Tournier’s book.
Ex. 67. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op. 33, mm. 11-12. (Pub. Lemoine).
97
In some works the final notes of glissandi are represented as small note heads with no stem,
enclosed in brackets. This can be seen in abundance in Fresque Marine (1942) and Pastels du
vieux japon (1942), where the ends of the glissandi are not assigned a beat value, but often
overlap with the next gesture (Example 68). The brackets also indicate the notes the performer
should aim for but do not require a strong arrival.
Ex. 68. Marcel Tournier, Pastels du vieux japon, op .47, mm. 17-18. (Pub. Lemoine).
One notation Tournier uses for glissandi does not include an ending note. In its place there is
either an X, a flower shaped symbol, or a diamond. These symbols all function the same way. As
Tournier explained in his book, the symbols indicate the meeting point of multiple glissandi.
Occasionally one of these symbols is used with a glissando that is not meeting another glissando.
In these cases, Fontan-Binoche explained that the symbol functions to impose a limit on the
glissando without giving a specific ending note, as in some instances it is difficult to stop on an
exact note. The symbol indicates the range and register of the harp to be covered in the glissando
without specifying an arrival note. For example, in Image X, La volière magique (1932), an X
appears at the meeting points of glissandi (Example 69). Yet elsewhere in La volière magique,
some glissandi utilize an X but not at a meeting point. In these cases, the location of the X
suggests the approximate range for ending the glissando (Example 70).
98
Ex. 69. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 53-54. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 70. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La volière magique, op. 39, mm. 96. (Pub. Lemoine).
In Le rouet enchanté (1937), diamond-headed notes function the same way as the X at the
meeting points of glissandi (Example 71). Le rouet enchanté also utilizes a flower-shaped
symbol (Example 72). Why this piece uses both diamonds and the flower shape symbols is not
clear. One can only assume that the diamond is used at the meeting point of multiple glissandi,
while the flower symbol is used to indicate the approximate range of short glissandi. The one
inconsistency is seen on the last page where the flower symbol is used at the meeting point of the
glissandi (Example 73). In short these symbols act to impose a set of limits on the glissandi
without always specifying exact notes.
Ex. 71. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 105. (Pub. Lemoine).
99
Ex. 72. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 112. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 73. Marcel Tournier, Le rouet enchanté, op. 44, mm. 202-203. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier’s music includes several unique glissandi. As already discussed, Tournier utilized the
glissando-piccolo, performed both with the finger and with the nail, as well as the glissando
chord in Jazz-Band (1926). In this piece, Tournier also pairs a glissando with the p.d.l.t effect
(Example 74).
Ex. 74. Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op. 33, mm. 65. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier utilizes the double glissando in a number of works, sometimes executed with one hand,
and in other instances using both hands. Vers la source dans le bois (1921) uses a double
glissando played with two hands on page five (Example 75). The double glissando with one hand
appears in several works including Thème et variations (1908) page 22 (Example 76), Image
100
VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham (1930) page 18 (Example 77), and throughout
Fresque marine (1942).
Ex. 77. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham, op. 35, mm. 73. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier also utilizes the mixed arpeggio (a glissando coming out of an arpeggio); one such
glissando appears in Fête from Suite (1929) (Example 78). Similarly, Tournier writes a glissando
coming out of a chord in Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane (1930) (Example 79). These effects
are usually reserved for special moments, and Tournier used them sparingly in his music.
101
Ex. 78. Marcel Tournier, Fête from Suite, op. 34, mm. 75-76. (Pub. Lemoine).
Ex. 79. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane, op. 35, mm. 81. (Pub. Lemoine).
There are several instances of unclear glissandi in Tournier’s music. These glissandi are written
in large notes, without the gliss indication, and are technically playable as arpeggios, but are in
fact performed as glissandi. One example of this appears at the end of Féerie (1912) on the final
page (see Example 58). No glissandi are used throughout the work prior to this point. Although
only the final glissando-like figure is marked with glissez, the preceding two gestures and the
downward one on line three are all performed as glissandi. Indications that these would be
performed as glissandi include the quick note value, and the inclusion of enharmonic notes,
which would function well in a glissando. This type of unclear glissando is also seen in Image
III, Lolita la danseuse (1925) page 8, where the downward arpeggio-like figure is not indicated
clearly as a glissando yet is performed as one (Example 80). The quick note value and use of
enharmonic notes provide indication that this should be performed as a glissando. Additionally,
the number of notes does not equal the metric value of the bar, indicating that this cannot be
counted and should be played as a sweeping glissando.
102
Ex. 80. Marcel Tournier, Image III, Lolita la danseuse, op. 29. mm. 26-27. (Pub. Lemoine).
A few other instances appear that are more difficult to assess. In Image VIII, Danseuse à la
fontaine d’Aïn-Draham (1930) on page 13, gestures appear that are similar to the glissandi found
throughout the piece (Example 81). The difference between these moments is that they are
missing the gliss. that so clearly accompanies all other instances (Example 82). However, the
first one includes a line part way through the gesture, alleviating doubt that this should be
performed as a glissando. The second one, though, continues to pose some doubt. Only seven
notes in length, it is one note shorter than the glissandi appearances on page 12. It also has a
slightly different rhythmic pattern; it begins a sixteenth into the beat, and ends a sixteenth note
into the following beat. Although it is possible to play each note, the nature of the piece suggests
performing it as a glissando.
103
Ex. 81. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham, op. 35, mm. 17-20. (Pub.
Lemoine).
Ex. 82. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham, op. 35, mm. 9. (Pub. Lemoine).
Finally, the inclusion of irregular note value groupings leads to further confusion. For example in
Image VI, La Marchande de frivolités (1925) on page 10, the use of mixed tuplets (a group of
four, followed by a seven, and ending with a group of nine), leads the performer to understand
that the beats should rhythmically follow the indications (Example 83). In order to execute this
passage, one may believe that she should play each note in order to bring out the rhythm.
104
Although this is true, this section is to be played as a glissando. The numbers in this case are
used to indicate to the performer to increase the speed throughout the glissando.
Ex. 83. Marcel Tournier, Image VI, La Marchande de frivolités, op. 31, mm. 22. (Pub. Lemoine).
Tournier’s teaching was specific about the performance of glissandi. He did not like harpists
plucking the last note. It has become common performance practice that when the final note of a
glissando is written, the harpist plays the glissando, and either plucks the final note with the other
hand or with the finger playing the glissando. This creates a very clear end to the glissando,
which is often desirable. However, Tournier did not teach his students to pluck the last note. He
expected them to arrive on that note without emphasizing it. Often he had his students work by
ear in order to become familiar with the tonality. Geliot believes the glissando in Tournier’s
music was more about the trajectory and less the destination. Fontan-Binoche explained another
method for creating the sound that Tournier would have accepted for the arrival point of the
glissando. The harpist can block the glissando finger from going too far by positioning the other
hand on the note next to the final note of the glissando. For example, if the glissando played with
the right hand goes up to a D, the harpist may rest her left hand on E so that the right hand
executing the glissando naturally ends on the final note without forcefully plucking it. Another
performance practice that has become common is fingering the end of descending glissandi.
Fontan-Binoche felt that if the harpist fingers the end of the glissandi, he should be careful that
the quality of the sound does not change. Just as Tournier did not wish the final note to be
accented, he also did not want the end of the glissando to sound any different from the rest of the
glissando. However, this technique can only be practical when paired with a glissando that is
slowing down. The sound quality of glissandi in Tournier’s music should be similar to scales. In
fact, Fontan-Binoche explained that Tournier taught that scales should sound like glissandi and
105
glissandi should sound like scales, implying that every note in a glissando should be clear and
even.
4.3.8 Harmonics
Not much additional information is needed here in relation to harmonics, beyond that which was
mentioned in the literature section of this chapter. However, one interesting point to address
relates to the technique of the harmonics. In the French school of playing, the left hand position
for harmonics changes depending on the location of the harmonic. Typically the left hand presses
against the note with the skin at the base of the thumb or on the opposite side of the hand to
create a harmonic. This allows the harpist to produce single, double, and sometime triple
harmonics with one hand. It does, however, create a challenge as the harpist attempts to play left
hand harmonics on notes above third octave F. In order to allow for the continuation of
harmonics in the left hand at that range, the harpist may switch position to the right hand
harmonic technique, which allows for greater clarity and volume on those notes. One such
example of this is found in Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham (1930) page 13, in
which the left hand harmonics move up to the third octave C (Example 84).
Ex. 84. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham, op. 35. mm. 21-22. (Pub.
Lemoine).
Another example is found in the Sonatine (1924) second movement, page 11, in which the left
hand harmonics move up to a third octave D (Example 85).
Ex. 85. Marcel Tournier, Sonatine, op. 30, mm. 49-50. (Pub. Lemoine).
106
This is different from the North American technique in which the harpist either switches to use
his right hand or works on the left hand sound production and technique with varying degrees of
success. Although using the French method means the harpist’s left hand has to adapt to two
positions, one can argue that it creates a better resonating harmonic sound, much like the kind of
resonance that would have been Tournier’s intent.
4.3.9 Fingering
Fingering was not commonly indicated in Tournier’s music, as he believed that each harpist
would have his or her own ideal fingerings. Fontan-Binoche, Geliot, and Devos all commented
similarly in regard to fingering. Tournier taught that if one fingering did not fit his student’s
hand, they must find another one, recognizing that no two harpists have the same hand. Good
fingering can significantly change the harpist’s ability to play a part successfully. It also makes
the execution of a section easier, with the primary function being that of sonority. As such,
Tournier gave very little fingering to his students, either printed in his music or through his
teaching. The fingering given through his teaching tended to be more of an option, and could be
changed or corrected if it did not serve the music or aid the harpist in bringing out important
melodies, or if it prevented the performer from playing with technical ease. A few instances in
Tournier’s compositions that include fingering are: finger slides, hand directives, and special
executions. For example, in Images No. X, La Volière magique (1932) at the bottom of page 31,
an execution marking signifies the use of a synonym note and also indicates the use of a thumb
finger slide (Example 86).
Ex. 86. Marcel Tournier, Images No. X, La Volière magique, op. 39, mm. 71-72. (Pub. Lemoine).
107
An example of a hand directive is found in the opening of Vers la source dans le bois (1921), in
which Tournier indicates that the first note is to be played by the left hand and the following
notes by the right hand; he includes which fingers to use on those notes (Example 87).
Another minor use of fingering in Tournier’s music is seen in Au hasard des ondes (1945) on
page 38 (Example 88). In the second system Tournier indicates that the staccatos are to be played
with the second finger. This fingering additionally gives insight into the execution of the staccato
markings.
Ex. 88. Marcel Tournier, Berceuse du cavalier from Au hasard des ondes, op. 50, mm. 8-9. (Pub. Lemoine).
4.3.10 Pedal Markings

Pedal markings, similarly to fingerings, are not marked consistently in Tournier’s music. As
Fontan-Binoche indicated, it was often up to the performer to add them. The appearance of pedal
markings usually indicates the necessity of a synonym note within the music. Likewise,
execution markings demonstrate the required notes and pedals to perform that section of music
with the enharmonic equivalent. An example of execution markings can be seen in Image X, La
Volière magique (1932) on page 30 (Example 89).
108
Ex. 89. Marcel Tournier, Image X, La Volière magique, op. 39, mm. 55. (Pub. Lemoine).
Similarly, pedal markings that appear in brackets often indicate a pedal that is required for a
specific harmony (usually within a glissando). For example in Fresque marine (1942), pedal
markings in brackets appear in bars with glissandi to indicate the necessary changes required to
create the intended harmonies (Example 90). Throughout this composition, pedal markings are
indicated (always in brackets) in advance of glissandi in order to prepare the harmonies.
Additionally, pedal markings appear at the head of the piece, preemptively indicating the
harmony required for the glissandi in the first bar. Pedal markings, like tempo markings, are
another element about which performers often question the originator. Again, by viewing
Tournier’s manuscripts, doubt may be cleared by his inclusion of pedal markings. The
manuscript of Fresque marine indicates pedal markings in brackets, just as in the print version
(Example 91). Although this is clearly an early version of the manuscript as some elements have
changed between it and the print version, the characteristic style of marking pedals in brackets
remains the same, and indicates that the pedal markings found in the print version came from
Tournier rather than the publisher.
Ex. 90. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op. 46, mm. 13. (Pub. Lemoine).
109
Ex. 91. Marcel Tournier, Fresque marine, op. 46, mm. 8. (Manuscript).
As Tournier’s compositional style evolved, certain elements such as fingering and pedal
markings appeared more often in later works. In the early composition Thème et variations
(1908), of the twenty-two pages, fewer than twenty pedals are notated, far fewer than are
required to play the piece, leaving the remainder up to the performer to notate. Most often pedal
markings appear in brackets offering, as Fontan-Binoche explained, suggestions or tips to the
performer. In cases where pedal markings appear without brackets, those pedals should be
performed exactly where indicated. For example, page 5 of Vers la source dans le bois (1921)
indicates an F♯ and a B♯ (Example 92). The performer should take care to move those pedals at
that moment so as not to affect the tonality of the previous glissando, but at the same time
preparing the next glissando.
110
Another example of pedal markings without brackets is found in the Thème et variations on page
7 (Example 93). Over the final system one will notice an E♭ moving to an E♮ and ending in an
E♯. This exact pedal movement relates to the harmonies of the three chords used and indicates to
the performer that no enharmonic notes replace the written notes, and as such the specific pedal
movement is required.
Fontan-Binoche and Geliot both commented on Tournier’s instruction regarding the execution of
pedals. He was exact regarding the movement of pedals and the way the harpist should perform
them. It is interesting, however, that although Tournier marked few pedals in his music, he was
specific with his students regarding how and where they notated them in their music. It is
111
important to remember the development of the double action Erard harp and the resulting
differences in pedal tension and mechanism with the modern harp. The Erard harps required
exact precision and delicate movements in order to reduce the amount of noise from the
mechanism. The mechanism of the modern harp is much quieter and smoother in comparison.
One of the main complaints of the Erard harp during its time was its noisy mechanism.
Through the exploration of many different interpretive elements in Tournier’s music, the
performer gains additional information to use to make informed performance choices. The
elements covered (dynamics, phrasing, staccatos and dampening, resonance and muffling,
chords, tempo, glissandi, harmonics, fingering, and pedal markings) are only the basic
foundation of Tournier’s music. Further explorations into the interpretation of other musical
elements are left for future research.
This chapter is not written with the intention of giving a step-by-step guide to the interpretation
of Tournier’s music, but is presented in order to fulfill the mandate set out in Chapter 2—to
provide knowledge to empower performers to make informed performance choices, in the hope
that by exploring Tournier’s possible intentions for the music’s technical elements, they gain an
understanding of the specific elements and techniques that constitute best performance practices
of his music. By exploring Tournier’s book and poems, harpists are given invaluable information
that contributes to the understanding of Tournier’s compositional style and clarifies the execution
of several techniques. Addressing Tournier’s possible codifications and innovations further
provides knowledge and clarity, and encourages performers to enter the debate regarding the
originator of said techniques. Finally, by delving into several interpretive elements, as discussed
by former students Fontan-Binoche, Geliot, and Devos, the harpist is provided with information
giving further clarification regarding the performance practices of Tournier’s music.
Although many specific topics have been covered, the performer should view these elements as
parts that make up a whole. Just as Tournier was detailed in his notation, so should the performer
be detailed in his or her interpretation. Tournier’s music is comparable to the large-scale
paintings of water lilies by Monet. Up close to the art, one cannot see the big picture, but is
struck by each brush stroke and tiny detail. It is all of these strokes, however insignificant they
may seem up close, that make up the whole picture. Without any one of them the work of art
would not have the same effect. These paintings deal largely with progression and transitions, as
112
each line has its importance and place, similar to the concepts of Tournier’s music. By leaving
one marking out, the flow and overall picture of the music is no longer the same. As such the
performer should strive for an interpretation of the music that is true to the musical score and is
filled with knowledge, in order to make informed performance choices that will yield a unique
interpretation of the music of Marcel Tournier.
Chapter 5
Performance Interpretation of Vers la source dans le bois
The previous three chapters provide the background for the practical application of personal
performance interpretation, which is applied to Vers la source dans le bois in this chapter. The
literature review presented in Chapter 2 encourages performers to establish their role within the
debate of authenticity in music. The primary aim of Chapters 3 and 4 is to expand the body of
knowledge regarding Marcel Tournier. In addition, it is the intent of these chapters to provide
information that may assist the performer in making informed performance choices.
Through these chapters, various types of authenticity have been discussed and can be roughly
broken down into three categories. The first is the idea of authenticity to the musical score.
Chapter 4 discusses the increasing detail of notation in twentieth-century music, and the debate
about whether every marking on the page limits a performer’s musical choice, or if detailed
notation actually allows the performer more freedom. While notation may provide more
performance directives, it is up to the performer to decide the degree to which to execute these
markings.
The second type of authenticity stems from the composer’s intention, which includes performing
a piece in the way the performer believes the composer intended, and performing it in a historical
style or on period instruments. This type of authenticity may be influenced by performance
practice and oral tradition. The final authenticity is perhaps the most challenging—the idea of the
performer being authentic to her own interpretation; after following the notation of the musical
score and attempting to understand the composer’s intention, does any room remain for the
performer’s personal interpretation? This chapter explores the practical application of this
research in relation to the learning process of a piece by Marcel Tournier.
I have selected one of Tournier’s most performed pieces, Vers la source dans le bois for
discussion. An intermediate to advanced level piece of under five minutes in length, teachers
often use it to work on technical skills with their students, such as even sounding arpeggios. Prior
to 1912, Tournier’s musical style was structured more in the Classical and Romantic genre. With
the creation of Féerie (1912), Tournier departed from this style and began his exploration of
Impressionism (Description des oeuvres de Marcel Tournier 1). After a compositional break
113
114
during World War One, Tournier returned to composition with the publication of Vers la source
dans le bois in 1921. The impressionistic qualities of the piece make it accessible to most
audiences, thus making it a wonderful addition to a concert artist’s program. As I have never
performed the piece myself, I am approaching Vers la source dans le bois with a fresh
perspective that has not been shaped by any previous study.
The notions of being authentic to the score, the composer’s intention, and the performer’s
personal interpretation, establish the framework for this chapter. Divided into two parts, the first
section deals with the preparatory work of learning a new piece, covering topics related to the
interpretation of the score and the composer’s intention. The second section is my personal
interpretation of Tournier’s piece. Once all the information has been explored, the performer
may then make informed musical choices about how to perform a piece.
5.1 Preparatory Work

In the learning process of any piece of music, a certain amount of preparation that enhances the
performer’s understanding and learning experience can be accomplished away from the
instrument. The first three points below all fall into the understanding of the score. First is the
selection of an edition. Second, the harpist may look through the piece and establish which
words or symbols may require definition. Third, conducting a basic structural analysis can help
with understanding the development of the piece, and establishing climactic moments. The next
four points relate to the understanding of the composer’s intention. Arranging for a meeting with
the composer, a student of his, an expert, or simply by asking questions of other harpists and
asking questions, can yield helpful information to assist with understanding the composer’s
intention. Accessing any information regarding the piece in question, either online or through
print sources, may further contribute to the learning process. By identifying the key elements of
contemporary performance tradition through the analysis of recordings, the harpist is given
insight into different interpretations. Finally, understanding the compositional styles and
influences associated with the piece provides context for understanding the composition and the
composer’s intentions. Through the selection of an edition, understanding terminology and
symbols, and a basic structural analysis, the harpist is given a deeper understanding of the score.
By connecting with the experts, surveying the existing literature, establishing a performance
115
tradition, and understanding the compositional style and influences, the performer is given
insight into the composer’s intention. By undergoing this preparatory work, the performer builds
a foundation on which to make informed performance choices during the learning process.
5.1.1 Selecting an Edition

When selecting a score of music, one must take into account the edition of the music and the
different publishing houses that have printed the same piece. Often with Tournier’s music only
one published version exists. Recently though, some of Tournier’s music has been republished
by different companies. This brings to the foreground the question of which version to use. By
selecting the edition that was the last published version during the composer’s life, this ensures
selection of a version most in line with the composer’s intention, avoiding changes that may have
been made without the composer’s awareness.
During Tournier’s life, his music was published through a number of different printing houses
including but not limited to: Eschig, Durand, Salabert, Senart, Rouhier, Leduc, and Lemoine
(Oeuvres de Marcel Tournier 4). Currently, Lemoine and Leduc predominantly print Tournier’s
music. Prior to the First World War, Tournier published with a variety of companies that were
later absorbed by Leduc. Although Leduc did not actually work with Tournier, they have
inherited the rights to his music through the acquisition of other companies. For example, in
1939 Leduc took over Rouhier and thus all the publications of Tournier’s music through that
publisher, including Vers la source dans le bois (Crichton). It is important to clarify that
companies such as Leduc did not reset the music they inherited. This means that the music was
in the original format which Tournier published. The bottom of a piece of music contains its
plate number. For Vers la source dans le bois, two such numbers are listed. The first, L.R 433, is
the number assigned to this piece by Rouhier publishers (Devriès 375). The second, A.L. 20.002,
is the number assigned by Leduc (269), and the copyright remained with Louis Rouhier. All this
indicates to the musician that this is the same setting of the piece as Rouhier published. Today
for works before 1914, the publishing rights belong to Leduc. It appears that in the early 1920s
Tournier began to publish his harp music exclusively with Lemoine.
Salvi Publications have reproduced a selected number of Tournier’s works including La lettre du
jardinier (n.d) and Nocturne (1909). Many of Tournier’s works are no longer in print, and harp-
oriented companies, such as Salvi Publications, have been able to reproduce these out of print
116
works with permission from the original publisher. These reproductions are strictly reprints of
the music without changes to notes, dynamics, and expressive markings. The Six Noëls (1926),
Scherzo romantique (1932), and Quatre préludes (n.d), printed through the Lyra Music
Company, are likewise reproductions of out-of-print compositions. These companies have made
works by Tournier available that otherwise would no longer be accessible. Even so, some of
Tournier’s compositions remain out of print, including his final work Au hasard des ondes
(1945). Other works are available only through the main publisher’s website, and are not
distributed by the major music carriers of North America. One such example is Fresque Marine
(1942), which is only available through the Lemoine catalog. Popular works of Tournier,
including his Images, continue to be reprinted. Huguette Geliot is currently working with
Lemoine in an attempt to continue publishing Tournier’s music. She has also edited and
published one Tournier work that was written for her when she was a young student. Les Tierces
is the first piece in Geliot’s collection Les Plaisirs de la harpe (1992). Geliot explained that it
was written as a beginner study for her. She revised this version to be in 3/4, as opposed to the
original time signature of 3/8. Geliot felt that this meter would be more accessible for the young
harpists for whom the piece was designed (Personal interview).
As mentioned, Vers la source dans le bois was originally published with Rouhier, and is now in
print with Leduc. Another version of Vers la source dans le bois, edited by Mary Kay
Waddington in 2010, also exists. Unlike other editions of Tournier’s music in which the piece
has simply been reprinted, this publication has reset the work. Waddington respelled the
enharmonic notes to allow for an easier reading by the performer. The notes that appear are the
notes the harpist needs to play. In the original version of the piece doubled notes appeared
continuously (Example 94 and 95).
117
Ex. 95. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm .2. (Pub. Waddington).
Knowing Tournier’s love of the resonance of the harp, his use of synonym notes, and his pedal
indication at the head of the piece, it should be clear to the harpist that Tournier does not literally
expect her to play the same string twice, but expects the harpist to use the enharmonic equivalent
on another string. Therefore, when reading Tournier’s composition, the harpist must circle the
notes that are to be played on different strings (as outlined in his book). The Waddington edition
does this for the harpist by writing the notes to be played, which greatly enhances the readability
of the work. There are pros and cons to this edition. One can argue that respelling the notes no
longer allows for a visualization that will clearly indicate the harmonic structure of the work. But
given the amount of time it saves in the actual reading of the music, I believe the advantage
outweighs that particular con. There are a few notable differences between editions. Waddington
has used the English equivalents of some of the French terms (for example m.g is changed to
L.H.). Some other minor changes include the elongation of a few bars for visual clarity, the
removal of some phrase markings, and a change to some of the stem directions. However,
despite the slight abbreviations to terminology and dynamics, Waddington remains faithful to the
original edition. A list of differences is found below in Table 1:
Table 1: Differences between the Leduc edition and the Waddington edition
Changes in the Waddington Edition Bar Numbers
The respelling of all enharmonic notes. Found throughout
The F♭ in the bass clef key signature is moved down the octave Found throughout
to fit with the current method for laying out key signatures.
118
Pedal indications are all notated in English. Some appear at Found throughout
slightly different locations than the original.
Bar numbers at the beginning of each line. Found throughout
Translation of m.g to L.H. 1
Pedals indicated through a diagram. 1
Missing tenuto marking over the E♮ in the left hand. 6
Missing S.H. marking (sons harmoniques—harmonic sounds). 8, 33, and 62
The harmonic is clear through the indication of the circle above
the note in both editions.
Addition of a pedal chart. 21 and 41
Addition of fingering. 21, 23, and 40
Missing slur markings over left hand groups of three and right 21, 22, 29, 30, 35, and
hand groups of six. 36
Stem directions changed. 22, 24, and 30
Added finger slide. 25 and 31
A system containing two bars is expanded so that there is one bar 25-26, 35-36, and 58-59
per system. Thus six lines appear on the page as opposed to five.
119
8va is written only over the right hand notes while the Leduc 26 and 32
edition uses an unbroken 8va line.
The notes are split between the treble clef and bass clef. 35
Missing bass clef rests. 36-39
Accents moved below the notes. 37-39
Addition of a rest in the bass clef. 40
Glissando notation changed. The first and last notes are 40
represented by a thirty-second note, and connected by a wavy
line, unlike the Leduc edition, in which each note is indicated.
The directive glissando is absent.
Glissando notation changed. 41
Phrase markings are absent. 41
Missing hand directives. 41
The notes are written down the octave with an 8va. 52-60
Missing fingering. 52
Missing the m.g marking. 52

120
G ♮ pedal marking added. 55
Missing slurs for each group of five notes. 61
Stem direction is changed from the fifth grouping onwards to 61
match the structure of the first four groupings.
Missing pedal indication (Do♭ par Si ♮). 61
Addition of tenuto markings over the second eighth-note in the 61
final three quintuplet groupings.
G ♮ pedal marking added. 65
In a few instances, Waddington’s respellings have eliminated other note possibilities. For
example, in bar 2 on beats two and three of the Leduc version, the harpist may play any of the
following notes with the left hand: F♭ and C♭, F ♭ and B♮, E♮ and C♭, or E♮ and B♮ (see
Example 94), even though F♭ and C♭ are the notes written in the score. The Waddington version
indicates that E♮ and C ♭ are to be played by the left hand (see Example 95). By indicating this,
Waddington eliminates any other option, but at the same time ensures that the harpist will not
unnecessarily play a string twice, since after the first two left hand notes the right hand plays the
same F♭, C♭ once again. Waddington’s suggested use of enharmonics eliminates much of the
buzzing sound that can occur by reiterating notes that have just been played.
For my study of this piece I decided to practice from the Waddington edition but kept the Leduc
edition close by. I consulted both and made adjustments to the Waddington edition where I felt
they were needed. I would strongly suggest that when using the Waddington version, that the
121
harpist also consult the original, and view the Waddington edition as a supplement to the
original.
5.1.2 Terminology and Symbols

Often in printed music, terminology appears in French, Italian, and German, rather than English.
Although musicians tend to have a fundamental understanding of musical terminology in those
languages, taking time to learn the correct translation is important. For instance, in some of
Tournier’s music the short hand “S.H” or “P.N” will appear. S.H refers to sons harmoniques
(harmonic sounds), and P.N refers to position normale (normal position). Without an
understanding of these terms the harpist may miss the indication to play a note as harmonic.
Symbols found in harp music often change from composer to composer, and from editor to
editor. As explored in Chapter 4, various symbols may be used in conjunction with glissandi.
Some composers utilize extended techniques and symbols more than others, and as such,
notational guides may be needed. For example, in order to clarify the notations, words, and
symbols found in Andrès’ music, Isabelle Perrin and Barbara Fackler have compiled A Guide to
Harp Notation Used in the Compositions of Bernard Andrès. Chapter 4 provides much of the
necessary information for understanding the symbols found in Tournier’s music. In my
preparation for learning Vers la source dans le bois, I created a list of terms and symbols found
in the piece, translated and explained, with bar numbers (Table 2).
Table 2: Terms and symbols found in Vers la source dans le bois (Pub. Leduc)
Term or Symbol Meaning Bar Numbers
Stem direction Indicates which hand is to First seen in bar 1 and used
perform the notes. A stem throughout.
pointing up indicates the
right hand should play,
while a stem pointing down

122
indicates the left hand
should play.
m.d Short for main droite. 1 and 41
Translates as “right hand.”
m.g Short for main gauche. 1, 41, and 52
Translates as “left hand.”
(acc. Si♮ - Mi♮ - Sol ♮) B♮, E♮, and G♮ are needed 1
when setting the pedals.
The remaining pedals will
be in the flat position as
indicated by the key
signature.
A curved line found over First seen in bar 3 in
the top two notes. conjunction with fingerings.
Sometimes seen in Further seen in bars 19 and
conjunction with the 52.
fingering “1 1” indicating a
finger slide.
RCE DANS LE BOIS
123
MARCEL TOURNIER
MARCEL TOURNIER
6 (/ 7 7
6Term or Symbol
(/ 7 Meaning7 Bar Numbers
Allegro Moderato ( =92- Opening tempo marking. 5
96) Indicates to play at a quick
and moderate tempo and a
U J I IJ I JJ I metronome speed of 92 to
.ll I I I .I J I l l l I...L.J I I I JJ
l I
-- ------
U J I
------ ----
----
IJ
murmure
I J J __.I
__.
I l96.
I .I J I ........l l I...L.J I
........
-- .....__.....
-- .....__.....
A descriptive term meaning
I I JJ
to murmur, or to make a
continuous sound (such as a

I I I I I IJ.J II IIJJ II IIIJJIIrrr :J::I I I I II U J I I
hum, rumble, or to
••
I I I I I IJ.J II IIJJ II IIIJJII rrr :J::I I I I II U J I I
'I E
'I
resonate).
E -
a
if -
-
Tenuto marking. To place
- First seen in bar 6 and
a
if emphasis on the note to found throughout.

JT I IJ J I 1JJT I IJ J I 1 IJJI -r 1JJT
make it stand out.
T I IJ J I 1JJT I IJ J I 1 IJJI -r 1JJT
Harmonic note. The note
0 - is First seen in bar 8 and
:
0
.
:
0
S.H.
to be played to create a . 0-
found throughout.
S.H. harmonic sound.
1 J lh.IJT
S.H
1 M.JJ IJ IJ JJ.JJ
I.IJ I Short for sons harmoniques. 8, 33, and 62
J lh.IJT 1 M.JJ IJ I.IJ I t:: IJ JJ.JJl:ii
i ;;I.:
= Indicates the notes are to be
i ;;I.:
= t::
played as harmonics.
l:ii
TUUSOROIISOU!CUTION D£ TRADUCTION D£RrPRODUCTtnN ·t'r

L.R.433 o·ARIIANGUIENrs RESERvEs PAOPRrm ucLus•n •ou11 rous I'AVI
A.L. 20.002 Y LA SUtDf LA NOAWf&£ lE OUEMARK ET LA "liJ.I.AILIIf.
TUUSOROIISOU!CUTION D£ TRADUCTION D£RrPRODUCTtnN ·t'r
L.R.433 o·ARIIANGUIENrs RESERvEs PAOPRrm ucLus•n •ou11 rous I'AVI
.L. 20.002 Y LA SUtDf LA NOAWf&£ lE OUEMARK ET LA "liJ.I.AILIIf.
124
(Si♭) A pedal in a bracket is a First seen in bar 9 and is
courtesy pedal. It indicates found throughout.
that the pedal change should
be made at that point in the
music. This type of pedal
can often be done in
advance.
(♭) An accidental when First seen in bar 9 and is
enclosed in a bracket is a found throughout.
courtesy accidental. It
indicates that the note is to
be played flat in accordance
with the key signature but
was previously used as
either a natural or a sharp.
crescendo Getting louder. 13 and 17
laissez vibrer Translates as “let vibrate,” 18
which indicates that the
harpist should not muffle or
dampen the sound.

125
dimin. poco a poco Getting softer little by little. 19
Cédez un peu To yield a little bit. 20
Au Mouvt. Au Mouvement—a Tempo. 21, 23, and 35
(avec charme) With charm. 21
Dolce Sweetly. 21
Cédez To yield. 22
9 9 9 Cedez 9 7
Accent marking. To place First seen in bar 22 and
r I I I I I UJl I Llil I I II I I
stress on a note, and found throughout.
I...
t ..... I> .... l .t increase the dynamic for a
short amount of time.
délicatement Delicately. 27 and 33
I II I (Si♯
I I I pour
I I C♮) J r:.J
Indicates the use
'- of the B♯ 27
- y
::::> pedal.
::::> Therefore
::::> the B♯
1..
..,. :!.. string is used where C♮’s
are present in the music.
En retenant peu à peu Slowing down or pulling

8--- .-----------------------------------------------------------·--------------------------- 28, 34, and 51
/ back bit by bit.
II I I u l u
ae: a ,
[Q
/()
9
rP-
11
cg_ II
. •
:::::- :::::- ::::> :::::-
-
ff soute11u
. 126
...
a Tempo At tempo. 29
crescendo molto e animato Getting much louder and 37
animated.
soutenu To sustain. 39
ad libitum moins vite et en Slower, at liberty. Little by 41
ramenant peu à peu le little, returning to the
Mouvt. previous tempo (a Tempo

Si# I°. bar 42).
Sforzando marking. To 41
accent the notes with a
sharper attack. Generally
used with stronger
dynamics.
mf subito Suddenly moderately loud. 41
a Tempo I°. Return to the first tempo. 42 and 52
En pressant peu à peu Pressing forward little by 59-60
little.
127
ad libitum D’abord animé, At first animated (at 61
puis peu à peu en retenant liberty), then little by little
pulling back the tempo.
dim. peu à peu Getting softer bit by bit. 61
Molto riten. Significantly slowing down. 61
(Do♭ par Si♮) Indicates the use of the B♮ 61
pedal. Therefore the B♮
string is used where C♭’s
are present in the music.
T°. I°. mais calme, et en Return to the first tempo but 62
retenant jusqu’à la fin calmly. Pulling back the
tempo until the end.
5.1.3 Structural Analysis

By conducting a short general analysis of the form of a musical work (see Table 3), performers
may quickly identify the characteristics of impressionism, the melodic material, and the their
climactic moments, thus helping them to understand the form of the piece and to shape her
interpretation. This particular piece falls into Tournier’s impressionistic style, and exhibits many
qualities of the period, including its use of melodic fragments.
128
Table 3: General form of Vers la source dans le bois
Section Bar Numbers
Introduction 1-5
Exposition 6-20
Development 21-41
Recapitulation 42-61
Coda 62-69
Bars 1-5 act as an introduction. The imagery of water is suggested through the use of ostinato
that runs throughout the piece. For the purpose of this analysis, the ostinato will be referred to as
the “water ostinato.” The water ostinato gradually builds, increasing in frequency and speed. In
bars 6-7, the three note melodic fragment is introduced and restated again in bars 8-9. In
Example 96, the melodic fragment is written on the bottom line of the staff, while the water
ostinato is written on the top line.
129
The three-note fragment is presented again in bars 12-13 and in bars 13-15 using different notes
and intervals. A dynamic build in bars 15-18 from p to f introduces the strongest dynamic used
so far. The change in dynamics, as well as the presentation of new material combined with the
rhythm from the initial musical fragment, indicates that this is an important musical moment.
These first two pages serve as the exposition of the piece, introducing the melodic fragment and
the ostinato pattern used throughout.
The first appearance of a melody interwoven with the water ostinato occurs at bar 21. This
melody uses the same rhythmic material as the melodic fragment. In the exposition, the melodic
fragment appears in downward motion only, but here it also moves upwards. Several of the
melodic fragments are combined to create a melody. This section acts as the development by
using the same melodic fragment found in the opening, but alters the tonality, intervals, and
inverts the direction. The direction of the note stems in these first bars emphasizes to the
performer the notes of the melody. For example in bars 21-22 the melody is: C♭ D♭ - G♭ E♭ -
C♭ D♭ - G♭ E♭ - E♭- F♭- E♭- D♭ (Example 97).
130
In bar 22, only the E♭, F♭, E♭, D♭, are indicated as melody by the stem directions and the
accents, although the first beat is often interpreted as part of the melody as well. This will be
discussed further in section 5.1.6 and section 5.2. The term, Au Mouvt. (avec charme), is marked
over bar 21, followed by Cédez over bar 22. These two bars foreshadow the tempo and yielding
action that is repeated during the development. At bar 23 the melody is developed further, but
before it can unfold, it loses momentum, concluding with the En retenant peu à peu in bar 28. In
bar 29, the melody returns, this time stated a tone higher. Again, the melody’s direction changes
within six bars, ending with an En retenant peu à peu in bar 34. The melody is taken up one last
time another tone higher. This time, instead of disappearing as in the previous statements, the
melody builds dynamically and with energy (crescendo molto e animato) to the major climactic
moment of the piece found in bars 40-41. This moment is punctuated by the loudest dynamic in
the piece (ff), and its use of glissandi, which, despite the water imagery of the piece, appears
nowhere else in the music. Bar 41 is written over two lines in a quasi cadenza-like fashion,
indicating more beats in the bar then the time signature allows. At the end of bar 41, the use of
climbing upward arpeggios and a decrescendo brings back the calm movement from the opening
of the piece.
The opening ostinato figure in bars 42-43 transitions the musical material back to the melodic
fragment that reappears at bar 44. This restatement of the opening melodic fragments signifies
that this section serves as a recapitulation. The fragmented melody moves from tone to tone,
until bar 55 when it settles on the same notes as during its first appearance in bar 6. In bar 60, the
water ostinato crescendos on repeated notes to f in bar 61, before dim. peu à peu, while the
ostinato pattern descends down the register of the harp. The end of this moment is significant as
it is marked by the only fermata of the piece. Similar to bar 41, bar 61 acts as a quasi cadenza
stretched over three lines and with many more beats than the time signature indicates. Bars 62 to
the end of the piece (bar 69) act as a coda, bringing the piece to a close, as the note values
131
increase in length, indicating the slowing of the water gesture, and with the final statement of the
melodic fragment.
This basic structural overview highlights a few critical points. The piece is essentially in three
sections: exposition, development, and recapitulation (with an introduction and coda). The first
section introduces the melodic fragment and the water ostinato, and builds to bar 18. The second
section begins at bar 21 and utilizes the melody. Through a movement and pulling back motion,
it moves towards the climax of the piece in bars 40-41. The final section returns to the melodic
fragment and starts at bar 42. The height of this section is at bar 61, as the water ostinato
descends down the register of the harp. By briefly analyzing the piece I have identified the
important musical moments, the melodic fragment and melody, and noted impressionist elements
used, mainly the water ostinato.
5.1.4 Expert Opinion

Connecting with an expert in an area of study can provide significant insight into the composer’s
intentions. If the selected repertoire is contemporary, the composer may be available to answer
questions regarding the piece and/or listen to a performance of the work. In some cases, some
well-known students of past composers may be available for meetings. For instance, although
harpist-composers such as Renié, Grandjany, Salzedo, and Tournier are no longer living, all of
them have protégé students who continue their teachings. When these other options are not
available, simply speaking to fellow harpists and asking questions may yield helpful information
that can assist with understanding the composer’s intention. Through my research I was fortunate
to speak with three of Tournier’s former students: Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche, Huguette Geliot,
and Gérard Devos. It was with Fontan-Binoche that I spent the most time, and during our many
meetings I had the opportunity to ask some questions about Vers la source dans le bois. Our
conversation started with an interesting discovery during my research preparation. I had listened
to a variety of recordings and noted that their lengths varied by almost a minute; a wide range of
time considering the tempo marking indicated in bar 5. Fontan-Binoche shared the following
insights.
Fontan-Binoche indicated that when the piece begins, there is no tempo marking, and it is based
on the flow of water. The opening begins with a small slow trickle, with the tempo propelling
itself forward as more and more water is added. She described the action as being similar to a
132
machine starting up. It is important for the harpist to breathe in the opening lines, and not to feel
bound to a tempo. The structure of the piece allows for a natural build towards the tempo
marking at bar 5. Each of the notes in the ostinato line is to be played as equal, without stressing
or emphasizing any notes. The note variations in the pattern will naturally stand out to the
listener and so do not need any emphasis. She is specific that at bar 11, it is preferred that the
harpist play an F♭ as written, instead of the enharmonic equivalent, E♮, that is often used. While
the E♮ allows the harpist to keep his fingers on the same notes for the whole bar, it increases the
risk of pedal noise when the note changes to E♭ on the third beat.
With the introduction of the melody on page 3, Fontan-Binoche indicates that this section is to be
played more strictly in time. At bar 25, the big beats are to stay in time but the arpeggio becomes
rubato. She described the grouping of fifteen as starting slowly in the upward direction, and
coming down fast to create an exciting movement. Towards the end of bar 26, a slight slowdown
in tempo is acceptable. Fontan-Binoche makes an important observation regarding the transition
between bars 28 and 29. There is a natural tendency for the harpist to want to pause before the a
Tempo at bar 29. Fontan-Binoche indicates that this is in fact incorrect, and that the sound should
not be broken but should connect to the a Tempo. At bar 31, similar to bar 25, the harpist can use
rubato to create a more brilliant sounding arpeggio. These moments act as bursts of water
coming out of the texture. One technical point that Fontan-Binoche stresses is in the execution of
bars 33-34. At this moment the harpist should focus her attention on the left hand rather than the
right, where the natural tendency is to look. This is perhaps due to the height of the right hand on
the harp at this moment. By bringing focus to it, the harpist has to physically shift position in
order to see the right hand, and thus might compromise the left hand harmonic position without
even realizing it.
At the climax of the piece on page 5, Fontan-Binoche shared the following thoughts. The
arpeggio in bar 40 should increase tempo as the gesture moves upwards, and slow down as the
direction moves downward. This should be performed in one movement even though it is played
between two hands. On the first glissando that follows, the harpist should start slowly and speed
up as the glissando rises, in order to create a more brilliant effect. In bar 41, quarter note rests are
marked in the two staves, over an octave bass. At this moment it is important to allow for the
silence above the bass, before starting the downward swoop of the double glissando.
133
The a Tempo I° on page 6 acts as a point of arrival. The diminuendo in bar 41 should finish here,
and the section should begin without any pause in the sound. Fontan-Binoche feels that the
writing at bars 48-49 create the most beautiful moment of the piece. Every note should be equal
in sound, just as it is in the opening of the piece. The three most important features I took away
from my discussion with Fontan-Binoche are the evenness of sound in the ostinato figure, the
rubato used in the arpeggios and glissandi, and that each section should flow into the next
without a pause. Through my discussion with Fontan-Binoche, I gained valuable insight into the
character of the piece.
5.1.5 Literature
The most valuable and relevant literature commentary for Vers la source dans le bois is provided
by documents from the estate of Tournier. It is less descriptive than other piece commentaries,
but the writing provides enough subtle imagery to fuel the harpist’s own creative imagination.
The commentary translates as follows:
In this piece, we are in a full dream-state, in a full poetic fairyland. Only the harp
can idealize so intensely (by means of repeated notes) the murmur of this
marvelous creek, from which seems to pour out the call of a mysterious horn that
irresistibly attracts us.
Even without the commentary, the title of the piece (Towards the Creek in the Forest) provides
enough description for the performer to build her interpretation. However, the commentary offers
interesting images that the performer might not have thought of without the poem-like
description. The musical imagery of water is the easiest to identify in the music; through the use
of repeated notes and ostinato a murmuring water quality is created. What is most interesting to
me in the commentary is the mention of “a mysterious horn”. Perhaps this horn can be identified
in the melodic fragment first seen in bar 6. This melodic fragment is repeated and developed into
a melody during the middle section of the piece. The middle range of the harp is used for these
moments and reflects a similar tone quality to that of the horn. These notes are almost always
accompanied by a tenuto marking, indicating to the harpist that a certain amount of weight on the
notes is appropriate. This further emphasizes the horn quality, and adds to the forest imagery.
The imagery of the horn has many associations with nature and forest themes in music, and as
such is not out of place in its inclusion in the piece description. This is an image I would not
134
necessarily have thought of had it not been mentioned in the piece description. This short
commentary leaves much room for further interpretation; for instance, the main theme found at
bar 21 seems to be dance-like in nature. Perhaps this is a moment in which the harpist can use
her imagination to create imagery to reflect this moment in the music. Although there is very
little literature from which the harpist can draw additional information, the commentary provides
further understanding while provoking imagination.
5.1.6 Performance Practices

Establishing performance practices through the act of listening and analyzing recordings can
provide the harpist with several ideas of dynamics, tempos, phrase shapes, and other artistic
nuances. Performance interpretations vary greatly according to the performer’s geographic
background, making it especially interesting to compare European and North American
recordings. In selecting recordings of Vers la source dans le bois for listening, I used recordings
by two of Tournier’s former students: Fontan-Binoche and Geliot. The third recording I selected
is by another French harpist, Chantal Mathieu. Although not a pupil of Tournier’s herself, she
studied with Jacqueline Borot and Marie Claire Trachier, pupils and teaching assistants of
Tournier. To contrast these French/European recordings I selected a North American recording
by Judy Loman. A famed Salzedo pupil, Loman provides a counterpoint to the French harpists’
interpretations. Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche plays the music of Marcel Tournier, produced by Egan
Records, is a tribute to the music of Marcel Tournier and includes fourteen of his pieces.
Florilège de musique Française, a voice and harp recording produced by Quantum in 1999,
features Geliot on harp, and her performance of Vers la source dans le bois. Similar to Fontan-
Binoche, Mathieu’s recording, Marcel Tournier: Works for Harp by Claves Records in 1998, is a
collection of seventeen pieces by Marcel Tournier. On the 2005 Naxos recording, The Romantic
Harp, Loman performs Vers la source dans le bois as her Tournier selection.
Fontan-Binoche, Mathieu, and Loman’s recordings were all similar in length, averaging between
4 minutes and 9 seconds to 4 minutes and 18 seconds in length. Geliot’s was substantially longer
at 4 minutes and 40 seconds in length. When listening to the recordings it is evident that Fontan-
Binoche, Mathieu, and Loman all perform the piece at a similar tempo, whereas Geliot’s overall
tempo is slightly slower. The piece begins with a four-note motive that is stated twice. The
repeated opening motive almost begs for variation. Both Fontan-Binoche and Geliot give slightly
135
more emphasis on the second of the two statements in their interpretations, as if each note had a
tenuto under it, while keeping the tempo consistent. Fontan-Binoche begins bar 2 at a faster
tempo, while Geliot starts the bar slower and gradually increases her speed. In Mathieu’s
interpretation of the first two bars, she did not use any variation in the treatment of the opening
repeated motive, and kept both bars 1 and 2 in the same tempo. At bar 4 she noticeably
accelerates, increasing her speed to arrive at the metronome marking of =92-96 in bar 5.
Contrastingly, Loman had the quickest treatment of the opening material; she treated the four-
note motive as almost double time compared to her rests in the bar. In bar 2, Loman begins
slower, increasing speed towards bar 5, with an ever so slight hold back into bar 6. The opening
motive in bar 1 gradually turns into the water ostinato that runs throughout the piece. Fontan-
Binoche’s approach to the ostinato gives the impression of a wash of colour as the notes blend
together. In Loman’s recording, each finger is evenly articulated so that each note is clear. In
bars 3-5 of the water ostinato, although none of the notes are marked with accents, certain notes
tend to sound more present. For example the first note of each grouping is emphasized in both
the recordings of Geliot and Mathieu. Therefore, the listener hears the following notes coming
out of the texture: F♭ - F♭ - F♭ - F♭ - A♭ - F♭ -A♭ - F♭ - A♭ - A♭ - A♭ - A♭ (Example 98).
The melodic fragment that begins in bar 6 is played underneath the continuous water ostinato,
and is comprised of longer valued notes and sixteenth notes. Both Fontan-Binoche and Geliot
played the sixteenth notes with extra emphasis, creating a lengthening of the note. In contrast,
136
Mathieu and Loman played the sixteenth notes more strictly in time. In a few instances, all of the
harpists took a little breath at the end of the melodic fragment, for example, at the restatement of
the melodic fragment going into bar 9, and on the last fragment before beginning new material in
bar 15. Bars 9-11 feature only the water ostinato without the melodic fragment. No phrase is
marked, nor are dynamics specified. What is interesting is that all four harpists took this
opportunity to use the repeated ostinato figure and to create a phrase, and swelled into bar 12.
The first appearance of f is found in bar 18, and each harpist interpreted this f with a different
level of intensity. Fontan-Binoche is perhaps the most subdued in her f, while Mathieu’s and
Loman’s were the most energetic. Loman treats this climactic moment as a phrase and begins the
dimin. poco a poco (found in bar 19) almost two beats earlier as part of her phrase ending in bar
18. In the bars that follow, Fontan-Binoche pulls the tempo back a little at the end of bar 19, in
anticipation of the Cédez un peu that comes in bar 20, while the other three harpists begin the
Cédez un peu directly where it is marked. Each harpist transitioned smoothly from the end of the
first section into the Au Mouvt. development, seamlessly and without pause.
The opening four bars of the development section (bars 21 to 24) provide an interesting area of
interpretation. The stem direction and accents indicate the notes that are to be brought out of the
texture, however, these notes are not always translated to the listener. All four harpists brought
out the melody marked in bars 21 and 23. In bars 22 and 24 each harpist continued to bring out
the same melody notes (found on the first and fourth sixteenth notes of the group of nine), even
though not all of those notes were marked as melody (see Example 97). In addition to
exaggerating the unmarked melody notes, the harpists continued to accent the notes marked,
although with varying degrees of success. Bars 25 and 31contain a wave-like arpeggio that is
larger than those around it. All three French harpists executed it the same way Fontan-Binoche
had described to me; to create a flourish, the harpist starts slowly and speeds up towards the end
of the gesture. In contrast, Loman played these arpeggios strictly in time. At the end of bar 25,
both Geliot and Mathieu use a slight hold back, further creating a feeling of rubato. In the next
bar, Geliot and Mathieu, as well as Fontan-Binoche, utilize this technique. Again, Loman plays
her phrases in time.
A similar rubato appears by Mathieu in bars 31 and 32, and by Fontan-Binoche at the end of bar
32. In bar 33, the right hand dynamic is marked as pp délicatement, which visually indicated to
me a change in character. At this moment I did not feel much of a dynamic change in any of the
137
recordings. The decrescendo marking in the bar before would certainly prepare for pianissimo,
but I generally found the overall level of dynamic to be more reflective of the mf marking that
accompanies the left hand. A crescendo molto e animato is marked in bar 37 and was interpreted
differently by each harpist. The French harpists’ playing has a greater sense of energy, but did
not necessarily get faster, whereas Loman began to get more animated in bar 36 and increased
her speed towards the climax of the piece, which occurs in bars 40-41. At bar 40, both Fontan-
Binoche and Geliot used the same sweep-like gesture as they had used on the arpeggios in bars
25 and 31. On the glissando, Fontan-Binoche increased her speed, and both she and Geliot
seemed to back off at the height of glissando. It is easy in these two bars to lose the feeling of
pulse, especially in the cadenza-like writing of bar 41. In Mathieu’s and Loman’s interpretations,
bar 40 is played in time, while Fontan-Binoche takes a slight pause before the glissando. The
three French harpists give a full quarter note on the first beat of bar 41 before starting the double
glissando downward, whereas Loman keeps the sound moving and starts the glissando closer to
the quarter note. The mf subito marked in conjunction with the glissando was most obvious in
Mathieu’s and Loman’s recordings, as they were coming from the strong fortissimo marking in
bar 41, unlike Fontan-Binoche and Geliot who ended bar 40 at a lesser dynamic. Fontan-Binoche
articulates the last three notes of the double glissando in bar 41, as is indicated by the fingering.
Mathieu and Loman blend the sound of their glissando into these three notes, creating a smooth
gesture. Each harpist slowed down towards the end of the double glissando by varying degrees.
The second half of bar 41 was generally interpreted smoothly, quickly, and in a constant tempo.
In contrast, Geliot took this opportunity to build the momentum back to the first tempo in bar 42,
and as such took each arpeggio a little more quickly than the preceding one.
Much of the material in the final section (bars 42-61) is similar to that found in the exposition.
One interesting moment was in bar 50 of Fontan-Binoche’s interpretation. She was the only
harpist to emphasize the left hand note, signifying its musical importance. This coincides with
the section she told me was the most beautiful to her. I expected there to be some interesting
interpretations in bar 55, which is the exact restatement of the opening melodic fragment. In
Geliot’s interpretation, she treated the right hand as a subito piano at that moment. The
decrescendo in bar 53 indicates that the right hand would be softer than the mf that is at the start
of the bar. However, at bar 55, the left hand is marked as piano, but it is unclear what dynamic
marking belongs with the right hand. Similar to Geliot’s interpretation, Mathieu utilized a softer
138
dynamic in her right hand at the start of bar 55. Mathieu also shaped the repeated material in bars
53-54 leading towards bar 55. Similarly, Loman shapes the material in bars 53-54 and also gives
a slight hold back into bar 55, and uses a softer right hand dynamic on bar 55.
Towards the end of the piece, both Mathieu and Loman increase their speed into bar 61, which is
in line with the En pressant peu à peu marking in bars 59-60. Bar 61 is another elongated bar
which is quasi cadenza-like. Although the note values are specific, Geliot seems to lose the pulse
towards the end of bar 61, while the other harpists’ beats are more pronounced. On the fermata,
Loman takes very little time before moving on. Fontan-Binoche takes time on the fermata, but
jumps into bar 62 without giving the final quarters note their full value. In fact she treats the final
quarter note of bar 61 as if it were the down beat of bar 62. Through bars 62-64, Fontan-Binoche
speeds up and slows down, following the shape of the dynamics. Both Mathieu and Loman use a
slight hold back of the tempo into bar 65. On the final beat of bar 66, Fontan-Bionche and
Loman slow down slightly. Geliot, does not slow down, but rather pauses before starting bar 67.
All the harpists keep the pulse steady in bars 67-68. On the final rolled chord, Fontan-Binoche
starts slower and becomes quicker towards the top of the chord. Geliot and Mathieu keep an
equally spread rolled chord at a moderate tempo, and Loman uses an equally spread rolled chord
at a slower tempo. Fontan-Binoche, Mathieu, and Loman all allow the final chord to vibrate
longer than is notated, where Geliot counts through the tied half note, and muffles, signifying the
end of the piece.
In my listening I found that Fontan-Binoche and Geliot were the most similar in their
interpretation and took more musical liberties (perhaps as taught by Tournier), while Mathieu
and Loman tended to base their interpretations more on the performance directives marked in the
score, such as their different treatment of the sixteenth note in the melodic fragment. In a few
instances I heard characteristics that seemed to mark the difference between the French and
North American interpretations, for example the treatment of the arpeggio in bar 25. The most
interesting to me were the moments where no performance directives are marked, and yet all four
harpists interpreted the music the same way, such as the swell in bars 9-11. In addition, these
recordings provoke thought as to the possible interpretation of challenging sections, such as the
Au Mouvt. at bar 21, and the climax at bar 40.
139
5.1.7 Compositional Style and Influences

The ability to define and classify Tournier’s compositional style is challenging and not within the
scope of this dissertation. Regardless, a general knowledge and understanding of the common
elements found in his compositions is helpful in the attempt to perform his music in a style
consistent with his intentions. As his students have suggested, Tournier’s compositions may be
classified within several different genres: romanticism, music from Asia, infused with elements
from jazz, and impressionism. A brief understanding of each genre is helpful in identifying styles
in his music as well as understanding performance practices. Attempting to define any one of
these genres is similar to trying to define Tournier’s style, in that Tournier’s music has elements
from many genres, just as one particular musical style has many facets.
Geliot described Tournier’s compositional style as uniquely his. She indicated that Tournier was
strongly influenced by Debussy, and classified Tournier’s style of writing as from the
impressionistic era. Further to that, she recounted that his teachings emphasized romantic and
impressionistic elements, and he very much preferred the romantic style of playing. Devos
looked to Tournier’s form in classifying his style, and drew the conclusion that some of the
forms in which Tournier wrote, such as the Sonata form and his Thème et Variations (1908),
stem from traditional forms from the classical and romantic eras. Further, Devos indicated that in
his teaching, Tournier spoke more about the interpretation of his own works than those of other
composers, and that Tournier appreciated the atmosphere of a piece and the atmosphere that
music can convey. Devos shared an interesting recollection of Madame Tournier, saying: “‘You
know, my husband Marcel Tournier’s a bit of what Chopin was for the piano.’” In this statement
she referred to the fact that Chopin was a remarkable pianist who wrote especially for the piano,
just as Tournier wrote mainly for the harp. Devos also stated that both Debussy and Ravel
heavily influenced Tournier, and drew correlations between Tournier’s series of Images and the
Debussy Images (1904-5) for piano, and the Tournier Sonatine (1924) with Ravel’s Sonatine
(1903-5) for piano.
In addition, Tournier’s writing has a distinctive appearance; it is not a vertical writing style but
more horizontal. Fontan-Binoche felt that when a performer sees two different pieces of music,
he or she instinctively knows which one is by Tournier simply by the visual appearance of the
piece. Many characteristics have become synonymous with the style of harp writing of the late
140
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. For example, Tournier’s utilization of arpeggios,
melody in the thumb, and the repetitive passages in his music, are recurrent characteristics of his
writing style, and have become idiomatic qualities of music for the harp.
The romantic period of nineteenth-century Europe is often defined as beginning with the later
works of Beethoven. During this era, emphasis shifted away from a focus on structure and
harmony, and moved towards emotion and individuality. Romanticism is often associated with
elements from nature, the sublime, and the frightening, among many other elements. Plantinga
discusses the term “romantic” and its use throughout the nineteenth century, where it meant the
“‘abstract’ or ‘indefinite’ or ‘imaginative’— or simply ‘modern’ as opposed to ‘ancient’” (20).
During this period, genres such as the program symphonies, like Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
(1830) and tone poems, such as Smetana’s The Moldau (1874) developed. Orchestra sizes
increased, as did the instrumentation. Prominent composers such as Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and
Wagner, to name a few, all belong to this era. Dentith’s thesis, Romantic and Impressionist Style
in the Harp Music Repertoire of Marcel Tournier, defines romantic trends including “free
harmonic modulations, flexible rhythmic manipulations, and intense melodic climaxes” (5).
Dentith also discusses the use of increased performance directives in music during this period,
and how this actually can create more freedom for the performer, a concept that will be explored
more in the following sections.
Dentith explains in detail the romantic elements used in Tournier’s music in relation to the Six
Noëls (1926). Elements of romanticism are found in a number of Tournier’s early works. Dentith
specifically names the Quatre Préludes (1908), the Six Noëls, and the Sonatine (1924), as works
that express romantic elements. This is by no means a complete list, as many of Tournier’s works
express romanticism in one form or another. For example, Tournier’s Sonatine features the
traditional three-movement sonata form, but is full of intense emotion and passion. Long
cantabile lines are utilized throughout and are noted in the opening movement’s melody. Melodic
climaxes are found in all three movements, for example in Movement 1, bars 90-100. This
section also demonstrates Tournier’s rhythmic freedom through changes of meter (2/4 to 3/8)
and his use of syncopation. In the harp repertoire, arpeggios and full chords are associated with
romantic music, and these elements are found in abundance during the third movement of
Sonatine.
141
Orientalism and exoticism in music have become somewhat synonymous. The New Grove
Dictionary of Music and Musicians defines Orientalism as “the dialects of musical exoticism
within Western art music that evoke the East or the orient [sic]” (699). Orientalism was first
explored by Western composers as early as the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but became
popular in the music of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was most frequently found
in operas, but it was also commonly seen in symphonies and ballets. Some examples of these
works include Bizet’s Carmen (1875), Verdi’s Aida (1871), Puccini’s Madame Butterfly (1903),
and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade (1888). Common locations represented by orientalism
include, but are not limited to, North Africa, Turkey, Arabia, Persia, India, Indochina, China, and
Japan. Works were most often set in ancient times, so as to not comment on current political
situations, and to further allow for the sense of escapism so often used in music of the late
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
It is no surprise that the trend of orientalism would have influenced Tournier. Although Tournier
never traveled, many harpists came from around the world to study with him; students such as
Koji Amada from Japan and Nicanor Zabaleta from Spain. Tournier did not write in the large-
scale forms characteristic of orientalism, but his use of exoticism appears in his solo writing for
harp, specifically in his Images. For example in the Images, 3me Suite (1930) the locations used
in the movement titles are all from Tunisia (El-Azib, Aïn-Draham, and Sedjenane), although it
should be noted that the musical themes did not originate in Tunisia. In his lengthy final work Au
Hasard des Ondes (1945) (translation: Random Waves), each movement is set in a different
location: Japan, China, Africa, France, Scandinavia, Romania, and Italy, and is dedicated to a
different student, perhaps one that was influential in the style or location of the music.
The first appearance of jazz in France is unknown. What is known is that around 1902 the
American ragtime dance, the Cakewalk, first appeared in France (Jordan 18). Known for its use
of syncopation and improvisatory elements, jazz quickly became influential in France. The early
twentieth century was a time of change for the world, with the development of telephones,
movies, and cars, among other advancements. Most of France felt threatened by American
influences, and clung to the past as a way of holding on to their cultural identity. The result was
often a fusion of old French musical forms and jazz rhythms. The political repercussions of the
Cakewalk and jazz are beyond the scope of this paper, but it is important to note that their arrival
in France caused much debate in society. It did not take long before the Cakewalk was
142
influencing composers such as Debussy with his Golliwogg’s Cakewalk in 1908. Other popular
musical forms and dances, such as the Castle-walk and the Boston followed the Cakewalk.
During the First World War, Americans brought jazz to France as a way to entertain the troops.
“There was a wide variety of opinion in France (as in the United States) about what actually
constituted ‘jazz’ from the moment American musicians and their syncopated rhythms arrived”
(Jackson 10), and a wide variety of music became labeled as jazz during the 1920s. Most often it
is described as being upbeat, having a syncopated and emphasized rhythm, and using blue notes
and bent notes. Jazz was found in music halls, dance halls, cabarets, nightclubs, bars, cafés,
restaurants, and even opera houses. Neighborhoods such as Montmartre and Montparnasse
became a place for artists, poets, and musicians, and these areas became central in the
development of jazz in Paris.
The influence of the “curious colourings of Jazz,” as Tournier described in his book, are most
apparent in his composition, Jazz-Band (1926). This piece attempts to mimic the sounds of jazz
that would have been prevalent around Paris during the 1920s. Jazz-Band embodies several
compositional devices rarely found in other works composed by Tournier. These include: pedal
slides, glissandi with nails, glissando piccolo, and the mixed-arpeggio. Although Tournier is very
clear with the performance instructions and notational devices for this piece, former student
Fontan-Binoche discussed one problematic feature of the work, that harpists interpret the music
too literally. Harpists, in an attempt to replicate the music exactly as it is on the page, do not take
into account the emphasized rhythms, loose style, and syncopation commonly found in jazz
music of that time. The same interpretational issues may occur in other works that are influenced
by these jazz colourings. For example in the Sonatine (1924), one can hear Tournier exploring
these jazz elements only two years before he composed Jazz-Band. These jazz-like elements are
heard prevalently in the Plus Lent sections in movement one, and should be interpreted with the
swing that would have been commonly heard in the music of the 1920s. More often than not,
harpists attempt to play these sections and similar ones with the rhythmic strictness that is
ingrained throughout their classical training.
The term “impressionism” was first used to describe works of art, and originally came from
Monet’s painting, Impression, soleil levant created in 1873. Jules-Antonie Castagnary, who first
used the term “impressionism” in relation to art, felt that impressionists “render not the
landscape but the sensation produced by the landscape” (New Grove 90), which is why the term
143
impressionism is fitting. It is widely known that painters and composers that “fit” this genre did
not favor the use of the term “impressionism” to classify their works, although it has become the
simplest term to denote this style. In music the term impressionism is most often associated with
Debussy, as he was the first to translate the visual art form into music. Similar to the artists
striving to create a sensation, “Debussy wanted music not merely to represent nature, but to
reflect ‘the mysterious correspondences between Nature and the Imagination’” (91). The most
famous example of impressionism in music is Debussy’s Prélude à l’après midi d’un faune
(1892-1894), which embodies many of the traits now commonly associated with impressionism,
including: a sense of timelessness or a suspension of time, a focus on colours, a mosaic-like
effect, a wide range of dynamics, use of the full register, the juxtaposition of colour and light,
tremolos, ostinatos, fragmented themes and short motives, unresolved chords, sequences,
repetitive figures, folksongs, and the use of whole-tone, pentatonic scales, etcetera. In addition,
impressionist composers attempted to find musical equivalents to elements in nature, such as
water, the night sky, animals, and landscapes. Although Debussy is most often associated with
this genre, other composers who mimicked his style, or who were influenced by his writing, also
may be categorized as impressionists.
Tournier’s Vers la source dans le bois (1921) represents an excellent example of the use of
impressionist elements in his canon of works. This work embodies elements from nature, with
the creation of the musical equivalent of water. It also relies on the sensation and imagination of
the listener. Translated literally as Towards the Creek in the Forest, it produces the feeling of
running water with its use of repeated notes and figures in ostinatos. The first statement alone
gives the feeling of a drop of water, just one, followed by another, increasing in speed and
proximity, until the fifth bar—where the water is murmuring—is indicated by the performance
directive. The wide range of dynamics (ppp to ff) along with the extended use of the harp register
(6th octave B to zero octave G), are also elements of impressionism found in this work. Finally,
the use of short motives is also indicative of this genre. The first short motive is found in bars 6
and 7 (D♭-F♭-C♭) and repeated in the next two bars an octave lower in harmonics. These
harmonics sound in the same range as the first statement but produce a different tone quality.
This fragment is then restated in a different range in bar 12 and expanded upon over the next
several bars. At the Au Mouvt. (avec charme), bar 21, we have our first real appearance of a
melody. The ostinato figure runs throughout the piece with the use of glissandi at the climax,
144
heightening the feeling of running water. The use of ostinato and melodic fragmentation help
create the feeling of suspension of time in this work.
In conclusion, by deciphering the score through the selection of an edition, the understanding of
terms and symbols, and a basic structural analysis, I have gained a greater understanding for the
interpretation of the score. Through exploring possible interpretations by connecting with
experts, reviewing the literature, establishing performance practices, and understanding the
compositional style and period, I have learned more about the composer’s performance
intentions. By undertaking the preparatory work in the first half of this chapter, I have a deeper
understanding of the score and the composer’s intentions. I have created a well-researched
foundation on which to make informed performance choices for how I would interpret Vers la
source dans le bois.
5.2 Interpretive Analysis

Many of the interpretive elements found in Tournier’s music have been discussed in detail in
Chapter 4, including: dynamics, phrasing, staccatos and dampening, resonance and muffling,
chords, tempo, glissandi, harmonics, fingering, and pedal markings. While addressing the
interpretive elements of Vers la source dans le bois, three broad categories encompassing the
above elements are apparent: timing and phrasing, dynamics, and expressive markings and
interpretation. With timing and phrasing, the harpist strives to understand the tempo relationships
of the piece and how those may factor into the shape of individual phrases as well as the overall
structure of the piece. The approach to the dynamic range of the piece, and the absence of certain
dynamics, may add to individual interpretation of the piece. Finally, expressive markings, such
as tenuto markings and rolled chord symbols, may also add to unique interpretations.
The opening four bars of Vers la source dans le bois present two points of consideration. The
first point is the lack of performance indications to the harpist. Knowing how detailed Tournier’s
music indications were, it is especially interesting to consider how the use of few indications in
these bars leaves the performer with a vast amount of room for interpretation. The second point
is the concept of progression in Tournier’s music, and how that may be applied to these bars. The
first bar introduces a music figure on beat 1, which is sustained through beat 2 and is repeated on
145
beat 3. The repeated gesture indicates to me the need for some kind of variation. Bar 1 is marked
ppp with no dynamic change until the crescendo at bar 4. The performer may wish to play the
first gesture as ppp and the following gesture on beat 3 as pp, perhaps increasing the volume
until the p marked in bar 5. Alternatively the performer may interpret the second gesture a little
more softly, as an echo. The tempo is also largely open to interpretation, as no indication of
speed appears until bar 5. The performer may choose to start at a slow tempo, adding the second
gesture with increasing speed towards the Allegro Moderato in bar 5, or she may choose to slow
on the restatement. In transitioning between bar 1 and 2, the harpist may keep the tempo set in
bar 1, or may start anew at bar 2. These are just some of the varied ways the opening may be
interpreted.
For my interpretation of the opening, I choose to start slowly on the first gesture. On the second
gesture, I play it a little more quickly and with slightly more emphasis (almost as if there were
tenutos over the notes). I am careful to count through the remaining beats at the tempo I had
established so that I enter bar 2 at the same tempo. Through bar 2, I keep the tempo steady, as the
increasing value of the note groupings gives the illusion of increasing tempo (the first two beats
of bar 2 are groups of six notes per beat, followed by groups of seven notes per beat). In bar 3,
groups of eight notes per beat are established and maintained throughout the exposition. Since
this is essentially a written accelerando through the increasing values of the note grouping, I keep
the tempo steady from the second gesture in bar 1 through to bar 3. In bar 3 I begin to move the
tempo so that I arrive at the tempo marking in bar 5. By structuring the opening in such a way, I
am able to create an elongated and progressive accelerando. With dynamics, I keep the first
gesture at the ppp marking, but increase my volume to pp on the second gesture. I maintain the
pp dynamic level until the crescendo marking and crescendo only to the p level marked in bar 5.
These dynamics also add to the progressive accelerando. Although no dynamic is marked in bar
6, I use the decrescendo in bar 5 to bring the water ostinato to pp dynamic level. The murmure
marking in bar 5 indicates to me that each note of the water ostinato should be played with the
same intensity. I strive for clarity and articulation in each finger so that each note produces a
smooth quality that allows for the natural harmonic changes to emerge from the texture.
Transitioning into bar 6, I maintain the tempo established in bar 5. With the introduction of new
melodic material, there is a feeling that a slight holding back of the tempo leading into bar 6
would be appropriate. However, as the first tempo marking of the piece only appears in bar 5,
146
and no retenant or cédez is present, I decide against a musical hold back at this moment.
Additionally, the decrescendo marked in bar 5 functions in a manner that draws listeners in and
prepares them for the new material in bar 6. As discussed above, I keep the water ostinato at a pp
dynamic level in bar 6. In the same bar, an mf dynamic marking is situated directly under the
bottom staff line on which the melodic fragment is written. This indicates to me that the mf
dynamic level is to be applied to the melodic fragment only. On the harp, notes cannot be
sustained for the full note value, given the natural decay that immediately follows the plucking
action. Because of this, I believe Tournier utilized the mf dynamic marking for the melodic
fragment line only. By doing so, the melody is sustained longer given that the initial attack of the
string is stronger, and therefore the string rings longer, giving the illusion of sustain. The melodic
fragment is representative of the horn mentioned in commentary from section 5.1.5. The tenuto
markings, which appear in conjunction with the melodic fragment, signify a slight emphasis on
these melody notes. In the water ostinato, Tournier removed the first two notes of the group of
eight over beat one, in order for the first note of the melodic fragment to be present. The
combination of the sixteenth note rest in the ostinato, the dynamic level, and the tenuto markings,
brings aural clarity to the melodic fragment.
In attempting to emphasize the melodic fragment, the result may sometimes be a pause-like
feeling between the left hand melodic fragment and the continuation of the water ostinato. A
pause used with every melodic fragment disrupts the flow of the exposition, and creates a
sectionalized feeling to the music. Therefore I keep the first statement of the melodic fragment in
time. The restatement of the melodic fragment in bars 8-9 is played on the same tones, but as
harmonics. This repetition warrants a variation in addition to the use of harmonics. A slight
pause before the third note of the melodic fragment would be appropriate at this moment. The
restatement of the fragment, in conjunction with this added emphasis, conveys to the listener the
importance of this melodic fragment.
Bars 9-11 contain no performance directives and utilize only the water ostinato. The water
ostinato moves up the register of the harp, segueing into a new tonality for the next statement of
the melodic fragment. In the recording survey discussed previously in this chapter, all the
harpists naturally used a dynamic swell through these bars to compliment the changing
harmonies. The lack of markings creates an opportunity for varied performance interpretation.
Similar to the recordings I surveyed, I favour the use of a dynamic swell. I begin a crescendo on
147
beat 4 of bar 9, and increase volume as the water ostinato moves higher up the register towards
the highest point in bar 11. I begin a diminuendo on the last two beats of that bar in preparation
for the melodic fragment’s reappearance in bar 12. These dynamic variations are employed to
avoid creating a static moment for the listener.
The melodic fragment returns in bar 12. This fragment, a development of the original melodic
fragment, is played on different tones and lasts four bars, compared to the two bar phrases used
in bars 6-7 and 8-9. Similar to bar 6, the mf dynamic indication is under the bottom staff line,
indicating the dynamic is applied to that line only. With the decrescendo I used in bar 11, the
water ostinato returns to the pp dynamic level heard in the opening. Some confusion may arise
with the placement of the crescendo under the melodic fragment in bar 13. In this instance, I
believe that the crescendo should be played with both hands. If the crescendo were intended only
for the melodic fragment, there would be no way of sustaining a crescendo over the first note, a
dotted half note tied to a dotted eighth note. That would mean that the harpist would only have
two more notes in which to make the crescendo before the decrescendo marking begins in bar
14. I believe the placement of the dynamic in this instance is partly due to other performance
markings on the page. A phrase marking, which runs from bar 12-15, is indicated above the
melodic fragment between the two staffs, leaving little room for dynamic markings. Therefore it
would be logical for the dynamics to be placed under the bottom staff for clear visibility. The
crescendo, when played with the addition of the water ostinato, allows for greater growth in the
dynamic. By bar 15 the melodic fragment has been stated and comes to a somewhat conclusive
moment. Therefore, this is another instance where a slight breath before the final note would be
appropriate, and emphasizes to the listener the conclusion of the phrase.
New melodic material appears in the bass staff in bar 15, with rolled chords in the bass staff
written on each beat. Rests in the water ostinato line punctuate these chords. In order for this
section not to become disjointed, the harpist should view these two staves as connected in an
interwoven movement. In playing the rolled chords I keep them short and even. Elongating the
chord, or playing it with a rubato, slows down the sections and disrupts flow to the climactic
moment. A p dynamic is indicated in the middle of the grand staff, indicating that the dynamic is
to be played by both hands. The decrescendo in bar 14 should lead toward this dynamic level.
The bottom staff line is still a more important gesture than the repeated ostinato, and will
naturally sound louder due to the use of three notes and the rests in the water ostinato; therefore,
148
playing the bottom staff line loudly is unnecessary. The crescendo marking in bar 17, which
follows the symbol for a crescendo in bar 16, is to insist on the continuation of the crescendo to
the f marked in bar 18. I use both hands to build this crescendo and maintain the f dynamic level
until the dimin. poco a poco marked in bar 19. Playing the diminuendo marked in bar 19 and
cédez in bar 20 exactly where they appear in the music allows for a progressive and elongated
conclusion of the section that does not drag the tempo, and maintains the flow of the water
ostinato which connects the exposition to the development section.
The development, which begins at bar 21, brings a distinct character change, with its use of the
melody interwoven with the ostinato passage. The first two bars introduce the new material with
Au Mouvt. (avec charme) over the first bar, followed by a Cédez only a bar and a half later. This
type of timing directive (the a tempo indication, followed by a slowing action), is then repeated
over three, six-bar sections (bars 23-28, 29-34, and 35-41). The final of these three sections is the
climax of the piece. The use of the Cédez (bar 22) or En retenant peu à peu (bars 28 and 34)
offers the opportunity for varied interpretation. However, the slowing of the tempo, or the
yielding action, should not be so extreme as to completely stop. As there is no breath mark or
pauses indicated, the slowing action in these bars should be progressive and connect to the Au
Mouvt. or the A Tempo that follows. At bar 25, I follow the interpretation advice given by
Fontan-Binoche, and start the group of 15 that is found on the first beat slowly, and increase
speed towards the end of the gesture. This does indeed create a more exciting flourish, and
perhaps the imagery of a splash of water. There are several opportunities for additional yielding
of the tempo. I use this gesture sparingly and reserve it for leading into bars 27 and 32. The
texture changes at these bars, and I find that the slightest yielding of the tempo allowes for a set
up of this different material. At bars 27 and 32, I return to the original tempo until the En
retenant peu à peu marking in bars 28 and 33.
The beginning of bars 21, 29, and 35 indicate no dynamic markings, while the preceding bar
always contains a diminuendo. This missing dynamic offers yet another opportunity for
interpretation. Using the theme of progression found in Tournier’s music, I believe that whatever
dynamic is reached through the diminuendo of the preceding bar represents the dynamic to be
taken at the start of the next section. For example, bar 18 is indicated with an f followed by a
diminuendo in bar 19. It would be appropriate to diminuendo into the intended dynamic for bar
21. I feel that an mp dynamic creates the Dolce marking for this section, with the melody notes,
149
which are interwoven into the water ostinato, slightly louder. Bars 29 and 35 are dynamically
less clear, as the diminuendo in the preceding bars implies a decrescendo to a dynamic softer
than mp. However, the motivic material in bars 29 and 35 are the same as in bar 21; therefore, I
recommend the same dynamic levels. Immediately following the start of each of these sections is
a crescendo to f. The first two instances only give the harpist one bar in which to make the
crescendo. By beginning each section at an mp dynamic, the harpist can easily crescendo to the f
where indicated.
In bars 24-26, the dynamics are marked under the bottom staff line but should be performed by
both top and bottom staff lines, since the melody spans both lines. In addition, based on the way
the notes are stemmed, there is no room in the middle of the grand staff for dynamics to be
notated. There are certain cases where dynamic markings appear both in the middle of the grand
staff and under the bottom staff line. The markings in the middle apply to the top staff line, while
the marking under the bottom staff line applies to it. This is first seen in bar 27, where the top
staff line is marked as pp and the bottom staff line is marked as mf. Often two dynamic markings
appear in places where Tournier wanted a particular melody to emerge from the texture. For
example, in bar 27 the bottom staff line indicates only single harmonic notes played in the mid
range of the harp, while the top staff line uses six to eight notes more than the bass staff, and in a
higher register. Based on the layout of the harp and the dynamic tendencies for these ranges, if
these notes in the bottom staff line are not played louder, they become lost under the texture and
range of the top staff line notes. In order to maintain a progressive dynamic line into bar 27, I use
the decrescendo in the preceding bar to lower the overall dynamic level to the pp marking, as the
top staff line is the continuation of the water ostinato. I believe the decrescendo that follows the
mf under the bottom staff line in bar 27 is intended only for the bottom line. However, in the next
bar where the decrescendo marking is in the middle of the grand staff, I believe it is indicated for
both hands. When the same motivic material returns in bars 33-34, bar 33 has no decrescendo
indicated, while bar 34 has a decrescendo marking under the bottom staff line. Knowing that
Tournier was meticulous in his markings, I believe this omission of the decrescendo in bar 33 is
not a mistake. Bars 33-34 are the final retenant peu à peu before the climax of the piece;
therefore, I believe that Tournier intended for a less progressive decrescendo than that of bars 27-
28.
150
As discussed in the analysis of the piece, the first four bars of the development are perhaps the
most difficult to interpret. For this section I used the Leduc edition, as my fingering choices are
not in line with the Waddington edition. I believe that the choice of fingering in this section
affects the resulting melody. In the Waddington edition, the notes are divided between the treble
and bass clef differently than in the Leduc edition, and include fingering suggestions (Example
99).
Vers Ia source dans le bois
Au Mouvement (avec charme)
4 2 n 2 4
9 9 9 9 > > >
21 1\ I
I I I II II I l l
I u ... • . ... •
. [ I r
< Dolce
t- IJJ
I ..
'IIlLI. f--.41 • f=,. 9 1JJ9 JTI9
" ·-
Ex. 99. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 21. (Pub. Waddington).
In bars 21 and 23, the downward stems connect the melody notes. For example in bar 21, on the
first beat C♭ and D♭ are connected. Although the first note (the C♭) is attached to a group of 9
thirty-second notes, it is marked as a sixteenth note, implying its significance. Likewise it is clear
that G♭ and E♭, C♭ and D♭, and G♭ and E♭, are all melody notes in bar 21. For my interpretation
of this bar, I prefer to keep all the melody notes in my left hand. Therefore my left hand plays the
C♭ with my thumb, B♭♭ with my second finger, C♭ with my fourth finger, and D♭ with my
25,., I
.. ..
thumb. This means that both melody notes are played with my thumb, and therefore have the
I
samet) tone quality. Although my fingering is less I secure
I than\ that Isuggested
I inI the Waddington
.. I .l
edition, I feel that for meiit allows for15a more clear and rich melody. T fingering
Fi""'""" I7 use the same 9
choice for bar 23, 29, and so on.

"
00)
r
>
r>
Bar 22 is more challenging to interpret, as there is an accent marking on the fourth note of the
------------ -----------. -. -----------, ----
group ..
261\ ofI nine, and the stem direction on that note points down,
;..---: !!: ,._while the rest ;..---:
of the stems
!!: point
upward (see Example 97). In the recordings I suveyed, the first note of each group of nine was
-f. I
most often brought out. It is unclear if Tournier intended 11
for the first note of each group to be
<
part
1\ I
11
i -j 11
j of the melody. There is no stemming, or an accent, or the use of a sixteenth note as in bars
P- 1
u indicate so; this suggests that perhaps he

21, to > did not wish to bring out> the melody note here. >
>
mfit more likely that the note is part of the melody based on design of the melody
However, I find
En retenant peu a peu
in bar 21. In my fingering choice for this bar, I take the first four notes in my left hand (as I do in
151
bar 21), which means both the first note (C♭) and the melody note (E♭) are played with my
thumb. Therefore I naturally bring out both the first note of each group and the accented melody
note. On the fourth beat of bar 22, Tournier indicates that the second note of the group of seven
is to be accented. At this instance I take only the first two notes in my left hand, so that my
thumb will continue to play the accented note. This is the only instance where the consistency of
my fingering varies. Similarly, bar 24 is complicated in its interpretation. The accent appears on
the seventh note of the group of nine, along with the downward stem direction. For this bar I take
the first three notes in my left hand so that my thumb is on the first note of each grouping. The
following four notes are taken with my right hand, so that the accented note is played with my
right hand thumb. This insures that all of the melody notes in bars 21-24 are played with my
thumbs, allowing a consistent tone for the melody. However, this fingering is more challenging,
as the number of notes played by each hand constantly changes, and often a note played by the
left hand will be repeated in the same grouping with the right hand. It is of the utmost importance
that each harpist uses the fingering that works best for her in order to effectively play the music
and bring out the melody notes. The fingering choices I use for bars 21-24 and throughout the
section, may not work as well for other harpists.
The third six-bar phrase of the development differs from the previous two in bar 37, with its
inclusion of the performance directive crescendo molto e animato. The term animato may be
interpreted in different ways. The harpist may increase his tempo to exaggerate the animation, or
may simply become more animated in playing without going faster. In my interpretation I
become progressively faster through this section. First I maintain the tempo through the
crescendo marked in bar 36. At bar 37 I continue the crescendo with a more animated character
to my playing, creating a sense of urgency, without increasing the tempo too much. I use strong
accents on the notes marked. At bar 39 the dynamic level reaches its peak at ff soutenu; from
here until bar 40 the dynamic level does not change. The restatement of the ff in bar 40 insists on
the continuation of the dynamic, and therefore the ff dynamic should be sustained throughout bar
39. At bar 39 I increase my tempo in order to continue the excitement and push towards the
climax in bar 40. This allows me to build to the climactic moment in bar 40, without reaching
either my peak speed or dynamic level too soon.
The climax of the piece occurs in bars 40-41. As Fontan-Binoche indicated in our discussion of
the piece, I play the arpeggio at the start of bar 40 with a slight hold back in the tempo before
152
speeding up towards the end of the gesture. In an attempt to achieve fluidity in my sound, I
connect the arpeggio gesture, as indicated by the phrase marking, directly to the bass octave, and
begin the glissando upwards immediately after. It is hard through this section to feel the pulse,
especially in the quasi cadenza style of bar 41. It is a little bit unclear in bar 40 which notes
receive the beats. I believe that the arpeggio figure is spread over the first two beats of the bar,
and the bass octave (written as a half note) indicates its placement on beat 3 with the glissando
extending until the end of beat 4. Keeping a general pulse through bar 40 allows for a clearer
beat at the start of bar 41. In bar 41, the pulse is even less clear, although the two half notes that
appear in the bass give some clue as to the pulse of the section. The first bass half note appears
on beat 1, and has a quarter rest above it, indicating that the glissandi enter on beat 2. The second
half note is indicated at the end of the glissandi, implying beat 3, and is immediately followed by
four upward arpeggio figures. This indicates that the first two figures are played over beat 3 and
the second two over beat 4. The performance directive over the start of bar 41 indicates to play
slower, and then at liberty, little by little returning to the previous tempo. I believe the first part
of the performance directive applies to the glissando portion of the bar, while the second part
applies to the arpeggio figures that immediately follow the glissando. Each arpeggio-like phrase
that follows gradually returns the tempo to the first tempo of the piece. The shifting tempo, along
with the quasi cadenza bar, gives the illusion of the pulse being lost during bars 40-41.
The dynamics in bars 40-41 are both exciting and effective, and so I follow them exactly. I
sustain the ff in bar 40 through to the upward glissando at the end of the bar. I play the bass
octave on beat 3 lower on the strings, in order to produce a strong and firm tone. I keep the ff
intensity directly through to the end of the glissando and attempt to crescendo as I reach the top
of the upward gesture. I finish the glissando with the same finger I use for playing it, but stop the
gesture on the next note so as to not over pluck the note as was recommended to me in my
interviews. The bass octave on beat 1 of bar 41 should be played ff and accented. Again I play
this octave lower on the strings in order to gain greater control of the sound. Maintaining the
most ff sound possible on this octave gives a greater contrast for the mf subito which follows on
the double glissando downwards. I use the decrescendo on the downward glissandi, but take care
not to lose too much of my sound in this muddy middle/lower register of the harp. I aim to
decrescendo towards the p marking under the first arpeggio that follows the glissando. I
crescendo through the first arpeggio as marked, and even continue on the second arpeggio that
153
::::>- ::::>-
I.
qJ
. .J J (bJ loJ Jq;_TI1bl
. .----- .
• an mf. I begin my decrescendo on the third
has no dynamic marking, building to no more than
arpeggio as indicated, and bring the dynamic level back down to the pp required for the start of
,.
the next section.
The only glissandi in the whole piece are in bars 40-41. This is surprising given the water-like
::::>- •. imagery glissandi depict. The notation of the glissando found in the Leduc edition is in
l
..ce dans le bois•. large note heads with II.:!
glissando- over them. = _. l •.J J J_.
Tournier’s older style of glissando writing (Example 100). The first glissando is written out in
-F- The double glissando in the following bar is also
5
written in large note heads but without the term glissando. Likewise the Waddington version
9
- does9 not use the newer method indicated in Tournier’s book, but does use another notational
_J 1 JJ
note head (Example 101).•
1' -- -- . .
method. The first note is depicted with a note head followed by a wavy line connected to another
..,.,..
> >
b
9 9
J J" J •. JJ J J J JJ.JJ ..
·----
> -
> > >
3
4
vement
Ex. 101. Marcel Tournier, Vers la source dans le bois, mm. 40. (Pub. Waddington).
p
154
There is some confusion surrounding the notation of the downward double glissando. In the
Leduc edition, after the bottom staff line glissando ends, the top staff line glissando continues
into the bottom staff line for another seven notes. The final three notes have fingering assigned to
them, indicating that they are to be plucked. The Waddington edition likewise indicates these last
seven notes as a separate entity, with fingering over the final three notes. It is unclear if the
harpist is expected to pluck all seven notes, or just the final three notes. The phrase marking
found in the Leduc edition covers the first note of the glissando to the last three notes, indicating
to me that the glissando should be played until that point. In my interpretation of this section I
took advice from my interview with Fontan-Binoche, during which she indicated that glissandi
were to sound like scales and scales were to sound like glissandi. With that in mind I play the
double glissando down to the final three notes and pluck them as notated, trying to connect the
sound between the two hands to give the illusion of one gesture.
The recapitulation loosely begins at bar 42. The repetitive water ostinato that has been modified
and developed throughout the previous section returns to its former design from the exposition.
The performance indication in bar 41 brings back the movement towards the a Tempo I° that is
reestablished in bar 42. This tempo is maintained until the En retenant peu à peu in bar 51. The
dynamics are similar to those in the exposition. The water ostinato is indicated at a pp dynamic
level, while the melodic fragment, which enters in bar 44, is marked as an mf. The material in
bars 42-43 lacks variation in notes or dynamics. In other instances, dynamic variety has been
included. However in this case, I choose to keep these two bars very simple, playing without
dynamic change and keeping each note of equal importance. After the climactic material, I feel
the simplicity of these bars provides enough contrast for the listener. In bars 46-49 I use the
phrase marking to indicate a slight crescendo towards the height of the phrase on beat 2 of bar
48, followed by a short decrescendo on the final two notes. I play the melody note in bar 50 with
a bit more emphasis, as it is a whole note and I want it to sustain throughout the bar. I back off
on the dynamic in bar 51 leading into the formal decrescendo. The melodic fragment, which
returns in bar 44, is on different tones than were first stated in the opening of the piece. These
notes, like the opening, are marked by tenutos. However, in bars 46-51, the tenuto markings are
not present. In the exposition, all melodic fragments, with the exception of the one statement on
harmonic notes, exhibited the tenuto markings. One possible reason for such a change may be
155
that the notes in bar 46 are the exact notes stated in bar 44 with tenutos; by leaving the tenuto
markings off, Tournier is creating a different tone quality.
The musical arrival point at bar 52 is interesting. The previous phrase, although noted as closing
in bar 51, in fact concludes on the downbeat of bar 52. Based on the harmonic pattern of the
melodic fragment, the concluding note should be F♭. This represents the first time Tournier has
written two notes, played in a broken fashion. The F♭ is the bottom (an octave below the
expected octave) with an open fifth above it. As I practiced this section, I found that I had started
to reverse the two notes, so that I was treating the C♭ as if it were a grace note into the F♭, as my
ear naturally wants the phrase to end on the F♭. However, the chord is notated to roll from the
bottom to the top. The rolled chord on the down beat leads to some rhythmic confusion. The
harpist has the option to begin the rolled chord with the bottom note on the beat, or end with the
top note on the beat. It feels more organic to me to use a slow roll and land with the top note on
the beat. In fact, I play it as if the first note (the F♭) is a continuation of the En retenant peu à
peu from bar 51, and begin the a Tempo I° on the top note of the rolled chord.
In bars 55-56 the melodic fragment is restated exactly as it was in its first statement of the
exposition, and is followed by two harmonic notes. The first harmonic note is a D♭, refers to the
opening melodic fragment which is stated on harmonic notes in bars 8-9. Instead of continuing
the statement as written in the opening, bar 58 has another whole note harmonic a third higher on
F♭. This is the first time the melodic fragment functions in an upward motion outside of the
development section. I feel the use of this note acts as a question in the music, and therefore I
place a little more emphasis on that note. Bar 52 begins with a p dynamic followed by a
crescendo into an mf in bar 52, shortly followed by the diminuendo creating a swell in the water
ostinato. I use the diminuendo to bring the water ostinato back to a pp dynamic level so that the
final statement of the melodic fragment, in which Tournier utilized p instead of the mf previously
used, will still be a stronger dynamic than the water ostinato. The beginning of the melodic
fragment here does not have the tenuto markings as in the opening, although the final note in bar
56 does. This is the last time the melodic statement appears in this form; as such the last note
brings this musical idea to a close, with a mark of emphasis implying its significance.
Tournier concludes this reminiscence of the opening by progressively leading into the final
climatic moment. The En pressant peu à peu precedes the crescendo in bar 60, building towards
156
the final f and quasi cadenza in 61. Unlike in bar 41 where it is possible to continue to map the
four main beats of the bar, here the feeling of a pulse is indicated only by the groupings of notes.
The values of the groups lengthen, creating an organic slowing through the section. The
performance indication ad libitum D’abord animé, puis peu à peu en retenant gives the
performer interpretational freedom to decide how to conclude this section. I stay animated
through the first line of the quasi cadenza, allowing myself to begin the diminuendo first before
starting to slow during the second line. The Molto riten. which takes place towards the end of bar
61, coincides with the final lengthening of the groupings of notes. I establish the slower note
value before beginning the Molto riten. to add to the progressive nature of the section; this also
helps maintain a sense of pulse which can become ambiguous towards the end of the quasi
cadenza bar. Tournier indicates the use of tenutos over the first note of each group in the final
line of the quasi cadenza. Prior to this, I maintain each note’s equal importance until the tenuto
markings are used. I believe tenutos are indicated at this point to assist maintaining a pulse, while
the groupings lengthen in note duration, and the tempo slows towards the fermata. In general in
Tournier’s music, a decrescendo leads to the next dynamic and does not go beyond it. However,
in this particular instance it is appropriate to decrescendo to a p or even pp dynamic level at the
fermata, and then to increase volume at the mf over the final two notes of the line.
The Molto riten. concludes at the fermata, and a new tempo begins at bar 62. Therefore, the two
notes that follow the fermata act both as a conclusion to the quasi cadenza and as a transition to
the coda. Their tempo is open to interpretation. I use the two notes at the end of bar 61 to set up
the coda, using them to gradually return the movement. Maintaining a sense of calme as
indicated, I return to the first tempo over the first beat, and as Fontan-Binoche did in her
performance, I increase the tempo and then use a pull back over the first three bars. Although
there is no phrase marking over this section, the crescendo and diminuendo dynamics reflect this
action. The dynamics, marked in the middle of the line, apply to both hands. Through bars 65-66,
the retenant (indicated in bar 62) is essentially written out through the lengthening of the note
values in conjunction with the decrescendo. The rolled chord in the lower staff line at bar 65 is
marked with an mf and an accent. I believe the accent here should not be treated in an aggressive
manner, and that its function is to assist with the mf dynamic; this allows the sound to sustain
over the next two bars as indicated. On the final beat of bar 66, I use a slight hold back, which in
conjunction with the pp markings gives the effect of water trailing off. In bars 67-68, I maintain
157
the tempo through the final statement of the melodic fragment, which is written in a longer note
value. I use a quick and even roll on the chord in bar 67, followed by a slow and even roll on the
chord in bar 68. I use the tenutos over the first two notes to accentuate the phrase markings, and
diminuendo on the final chord. Tournier indicates that the final chord is tied over to the next bar,
giving it only four beats. Muffling right away cuts the resonance in an uncharacteristic way. I
treat the ending as if a L.V (let vibrate) is written, or as if I am continuing my retenant over the
tied ending.
This chapter demonstrates how developing a foundation of knowledge allows for the performer
to make informed music choices that yield a unique performance experience. My performance
interpretation of Vers la source dans le bois is presented as an example of how performers may
develop individualized creative approaches that reflect the score and the composer’s intention.
Ultimately, this may allow the performer to situate his or her interpretation in accordance with
the discussion of authenticity.
Chapter 6
Conclusions and Further Research
6.1 Conclusions
Through the literature review, history of the harp and the life of Marcel Tournier, the exploration
of performance practices, and the practical application discussed in the previous chapters, I have
fulfilled the two goals of this dissertation: to increase the knowledge base related to Marcel
Tournier, and to bring the performer into the discussion of authenticity in music.
Although performing on historical instruments is unusual, the history of the harp creates a
context for the type of harp for which Tournier composed, and allows for greater understanding
of his compositional process. The historical survey of literature associated with the development
of the harp indicates that harp composition flourished as the harp developed, and that the harp
developed in order to maintain a place within the evolution of orchestral composition. It is
important to establish Tournier’s compositions within this historical framework, as it allows
Tournier’s innovative compositional style to become apparent.
The expansion of Tournier’s biographical information in this document provides new

information to be added to Tournier’s biography, specifically during the period from his
graduation from the conservatory in 1899 to his appointment as professor in 1912. Most
important is the newly discovered information pertaining to Tournier’s participation in World
War I, since earlier published writing was unclear on his involvement. Further insight into his
teaching and technique as passed along by his students also provides innovative information.
Finally, the expansion of knowledge about his later life affirms his success and respect as a
composer, teacher, and musician.
In the detailed review of Tournier’s book, La harpe, his compositional practices and notation are
clearly outlined in order to provide an enhanced understanding of his music and allow for greater
scope, freedom and imagination in performance. As Fontan-Binoche discussed in relation to
phrasing and breathing, the natural inflections associated with the French language can directly
translate into the phrasing of French music. Although it is evident that Tournier’s music utilizes
colours, and his pieces are often fanciful based on their titles, through the poem-like vernacular
158
159
used in Tournier’s book and in the commentaries related to his pieces, the harpist is able to see
the relationship between words and imagery in Tournier’s music.
The model provided in Chapter 5 may be applied to the learning of other music by Tournier, and
further to that, translated to the learning of other landmark harp repertoire.
The ensuing discussion regarding the publishing houses and different editions of Tournier’s
music enables the performer to make informed selections about editions for learning and/or
teaching. Elements pertaining to his compositional style and influences further broaden the
interpretation of Tournier’s music, and provide context for the various styles of his compositions.
I have identified through the performance analysis of Vers la source dans le bois, for the
purposes of my writing, that there are essentially three types of authenticity: being authentic to
the score or text, being authentic to the composer’s intentions, and the performer being authentic
to her own interpretation. The information discussed in Chapters 3 and 4 pertains to the
interpretation of the text, and the understanding of the composer’s intention. Interwoven in these
discussions is the underlying idea of historically informed performance. My belief is that the
information gained through historically informed performance may assist with being authentic to
the score and the composer’s intentions. In addition, the concepts of historically informed
performance, composer’s intention, and performance practice are all intertwined, and can work
together to create a unique performance situation. The product of this historically informed
performance can vary greatly due to context, but it is up to the performer to use the information
provided to make informed choices about how she wants to perform the music.
The issue of what freedom is left for personal interpretation remains in the foreground of the
discussions in this thesis. I believe the answer is found both through the notation of the music
and the composer’s intentions. I view the interpretation of the text as part of a whole; as one
element used in creating a performance of a piece. Although as Taruskin indicates, “text-
fetishism” may exist, when combined with further understanding (such as that demonstrated
through the interpretive analysis in Chapter 5), the text provides invaluable insight into the
composer’s intentions. My belief is in line with that discussed by Fontan-Binoche, wherein the
increasing detail of notation in twentieth-century music actually allows for greater performance
freedom. This was demonstrated through my interpretive analysis on Vers la source dans le bois,
160
where I discuss several sections in which the notation elements, or lack thereof, allow for a
spectrum of performance choices.
In relation to the composer’s intention, concerns are ongoing that the composer may have
changed his mind. This argument is apparent in some of Tournier’s music, most often
demonstrated in the variance between manuscript and published versions. For instance, the
manuscript of Fresque marine, dated 1942, indicates the time signature 4/4, while the published
edition from 1946 shows a time signature of 3/4, indicating that Tournier changed his mind
regarding the appropriate time signature of the piece, subsequently having a great effect on the
feeling of the work. Further to that I have studied the differences between an early print version
of Tournier’s Image No.II, Au seuil du temple (1925), and the current print version. Both the
early print version and current print version are copyrighted in 1925 and bear the same plate
number, yet the current print version has clearly been revised. One of the early print versions
includes a personal inscription that indicates the owner had performed the piece using the
publication in 1929. When I asked Fontan-Binoche if she had seen this early print version, she
confirmed that she had not, and had only learned the version currently in print with Tournier. It
is unclear as to when Tournier made these changes but it affirms the argument that composers do
indeed change their minds. I believe through my study I have addressed intentions actively
documented by the composer in his score and through literature, and those gained by an
understanding of the period—such as Tournier’s compositional styles and influences—and
performance practices of his music as relayed by his students. As we can never really know what
Tournier intended in his music, the exploration conducted in Chapters 3-5 is an attempt to
understand the composer’s intentions.
Oral tradition is crucial in establishing and maintaining a performance tradition for the music of
Tournier. As indicated in the introduction to this dissertation, I have experienced the altering of
information as passed from generation to generation. I have also experienced the value of
working closely with a composer. It is for these reasons that the interviews conducted with the
first generation of Tournier’s students are so valuable to this project. It is important to note that
what Tournier taught one student may not be what he taught the next, and that information may
vary from student to student. Regardless, insights from these interviews are significant when
interpreting the performance elements in Tournier’s music, and without them our performance
experience would be vastly different. For example, Chapter 4 illustrates where current
161
performance trends are contrary to Tournier’s teachings; both the trend of fast performances and
the trend of excessive use of muffles have been notated as opposed to Tournier’s teachings and
performance tendencies. Further to that, other interpretive elements such as phrasing and
atmosphere were enlightened through the interviews. By speaking with first generation students
of Tournier, I was able to get close to the original source (Tournier himself), before the oral
tradition began to alter through the passing of teachers to students, and I ultimately gained
insight into his teachings and interpretations.
My argument in this dissertation has been that the performer should take a more active role in
increasing her knowledge base, to make informed musical choices. This process will yield a
unique performance for that performer. By exploring Tournier’s writing, and the oral traditions
and performance practices associated with his music, I have provided insight into Tournier’s
compositional styles and preferences, which allow for an understanding of his intentions, and
informed free interpretations. Through knowledge of the history of the harp, a comprehension of
the notational elements in Tournier’s music, and an understanding of the styles in which
Tournier wrote during the early twentieth century in Paris, I have been able to provide important
information that allows for a historically informed performance.
Fontan-Binoche said that we, as harpists, never perform a piece the same way twice, especially
in the details. Indeed, no two performances can ever be the same, which allows for each
performance to be a unique experience. Tournier indicates in his book that he has deep faith in
the performer. Small discussed the performer as a medium through which the composer’s music
is translated to the audience. Similarly, Taruskin made the observation that the performer is
similar to a translator or transmitter. I believe it is the performer’s role to take the text and the
composer’s intention and translate that to the audience, to create a unique performance
experience.
6.2 Future Research

Although this dissertation has filled a substantial gap in the literature pertaining to Tournier,
there are still many areas for future research. Some of these areas of research did not fit within
the scope of this project, while others suggest opportunities to expand upon the information
162
provided here. This dissertation has in a sense provided a foundation upon which future research
may be based.
Tournier’s biography can be expanded still, and certain dates confirmed. For instance, although it
is evident that Tournier played with the Opéra Comique, the dates of this engagement are
unclear. Similarly, dates of other positions held by Tournier can be documented more
thoroughly. Exploration of Tournier’s relationships with other prominent composers of the
period would also be beneficial for studying influences on his compositions. As Tournier did not
document his technique through a method book, it would be useful to continue research into the
technique he taught to his students. With the new knowledge of Tournier’s participation in the
war, another interesting project would be to explore the implications and effects of the war on his
compositions. A number of newspaper articles document Tournier’s life and further exploration
of these articles would detail his influence in the music community. These are a few of the facets
of Tournier’s biography that allow for future research.
Tournier’s book also merits more study. Through my research, I have discovered the music
history books Tournier used while writing the harp history section of his book. Additionally, I
have uncovered that some of the examples provided in the text may not have been published at
the time Tournier was writing his book. For instance, the example of mixed arpeggio by Noël
Gallon from his Quintet for Harp and Strings was actually not published until 1953, two years
after Tournier’s death and after Tournier wrote the book in 1944-1945 (published in 1959). This
implies that Tournier had access to Gallon’s composition before it was published. It is also
curious to note the instances in which Tournier refers to Henri Busser and his revisions of
Guiraud’s treatise on instrumentation. An understanding of their association may assist with
establishing which specific compositional elements Tournier codified and innovated.
With Tournier’s innovations and codifications, definitive proof needs to be ascertained in order
to properly attribute them. For the codification of unusual key signatures, a survey of the harp
literature from the double action pedal harp forward could provide conclusive evidence. The
notational symbol for the synonym note is more likely to remain unknown, but with the pedal
slide, further research into early publications of harp literature in the twentieth century may
provide clarifications about who is responsible for its codification. Similar to the issue of unusual
163
key signatures, a survey of the harp literature may definitively confirm the innovator of the
glissando chord, the glissando-piccolo, and the mixed arpeggio.
Subsequent interviews could document supplementary interpretive performance elements in

Tournier’s music and clarify areas of confusion. For example, in this dissertation the sections on
staccatos and muffles suggest the need for additional explanation to confirm with certainty the
proper execution of the techniques. Tournier’s explanation of both chords and muffled notes is
unclear in his book, and further investigation into these interpretative elements may provide
greater insight.
More research into the publishers used by Tournier and the different houses’ publishing styles is
necessary. This will not only allow for the creation of a complete list of original publishers
associated with each piece, but will also clarify certain notations symbols, for instance, the
function and differentiation of the X and diamond shape in Tournier’s glissandi. Many of
Tournier’s compositions outside harp solos are undated and the publication information is
unclear. In addition, several of Tournier’s opus numbers are unknown. Through this research, a
catalog of all Tournier’s compositions could be compiled.
A few miscellaneous areas of future research deserve mention. The concept brought forth by
Fontan-Bionche regarding the relationship between phrasing, speech, and the French language
could be researched. The implications of this research could be related to Tournier and other
early twentieth century French compositions. We do not yet know the author of the
commentaries on Tournier’s pieces. A catalog subsequently could be created documenting all of
Tournier’s known manuscripts and their locations.
The gap in music literature with regard to Tournier is unfortunate, given his significance in the
musical community of Paris during the early twentieth century. Through the information
provided in this dissertation, the knowledge base related to Tournier’s life and performance
practices of his music has been expanded. The importance of Tournier and his compositions in
early twentieth century music should not be overlooked. Tournier’s music will continue to
maintain its importance in the current harpist’s repertoire, along with other great harp literature
by composers such as Fauré, Debussy, and Ravel. Tournier’s legacy to harp literature and his
contributions to the artistic community will forever hold its place in history.
Bibliography
Aber-Count, Alice Lawson. “Hasselmans.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
Ed. Stanley Sadie. 2nd ed. Vol. 11. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Barthes, Roland. Image, Music, Text. Trans. Stephen Heath. New York: Hill & Wang, 1978.
Print.
Berry, Wallace. Musical Structure and Performance. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989.
Print.
Biographie de Marcel Tournier. n.d. TS. Estate of Marcel Tournier.
Boorman, Stanley, Eleanor Selfridge-Field, and Donald W Krummel. “Printing & Publishing.”
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 2nd ed. Vol. 20.
London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Bowen, José A. “Finding the Music In Musicology: Performance History and Musical Works.”
Rethinking Music. Ed. Nicholas Cook and Mark Everest. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1999. Print.
Busser, Henri. Précis de composition. Paris: Editions Durand & Cie, 1943. Print.
Butt, John. “Acting Up a Text: The Scholarship of Performance and the Performance of
Scholarship.” Early Music 24.2 (1996): 323-328+330-332. Jstor. Web. 14 Dec. 2010.
---. “Authenticity.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 2nd
ed. Vol.2. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
---. Playing with History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.
Chen, Lee-Fei. The Emergence of the Double-Action Harp as the Standard Instrument: Pleyel’s
Chromatic Harp and Erard’s Double-Action Harp. Diss. University of Miami, 2008.
Print.
Concours de fin d’année 1913 à 1915. (n.d). [Manuscript] Archives Nationales, Aj37-254-2.
Paris.
Cook, Nicholas. “Between Process and Product: Music as/and Performing.” Music Theory
Online 7.2 (2004). Web. 8 Mar. 2011.
Crichton, Michel. Personal interview. 1 Feb. 2013.
Delilia, Alfred. “Courrier musical.” Le Figaro 26 June 1910: 7. Gallica bibliothèque numérique.
Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Dentith, Jo Lynn. Romantic and Impressionist Style in the Harp Repertoire of Marcel Tournier.
Diss. Pennsylvania State University, 2008. Print.
164
165
Description des oeuvres de Marcel Tournier. n.d. TS. Estate of Marcel Tournier.
DeVale, Sue Carole, et al. “Harp.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed.
Stanley Sadie. 2nd ed. Vol. 10. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Devos, Gérard. Telephone Interview. 2 Feb. 2013.
Devriès, Anik, and François Lesure. Dictionnaire des éditeurs de musicque français. Vol. 2.
Genève: Éditions Minkoff, 1988. Print.
Dunsby, Jonathan. Performing Music: Shared Concerns. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995. Print.
Etudes musicales - examens semstriels année 1913 à 1917. (n.d). [Manuscript] Archives
Nationales, Aj37-306-1. Paris.
Fedson, Delaine, Megan Metheney, and Dr. Erzsèbet Gaál. “The Teaching Corner: A Day in the
Car with Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche in Odessa, Texas.” The American Harp Journal 22.3
(2010): 74-77. Print.
Filannino, Ruggiero. Harpe Chromatique: Pleyel, Paris, vers 1915. Museo dell’Arpa Victor
Salvi. Trois siècles de harpes. France: Western Central, 2004. 77. Print.
---. Harpe à Crochets: Anonyme, France?, XVIIIème siècle. Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi. Trois
siècles de harpes. France: Western Central, 2004. 9. Print.
---. Harpe à Double Mouvement: Erard et cie., Paris, 1879. Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi. Trois
---. Harpe à Double Mouvement: Lyon & Healy, Chicago, 1928. Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi.
Trois siècles de harpes. France: Western Central, 2004. 91. Print.
---. Harpe à Simple Mouvement: Naderman, Paris, 1770. Museo dell’Arpa Victor Salvi. Trois
Finson, Jon W. Nineteenth-Century Music: The Western Classical Tradition. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall, 2002. Print.
“Fondements et histoire.” Légion d’Honneur. Grande Chancellerie de la Légion d’Honneur.

Web. 15 Aug. 2014. <http://www.legiondhonneur.fr/fr/page/fondements-et-histoire/103>
Fontan-Binoche, Elisabeth. “Marcel Tournier.” Harp Today 3 Fall (1998): 27-31. Print.
---. Personal interview. 1-4 Mar. 2012.
Foucault, Michel. Language, Counter Memory, Practice: Selected Essays and Interviews. Trans.
Donald F. Bouchard and Sherry Simon. New York: Cornell University Press, 1977. Print.
Frick, Rudolf. Ed. Sébastien Erard: A European Pioneer of Instrument Making. 13-14 Nov.
1994: International Erard Symposium. Michaelstein: HARPA, 1995. Print.
166
Frisch, Walter. Music in the Nineteenth Century. New York: W.W Norton and Company, 2013.
Print.
Geliot, Huguette. Personal interview. 4 Feb. 2013.
Gessele, Cynthia M., et al. “Conservatories.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and
Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 2nd ed. Vol. 6. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited,
2001. Print.
Gilbert, David. “Prix de Rome.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley
Sadie. 2nd ed. Vol. 20. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Glattauer, Annie. Dictionnaire du répertoire de la harpe. Paris: CNRS Éditions, 2003. Print.
Govea, Wenonah Milton. Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Harpists. London: Greenwood

Press, 1995. Print.
Grandjany, Marcel. “In Defense of Transcriptions.” American Harp Journal 5.3 (1976): 21-22.
Print.
Grier, James. The Critical Writing of Music: History, Method, and Practice. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1996. Print.
Griffiths, Ann. “Erard: A Dynasty of Harpmakers.” World Harp Congress Review 7.6. (2002): 8-
10. Print.
Grimes, J. Scott. “Marcel Tournier: Musicien complet” American Harp Journal 10.3 (1986): 3-
15. Print.
Guiraud, Ernest. Traité pratique d’instrumentation. Paris: Durand Fils, Éditeurs, 1892. Print.
---, Ed. Henri Busser. Traité pratique d’instrumentation. Paris: Durant & Cie, Éditeurs, 1933.
Print.
Hébrard, Adrien, ed. “Theatres: Les Escholiers” Le Temps 14 May 1908: 3. Gallica bibliothèque
numérique. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Heugel, Henri, ed. “Courrier musical.” Le Ménestrel 4 July 1908: 215. Gallica bibliothèque
numérique. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Hinson, Maurice. Masters of Impressionism: A Guide to Style and Interpretation. Alfred

Publishing Co., Inc., 1989. Print.
Holoman, D. Kern. The Société des Concerts du Conservatoire: 1828-1967. University of

California Press, 2004. Print.
Houser, Kimberly Ann. Five Virtuoso Harpists as Composers: Their Contributions to the
Technique and Literature of the Harp. Diss. University of Arizona, 2004. Print.
167
Huntley, Elizabeth. “Annals of the Harp: Germaine Tailleferre at the Paris Conservatory.”
American Harp Journal 21.4 (2008): 60. Print.
Jackson, Jeffrey H. Making Jazz French: Music and Modern Life in Interwar Paris. London:
Duke University Press, 2003. Print.
Jackson, Roland. “Authenticity or Authenticities? Performance Practice and the Mainstream.”

Performance Practice Review 10.1 (1997): 1-10. RILM Abstracts of Music Literature.
Web. 22 Nov. 2010.
Jordan, Matthew F. Le Jazz: Jazz and French Cultural Identity. U.S.A: University of Illinois,
2010. Print.
Kivy, Peter. Authenticities: Philosophical Reflections on Musical Performance. Ithaca: Cornell

University Press, 1995. Print.
---. The Fine Art of Repetition: Essays in the Philosophy of Music. New York: Cambridge
Korchinska, Maria. [untitled] The Musical Times 101.1413 (1960): 705. Web. 14 Feb. 2012.
Locke, Ralph P. “Orientalism.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley
Lord, Albert B. The Singer of Tales. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1960. Print.
Louvier, Alain. “Gallon, Noël.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley
MacDonald, Hugh. Berlioz’s Orchestration Treatise: A Translation and Commentary.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.
Marie, Isabelle. “Alphonse Hasselmans.” Association internationale des harpistes et amis de la

harpe. ISSN 0295-2610 Winter (2012): 5-18. Print.
Marson, John. The Book of the Harp - The Techniques, History and Lore of a Unique Musical
Instrument. Great Britain: Kevin Mayhew Ltd., 2005. Print.
Meister, Barbara. Music Musique: French & American Piano Composition in the Jazz Age.
Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 2006. Print.
Meyer, Arthur, ed. “Conservatoire” Le Gaulois 6 July 1915: 4. Gallica bibliothèque numérique.
Web. 15 Aug. 2014.
---. “Conservatoire” Le Gaulois 9 July 1916: 4. Gallica bibliothèque numérique. Web. 15 Aug.
2014.
Montesquiou, Odette de. The Legend of Henriette Renié. Indiana: Author House, 2006. Print.
168
Nichols, Roger. The Harlequin Years: Music in Paris 1917-1929. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2002. Print.
Oeuvres de Marcel Tournier. n.d. TS. Estate of Marcel Tournier.
Owens, Dewey. Carlos Salzedo: From Aeolian to Thunder. Chicago: Lyon and Healy Harps,
Inc., 1993. Print.
Pasler, Jann. “Impressionism.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley
---. et al. “Paris.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 2nd ed.
Vol. 19. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Pasquali, Liana. “A Close-up of Marcel Tournier.” Cagliari Harp Festival. Cagliari. 29 Oct.
2002.
Perrin, Isabelle, and Barbara Fackler. “A Guide to Harp Notation Used in he Compositions of
Bernard Andrès.” 2010. Web. 20 June 2014. <www.harpa.com/isabelle-perrin.>
Plantinga, Leon. Romantic Music: A History of Musical Style in Nineteenth-Century Europe.

New York: W.W Norton & Company, 1984. Print.
Professeurs 1901 A 1966. (n.d). [Manuscript] Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de

danse. Paris.
Rensch, Roslyn. The Harp: Its History, Technique and Repertoire. London: Gerald Duckworth
& Co Ltd, 1969. Print.
---. Harps and Harpists. Revised Edition. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2007. Print.
---. Trois siècles de harpes. France: Western Central, 2004. Print.
République Française. Ministère de l’instruction publique et des beaux-arts. Renseignments

prodits à l’appui d’une proposution de chevalier dans la Légion d’honneur. 3 Feb 1929.
Leonore. Web. 26 Jan. 2013.
Rink, Peter. “In Respect of Performance. The View from Musicology.” Psychology of Music
31.3 (2003): 303-323. ProQuest. Web. 20 Nov. 2010.
Risacher, E. “Harpe, guitare, mandoline” Annuaire des artistes et de l'enseignement dramatique

et musical (1906): 288. Gallica bibliothèque numérique. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
---. “M. Joseph-Alexis Tournier: Facteur d’instruments de musique” Annuaire des artistes et de
l'enseignement dramatique et musical (1903): 592. Gallica bibliothèque numérique. Web.
24 Feb. 2014.
Sacchi, Floraleda. Elias Parish Alvars: Life, Music, Documents. Trans. Howard Weiner and
Maria Rosa Solarino. Switzerland: Odlia Publishing Ltd., 1999. Print.
169
Sherman, Bernard D. [untitled] Journal of the American Musicological Society 59.2 (2006): 482-
488. Jstor. Web. 16 Dec. 2010.
Small, Christopher. Musicking: The Meanings of Performing and Listening. Hanover: University
Press of New England, 1998. Print.
Stone, Kurt. Music Notation in the Twentieth Century. Toronto: W.W Norton Company, Inc.,
1980. Print
Tableau des classes - année 1896-1897 - Du 1er octobre au 30 septembre. (n.d). [Manuscript]
Archives Nationales, Aj37-166. Paris.
Tableau des classes - année scolaire 1910-1911 - Du 1er octobre au 30 septembre. (n.d).
[Manuscript] Archives Nationales, Aj37-179. Paris.
170
Taruskin, Richard. Text and Act: Essays on Music and Performance. New York: Oxford
Thompson, Oscar. Debussy: Man and Artist. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1967. Print.
Tournier, Dominique. Personal interview. 31 Jan. 2013.
Tournier, Jean-Claude. Genealogical study of Joseph Tournier. TS. Personal collection of Jean-
Claude Tournier.
---. Genealogical study of Marcel Tournier. TS. Personal collection of Jean-Claude Tournier.
---. Genealogical study of Renée Lenars. TS. Personal collection of Jean-Claude Tournier.
---. Personal interview. 25-28 Jan. 2013.
Tournier, Marcel. La harpe. Paris: Henry Lemoine et Cie, 1959. Print.
---. The Harp. Trans. Rita H. Pitt. Paris: Henry Lemoine et Cie, 1959. Print.
---. Letter to the Association des artistes musiciens. 28 Nov. 1926. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de
France, Paris.
---. Letter to the Association des artistes musiciens. 29 Apr. 1932. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de
France, Paris.
---. Letter to the Association des artistes musiciens. 30 May 1932. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de
France, Paris.
---. Letter to Henri Busser. 21 Nov. 1945. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Henri Busser. 17 Nov. 1946. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Madame Raphaël Martenot. 6 Apr. 1916. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France,
Paris.
171
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. Friday n.d. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. 25 July 1899. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. 3 Aug. 1903. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. 2 Dec. 1914. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. 16 Dec. 1914. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to Raphaël Martenot. 30 June 1915. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
---. Letter to the Société des concerts. 27 Sep. 1912. MS. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
Tucker, Mark. “Jazz.” The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie.
2nd ed. Vol.12. London: Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2001. Print.
Varennes, Francoise des. Henriette Renié: Living Harp. Indiana: Music Works-Harp, 1990.
Print.
Wild, Nicole and David Charlton. Théâtre de l’Opéra-Comique: Répertoire 1762-1972.

Belgium, Pierre Mardaga éditeur, 2005. Print.
Zingel, Hans Joachim. Harp Music in the Nineteenth Century. Trans. Mark Palkovic.
Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1992. Print.
Musical Scores
Andrès, Bernard, Absidioles, n.d. Rideau Rouge, 1974. Print.
Caplet, André. Divertissements. 1924. Durand, 1925. Print.
Debussy, Claude. Sonate exrait de six sonates pour flûte, alto et harpe. 1915. Durand, 1916.
Print.
Devos, Gérard. Méthode de harpe: Précis de la technique. Paris: Éditions Rideau Rouge, 1967.
Print.
Fauré, Gabriel. Impromptu Op. 86. 1904. Paris: Durand, 1904. Print.
Geliot, Huguette, comp. and ed. Les plaisirs de la harpe 1. Paris: Edition Henry Lemoine, 1992.
Print.
Hindemith, Paul. Sonate für Harfe. 1939. Mainz: Schott, 1940. Print.
Lawrence, Lucile, and Carlos Salzedo. 1927. Method for the Harp. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc.,
1929. Print.
Parish-Alvars, E. Sérénade Op. 83. N.d. Leipzig: Fr. Kistner, n.d. Print.
---. Sérénade Op. 83. N.d. Paris: Gérard Billaudot, 1975. Print.
Ravel, Maurice. Introduction et allegro pour harpe avec accompagnement de quatuor à cordes,
flûte et clarinette. 1905. Durand, 1906. Print.
Renié, Henriette. Méthode complète de harpe - Premier volume: Technique. n.d. Paris: Alphonse
Leduc, 1946. Print.
---. Complete Method for Harp. n.d. Trans. Geraldine Rueg. Paris: Alphonse Leduc, 1966. Print.
Salzedo, Carlos. Modern Study of the Harp. 1919. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc., 1921. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. 2e. Sonatine pour harpe Op. 45. 1940. Paris: Lemoine, 1945. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. 2e Sonatine Op. 45. 1940. Paris: Lemoine, 1945. Print. Bibliothèque
Nationale de France.
Tournier, Marcel. Air à Danser: Petite pièce brève et facile pour la harpe. 1913. Paris: Eschig,
1913. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Berceuse: Petite pièce brève et facile pour la harpe. 1913. Paris: Eschig, 1965.
Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Berceuse Russe pour harp. 1932. Paris: Lemoine, 1932. Print.
172
173
Tournier, Marcel. Berceuse Russe [ensemble parts (3 cellos and 2 harps)]. 28 Nov. 1933. MS.
Fontan-Binoche Personal Collection.
Tournier, Marcel. Causerie [Harp part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire
à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Ce que chante la pluie d’automne Op. 49. May 1943. MS. Research Centre in
Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Ce que chante la pluie d’automne: lied pour la harpe Op. 49. 1943. Paris:
Henry Lemoine, 1947. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Ce que chante la pluie d’automne (lied) Op. 49. 1943. Paris: Lemoine, 1947.
Print. Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Tournier, Marcel. Chanson Folle pour violon et piano Op. 18. Paris: J.Tournier, 1903. Print.
Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Tournier, Marcel. Cortége [Harp 1 part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire
Tournier, Marcel. Cortége [Harp 2 part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire
Tournier, Marcel. Cortège: petit pièce pour piano. 1912. Paris: Rouhier, 1912. Print.
Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Deux petites Pièces Brèves et Faciles pour la harpe: I. Soupir, II.
Offrande. 1913. Paris: Eschig, 1913. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Deux Préludes Romantiques Op. 17. 1906 and 1907. MS. Dominique
Tournier Personal Collection.
Tournier, Marcel. Deux Préludes Romantiques Op. 17. 1909. Paris: Durand, 1909. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Elle est venue, Elle a souri...pour chant avec accompagnement, quatuor
à cordes et harpe. 8 Aug. 1926. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire
Tournier, Marcel. Encore une boîte à Musique! Op. 43. 1935. Paris: Lemoine, 1935. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Encore une boite a Musique! Op. 43. 1935. Paris: Lemoine, 1935. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Etude de concert: Au matin pour harpe. 1913. Paris: Leduc, 1940. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Fantaisie Romantique pour harpe. 19 Feb. 1923. MS. Research Centre in
174
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Paris: Senart, n.d. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Paris: Senart, n.d. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Paris: Senart, n.d. Print. Research Centre in
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Florida: Masters Music Publications, Inc., n.d.
Print. Master Harp Series.
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Paris: Leduc, 1920. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Féerie: Prélude et danse. 1912. Paris: Rouhier, 1920. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Fresque marine pour harpe Op. 46. June 1942. MS. Research Centre in
Tournier, Marcel. Fresque marine pour la harpe Op. 46. 1942. Paris: Lemoine, 1946. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Fresque Marine Op. 46. 1942. Paris: Lemoine, 1946. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. “I. Au Japon – Concert de Koto.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. “I. Au Japon – Concert de Koto.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. 1943. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. “II. En Chine – Promenade du mandarin.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d.
MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “II. En Chine – Promenade du mandarin.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. Oct.
1943. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “III. En Afrique – Fête chez les nègres.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. “IV. En France – L’Eternel Rêveur.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. “IV. En France – L’Eternel Rêveur.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. Nov. 1943.
Tournier, Marcel. “IV. En France – Vision de mer.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS.
175
Tournier, Marcel. “V. En Scandinavie – Légende du bossu-boiteux.” Au hasard des ondes

Op. 50. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “V. En Scandinavie – Légende du bossu-boiteux.” Au hasard des ondes

Op. 50. July 1945. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Nani...Nani...berceuse pour Sanda.” Au hasard des

ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Nani...Nani...berceuse pour Sanda.” Au hasard des

ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Nani...Nani...berceuse pour Sanda.” Au hasard des ondes
Op. 50. Apr. 1944. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Berceuse du cavalier.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d.
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Berceuse du cavalier.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. July
Tournier, Marcel. “VI. En Roumanie – Berceuse du cavalier” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. July
Tournier, Marcel. “VII. En Italie – Napoli-Tarentella.” Au hasard des ondes Op. 50. n.d. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. Au hasard des ondes: Nouvelles images pour la Harpe Op. 50. 1945. Paris:
Henry Lemoine & Cie, 1953. Print. Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Tournier, Marcel. Images pour harpe suite 1 Op. 29. 1925. Paris: Lemoine, 1925. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Images pour harpe suite 1 Op. 29. 1925. Paris: Lemoine, 1925. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Trois Images (1re Suite) Op. 29. 1925. Paris: Lemoine, 1925. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Images pour harpe 2e suite Op. 30. 1925. Paris: Lemoine, 1925. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Images 3e et 4e Suite pour harpe Op. 35 and Op. 39. 1930 and 1932. Paris:
Lemoine, 1930. Print.
176
Tournier, Marcel. Images 3e et 4e Suite pour harpe Op. 35 and Op. 39. 1930 and 1932. Paris:
Lemoine, 1930 and 1932. Print. Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
Tournier, Marcel. Images VII. Les anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib pour harpe et
quatuor à cordes. Apr. 1933. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à
Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Images VIII. Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-drahain pour harpe et

quatuor à cordes. May 1933. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à
Tournier, Marcel. Insomnie mélodie pour chant, quatuor à cordes et harpe. n.d. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. Insomnie mélodie pour chant, quatuor à cordes et harpe. Nov.1929. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. Jazz-Band pour harpe Op. 33. 1926. Paris: Lemoine, 1926. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Jazz-Band Op.33. 1926. Paris: Lemoine, 1926. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Lettre d’enfant à Noël: Chant et harpe (ou piano). 2 Oct.1942. MS.
Tournier, Marcel. Lettre d’enfant a noël. n.d. Paris: Lemoine, 1942. Print. Research Centre in
Tournier, Marcel. La Lettre du Jardinier pour Chant et Harpe (ou Piano). n.d. Paris: Senart.
Print. (Before 1912). Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. La Lettre du Jardinier pour Chant et Harpe (ou Piano). Salvi Publications,
1992. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. La lune bleue. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à
Tournier, Marcel. Morceaux de déchiffrage - Piano. 1941. MS. Médiathèque Hector Berlioz,
Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
Tournier, Marcel. Nocturne pour violoncelle et harpe ou piano orgue (ad lib.) Op. 21. 1909.
Paris: Rouhier, n.d. Print. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Nocturne pour violoncelle et harpe ou piano orgue (ad lib.) Op. 21. 1909.
Salvi Publications, 1991. Print.
177
Tournier, Marcel. Pastels du vieux japon pour Harpe Op. 47. 1942. Paris: Lemoine, 1948.
Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Pastels du vieux japon Op. 47. 1942. Paris: Lemoine, 1948. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Pièces Nègres pour harpe Op. 41. 1935. Paris: Lemoine, 1935. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Pièces Nègres pour Harpe Op. 41. 1935. Paris: Lemoine, 1935. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Quatre Préludes pour deux harpes Vol. 1 Op. 16. Paris: Leduc, 1921. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Quatre Préludes pour Harpe Op. 16. New York: Lyra. n.d. Print.
Tournier, Marcel, arr. Repertoire du Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris: Traits

Difficiles. Tire d’oeuvres symphoniques et dramatiques. Paris: Leduc. n.d. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Résurrection [Harp 1 Part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le
Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Résurrection [Harp 2 Part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le
Tournier, Marcel. Rêve [Harp Part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à
Tournier, Marcel. Rêverie de Bouddha pour chant avec accompagnement de quatuor à cordes et
harpe. 4 Aug. 1926. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Rêverie de Bouddha pour Chant et Piano. n.d. Paris: Senart. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Le Rouet Enchanté Op. 44. 1937. Paris: Lemoine, 1937. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Le Rouet Enchante Op. 44. 1937. Paris: 1937. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Le Rouet Enchanté pour Harpe Op. 44. 1937. Paris: Lemoine, 1937. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Scherzo Romantique Op. 38. 1932. New York: Lyra Music. n.d Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Sérénade – violon et piano (ou harpe) Op. 19. n.d. Paris: Rouhier, n.d. Print.
178
Tournier, Marcel. La sirène, scène musicale - Grand Prix de Rome. 1908. MS. Médiathèque
Hector Berlioz, Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
Tournier, Marcel. La sirène noire [Harp Part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le
Tournier, Marcel. Six Noëls pour la Harpe Op. 32. 1926. Paris: Lemoine, 1926. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Six Noëls pour la harpe Op. 32. 1926. New York: Lyra Music, n.d Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Soleils de septembre - Grand Prix de Rome. 1907. MS. Médiathèque Hector
Berlioz, Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
Tournier, Marcel. Sonatine pour harpe Op. 30. 1924. Paris: Lemoine, 1924. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Sonatine Op. 30. 1924. Paris: Lemoine, 1924. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Sonatine pour harpe, violon et violoncelle. n.d. MS. Research Centre in
Tournier, Marcel. Spleen [Harp Part]. n.d. MS. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à
Tournier, Marcel. Suite pour flûte, violon, alto, violoncelle et harpe: 1. soir, 2. danse, 3. lied, 4.
fête Op. 34. 1929. Paris: Lemoine, 1929. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Suite pour flûte, violon, alto, violoncelle et harpe Op. 34. 1929. Paris:
Lemoine, 1929. Print. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Arr. L. Gaubert-Elgé. Suite Persane – Piano Conducteur. n.d. Paris:
Lemoine, 1926. Print. Research Centre in Rennes, Le Conservatoire à Rayonnement
Régional.
Tournier, Marcel. Thème et Variations. 1908. Paris: Rouhier, 1913. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Thème et Variations pour la harpe. New York: Lyra Music, n.d. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Vers la source dans le bois. 1921. Paris: Rouhier, 1922. Print. Bibliothèque
Tournier, Marcel. Vers la source dans le bois. 1921. Paris: Leduc, 1922. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Vers la source dans le bois. 1921. New York: Lyra Music, n.d. Print.
Tournier, Marcel. Vers la source dans le bois. 1921. MK Waddington, 2010. Print.
Discography
Bennett, Elinor. “Etude de concert-Au matin.” By Marcel Tournier. Mathias Santa Fe Suite &
Other 20th Century Harp Classics. Nimbus Records, 1995. CD.
---.“Vers la source dans le bois.” By Marcel Tournier. Images & Impressions: Music for Flute
and Harp. Nimbus Records, 1989. CD.
Brais Hildesheim, Lucile. Lucile Brais Hildesheim. “Au matin.” By Marcel Tournier. Les
Productions Sleepy Sheep, 2002. CD.
Costanzi, Rita. “Sonatine, Op. 30.” By Marcel Tournier. Of Fields & Forests. CBC Records,
1998. CD.
---. “Vers la source dans le bois.” By Marcel Tournier. Of Fields & Forests. CBC Records, 1998.
CD.
---. “Trois noëls.” By Marcel Tournier. Pastorales de noël. Skylark Records, n.d. CD.
Fontan-Binoche, Elisabeth. Elisabeth Fontan-Bionche Plays the Music of Marcel Tournier. Egan
Records, n.d. CD.
---. “Vers la source, dans le bois.” By Marcel Tournier. Harp Recital in Kyoto. La Maggiore,
2003. CD.
Geliot, Huguette. “La lettre du jardinier.” By Marcel Tournier. Florilège de musique Française.
Perf. Colette Comony-Alexandre. Quantum, 1999. CD.
---. “Rêverie de Bouddha.” By Marcel Tournier. Florilège de musique Française. Perf. quatuor à
cordes. Quantum, 1999. CD.
---. “Vers la source, dans le bois.” By Marcel Tournier. Florilège de musique Française.
Quantum, 1999. CD.
Goodman, Erica. “Images pour la harpe et quatuor à cordes ou orchestre à cordes, Op. 35.” By
Marcel Tournier. Erica Goodman and Friends. Pref. The Amadeus Ensemble. CBC
Records, 1992. CD.
---. “Suite, Op. 34.” By Marcel Tournier. French Flute Chamber Music. Perf. Mirage Quintet.
Naxos, 2009. CD.
---. “Sonatine for harp.” By Marcel Tournier. The Virtuoso Harp. BIS, 1985. CD
Graf, Maria. “Au matin – Etude de concert.” By Marcel Tournier. Maria Graf-Recital. Philips
Classics Productions, 1991. CD.
Herner Lucas, Wendy. “Deux préludes romantiques, Op. 17.” By Marcel Tournier. Sounds of the
Seine. Donna Milanovich. Delos International, 1994. CD.
179
180
Laskine, Lily. “Prélude No.4.” By Marcel Tournier. Concert pour deux harpes. Perf. Marielle
Nordmann. Erato Disques, 1982. CD.
Léonardelli, Caroline. “Féerie (Prelude et danse).” By Marcel Tournier. El Dorado. Centaur

Classics, 2008. CD.
---. “La lettre du jardinier.” By Marcel Tournier. Panache. Per. Julie Nesrallah. Centaur Classics,
2007. CD.
---. “Trois noëls pour harpe, Opus 32.” By Marcel Tournier. A Christmas Story. Centaur
Classics, 2005. CD.
Loman, Judy. “Images” By Marcel Tournier. Harp Showpieces. Naxos, 2000. CD.
---. “Sonatine pour harpe, Op. 30.” By Marcel Tournier. 20th Century Masterworks for Harp.
Marquis Classics, 1996. CD.
---. “Vers la source dans le bois” By Marcel Tournier. The Romantic Harp. Naxos, 2005. CD.
MacDonald, Susann. “Etude de concert.” By Marcel Tournier. The World of the Harp. Delos
Digital Master Series, 1987. CD.
---. “Jazz Band.” By Marcel Tournier. The World of the Harp. Delos Digital Master Series, 1987.
CD.
Mathieu, Chantal. Liner notes. “Marcel Tournier – Poète de la harpe 1879-1951.” Tournier:
Works for Harp. Claves Records, 1998. CD.
---. Tournier: Works for Harp. Claves Records, 1998. CD.
Moretti, Isabelle. “Étude de concert pour harpe ‘Au matin.’” By Marcel Tournier. Musique
Française pour harpe. Auvidis Distribution, 1997. CD.
---. “L’éternel rêveur.” By Marcel Tournier. Musique Française pour harpe. Auvidis
Distribution, 1997. CD.
Para Arpa. “Four Preludes.” By Marcel Tournier. Impressionisme. Centaur Classis, 2004. CD.
Remy, Elisabeth. “Sonatine pour harpe, Op. 30.” By Marcel Tournier. Whirlwind. Digital
Recording, 2000. CD.
SüB, Margit-Anna. “Berceuse Russe, Op. 40.” By Marcel Tournier. French Music for Harp Solo.
Nippon Columbia, 1992. CD.
Appendix A: Descriptions of Marcel Tournier’s Music
Author: Unknown
English translation by: Étienne Levesque
Of Marcel Tournier’s first compositions, his four preludes are in a classical style. He follows the
beaten path, expressing very clearly what he wants to say, stating things in a very natural way.
Following his four preludes comes an important work: “Theme and Variations.” This piece
should be more precisely called: Rhythmic variations on a melodic theme. Some variations hint
at a unique tonal colour, a special aspect that will lead to the new road that the author will
undertake. In fact, instinctively and even abruptly, Marcel Tournier escapes from the classical
writing style, and his “Feerie” appears before us like a work wrapped up in scintillating colours.
We have the impression that the author has truly found his fairy-like path; he shows us a harp
with rare and curious sonorities that pleasantly surprises the ear. He makes his instrument vibrate
by some warm and rich orchestrated sonorities that he endlessly renews.
Nonetheless, these pieces exhibit strange impressions, luminous or dim but always instilled with
this poetic magic that is the soul of the harp.
FEERIE (Prelude and Dance)
for Harp and String Quartet
This piece (which was premiered in 1912 at the Concours du Conservatoire) was written in 1911
for solo harp.
In 1924, the author felt the need to reinvigorate its whole fairy significance by combining it with
a string quartet. On a note held by the quartet, the harp improvises intriguing arabesques.
Throughout the prelude there is an interplay of sonorities, going from the harp to the quartet with
more and more brilliance. A mysterious rhythm announces the beginning of the dance: a far
away dance, lightly rhythmical, supported by the quartet. This first dance theme seems to vanish
as if taken away by the aerial whisper of the violins.
***
A simple and dream-like melodic theme announced by the harp is revisited by the quartet, and
then lightly developed in a poetic ambiance where the melancholic alto sighs, whilst the violin’s
harmonics make the distant stars shine.
The dance comes back softly and calmly, then shows its colours and vigorously takes on the
dream-like melodic theme expressed strongly this time by all instruments. At the end of the
piece, in a troubled atmosphere, the dance becomes more and more feverish and ends,
exasperated, in a long crescendo.
***
181
182
AU MATIN (1913)
This “Concert etude” is of a scrumptious freshness with its murmurs of creeks, its gatherings of
birds, its bright sky, all exuding the joy of a lovely calm morning.
***
VERS LA SOURCE DANS LE BOIS… (1922)
In this piece, we are in a full dream-state, in a full poetic fairyland. Only the harp can idealize so
intensely (by means of repeated notes) the murmur of this marvelous creek, from which seems to
pour out the call of a mysterious horn that irresistibly attracts us.
***
SONATINE (1924) Op.30
Allegro…
Poetic…
Feverish…
are in fact the 3 aspects of this Sonatine, solidly constructed and paired with the richest sonorous
attractions of the harp.
The swiftness of the first movement communicates from the start the fresh air of a sunny spring
morning.
A troubling poetic atmosphere expresses itself from the 2nd movement with its engrossed and
warm sonorities, found in the velvet middle range of the instrument. It is an emotional realization
of the poetic ideal of the harp.
The finale throws us abruptly in a river of arpeggios where the harp masterfully reigns. All is
light and joy.
The initial theme of the first movement returns and its swiftness mixes with the general
ambiance. It will transform, developing and surrounding the themes of the finale. The piece ends
victoriously in a feeling of life overflowing with joy.
***
The author has not used any glissando (I). The writing style seems simple, but gives to the ears
an impression of novelty. The timbres amalgamate in such a happy way that the ear cannot help
but be astonished or seduced when hearing them.
It is the first time that a work of this importance has been realized for harp solo.
183
The author transcribed it for harp, violin, and cello, giving it an arc full of vitality, of luminosity
and also of intense poetry in the calm and expressive second movement.
(I) Only a short glissando comes out of an arpeggiated chord (3rd bar before the end) that the
author has recently called a mixed arpeggio, that is, starting fingered and ending as a gliss.
***
We now present the twelve Images, published in four suites.
Even with no musical link between them, the author has expressed the need to group them in sets
of three.
Their different colours become even more breathtaking than their framework, as diverse and
unexpected as they are; assembled they are even better; as paintings ornamenting a panel hung
on the wall, as diverse and random as they might be, they form an out of the ordinary decorative
ensemble.
IMAGES (1st suite) Op.29 – 1925
I- Clair de Lune sur L’Etang du Parc (Moonlight on the Pond in the Park)
Poetic evocation of a summer night during which the leaves shimmer magically, drops of water
trouble the quietness of this dreamt decor in the shadows of some old castles, whilst the moon,
slowly, pursues its course, everything is idyllic… By reaching the horizon, all that she made
vibrate by the magic of her whiteness fades away.
II- Au seuil du Temple (On the Temple’s Threshold)
At the moment when the church doors open, we remain troubled at hearing the hesitant voice of
the followers of God, that are already singing psalms of the office, while the soft voice of the bell
slowly exclaims to the village that it is time to pray.
III- Lolita, la danseuse (Lolita, the dancer)
Fan in hand, cloak, flower at the lips, Lolita animates herself little by little… Her eyes shine…
Her dancing becomes more nervous, her actions punctuate the rhythm… She seems happy to
live… to dance… happy about everything.
***
IMAGES (2nd suite) Op.21-1925
IV- Les Enfants a la Creche de Noel (Children at the Christmas Nativity Scene)
In their charming naive way the children sing… Their voices become abruptly shy in hearing the
bells that ding, first slowly, then ring uncontrollably. Silence returns leaving the children
flabbergasted, contemplating the Nativity Scene of Baby Jesus while the last chiming of the bells
seem to rise to the sky.
184
V- L’Etrange Cavalier (The Strange Rider)
In a brutal jump, he gets into the saddle taking control of his impatient horse. He starts with a
light trot… Through the town he gallops now, wind in face, hopping over obstacles in the road…
to the left?... to the right?... doesn’t matter, he wants to achieve his fast racing speed, but the
horse seem to lose energy from these efforts. He leaves the city, this strange rider that isn’t from
here, that no one knows.
VI- La Marchande de Frivolites (The Frivolous Merchant)
The boutique is so well crowded of things!... Charming debates in the middle of thousands of
tissues, ribbons, silks, … etc…
- You want? Miss… Look at this satin… what nice reflections… look…
admire…
- What price?... Oh! How it is expensive, too bad…
And the charming debates continue and the fabric unrolls under their eyes. At last the affairs are
settled. The bells ring when the door opens…
- Come again… Miss.
- Thank you, see you next time, Madam.
***
Here we are at the 3rd suite of Images. It evokes sonorities that the author holds in secret. No
theme is taken from the folklore of the beautiful North African country that is Tunisia.
Only names of streets or villages are real. The rest is imagination… Imagination: the song of the
donkey-driver… Imagination: The rhythms of the dances. Of the sun, the perfumed air, the
dances, the screams, even that melancholy that always exudes itself from the Orient.
So to render these 3 images more alive, the author has joined the harp with a string quartet, to
underline more blatantly his intentions, estimating that the “expression” of the violin strings or of
the cello is the happy complement to the ideal purity of the harp sonority.
IMAGES (3rd suite) Op.35-1930
VII- Les Anesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib (The Grey Donkeys on the Road to El-Azib)
Of a small and light step, the grey donkeys leave, barely trampling the ground, while the donkey-
drivers sing from their nasal voices… They become lazy, wheezing a bit while climbing the
road… and here they are trotting, their little hooves accompanying the nasal chant that resumes,
then that little caravan disappears in a light ribbon of dust tinted with sun, gold, and pink.
185
VIII- Danseuse à la Fontaine d’Aïn-Draham (Dancer at the Fountain of Aïn-Draham)
She is so lovely, this girl that seems to be improvising strange rhythmical steps… lascivious…
next to this old fountain from which the eternal murmur adds a troubling perfume to the pure air
of the day.
IX- Soir de fête à Sedjenane (Evening Party in Sedjenane)
Night has fallen. Men, women, children, all dance and add rhythms by means of bizarre little
screams and by hitting their hands. This round, that is at first a bit rough, becomes tender, little
by little feverously becoming enthralled in the greyness of the dance.
IMAGES (4th suite) Op.39-1932
X- La volière magique (The Magical Aviary)
Turn the lock… Here the birds are calling each other. It’s their habitual language… Oh! They are
so numerous, they seem to be fighting with each other and abruptly there they go flying, whilst
the big cuckoo seems to be imposing his silence… Oh, how charming is your love duo
interspersed with beating wings, dear little birds… How unfortunate, here are your loud brothers
that are coming back and being raucous… How excellent and terrible a guardian is this big
cuckoo is that brings everyone to order. They all go to sleep in their cute fairy nests,
disseminated in all the corners of their magic birdcage that only brings them to life when you
turn the lock.
XI- Cloches sous la neige (Bells in the Snow)
The village is all white… a few steps are marked in the middle of the road. A far away bell
brings its melancholic vibration… then another, and another. What a loud sound the big bell
has!... the road is all white… the idyllic roofs… and the bells resound muted as hushed by the
caresses of the snow….
XII- La danse du Moujik (The dance of the Moujik)
A villager in boots, dances in the style of those Whirling Dervishes that animate themselves in an
intoxicating way… he dances… he bounces… He turns until his muscles are tired.
***
SIX NOELS (SIX CHRISTMASES) Op. 32- 1926
These Christmases are naive like the gaze of children. They sing in simplicity the celebration of
Christmas.
Some of these noels - the 4th and 5th - evoke the joy of children on Christmas night, while the 6th,
with a particular timbre, brings to light the church’s colourful window panes.
***
186
BERCEUSE RUSSE Op. 40-1932
Tenderly poetic, in an ambiance tinted with melancholy, an old folk song floats in the air,
interspersed with the muted sound of faraway bells… in this calm atmosphere of snow, the child
falls more deeply into slumber, under the tender eyes of the happy mother.
***
JAZZ-BAND Op. 33- 1926
This is a good-humoured piece (tinted with malicious intentions), very interestingly realized,
contrary to the poetic essence that naturally emanates from the harp. The harpist really plays with
the hands and feet since some of the notes are actually executed by the pedals.
Diverse special sonorities at the harp clearly give the impression of those jazz orchestras where
certain solo instruments, are heard one by one, then play all together in an exuberant and gay
atmosphere.
***
The work was written in 1925 for harp solo. The author transcribed it for 3 cellos and 3 harps,
thus underlining and amplifying those interesting sonorities that emanate from jazz.
Keep note of some small glissandos that are not easy, used for the first time at the harp in this
piece.
***
SCHERZO-ROMANTIQUE (ROMANTIC SCHERZO) Op. 38-1932
Intriguing panorama of strange sonorities, within which an unstoppable rhythm imposes itself
from the beginning to the end. Two themes will interlock themselves, search for each other or
fight in this solidly constructed scherzo - not in a classical style - in a lovely expanded
romanticized framework that sits very well at the harp, transforming it into a diabolical
instrument.
Interesting evocation of supernatural beings evolve in a perpetually agitated atmosphere,

illuminated by troubling lights.
***
SUITE Op. 34 for Flute, Violin, Cello, Alto and Harp
I- SOIR (Night)
On a mysterious and faraway sonority of muted strings, the flute exposes the theme of this piece.
It will be repeated by the other instruments in a poetic way, and then it will be overshadowed by
brighter sonorities, to reappear first in the violin, then in the violin with the flute.
It is a calm and mysterious morning…

187
II- DANSE (Dance)
Twice the flute exposes the theme of the dance, accompanied by harp. Suddenly, the viola
transforms the motif, surrounded by chatter of the harp and flute. The violin takes it away, and
then all the instruments mix together in a crescendo that ends abruptly.
The flute gives rhythm to the dance once again, always accompanied by the harp; for his turn,
the violin is heard. Afterwards the beginning of the theme is passed down from the flute to the
cello, to end the dance on a chord of harmonic notes.
It is a naive dance.
III- LIED (Song)
The cello sings a melancholic song… faraway bells ring… a sustained upwards arpeggiated line
makes us hear the vibrant and feverous melody… then a harp murmur envelops the declared
melody, this time by the viola… the violin sings again… and the flute seems to mourn the poetic
death of this soft and melancholic melody.
IV- FETE (Party)
This piece, of an animated and full of life nature, is composed with the themes of the “SOIR”
and of the “DANSE.” Far away noises of celebration arrive joyously and rapidly explode in
force. Then surges the “SOIR” theme, intertwined and interrupted by the “DANSE” theme… a
moment of poetic calmness in the middle of the party that, little by little, regains its lively allure.
The two motives look for each other, from the bass to the highest pitch, in a soft and lazy
atmosphere… It’s the dance that announces itself clearly at the flute framed by harp chords…
The dance animates at a crazy pace and makes the “SOIR” theme, punctuated by the “DANCE”
rhythm, strongly vibrate… In the distance, the noises of the party take life and become louder
and full of movement.
It is a party of joy, of poetry…
***
ENCORE UNE BOITE A MUSIQUE! (STILL ANOTHER MUSIC BOX!) …
Op.43-1935
Still another, because there are already a lot of music boxes composed. This one is amusing with
its start up, similar to an old movement of a clock system cranked up and filling the air with a
few old songs… It seems like it will fail to keep going, seemingly imploring: Crank me up
quickly so that I can keep singing!... and the harmonious old song starts again.
***
PIECES NEGRES Op. 41- 1935
How can we not be astonished while listening to the “Pièces Nègres”?...

188
The author astonishes us twice:
1st- by his new and bizarre sonorities;
2nd- by his modulations, because he has established tonalities so that no pedals are used in these 3
pieces.
I- How can you not be seduced by the charm of this “Berceuse Nègre,” with its naive rhythms?
A breeze from far away fills the air… We hear soft cooing come from the carriage being rocked
so the baby can sleep.
II- How attractive is the slow Oriental rhythm of this “Jeune fille au voile” that dances strangely,
while the arabesques of her veil draws in the soft touch of the light breeze.
III- What amusing dance moves in this “Ronde des Négrillons” - so very evocative of the joy
expressed by those who turn while holding hands… A general dance that includes even the
smallest boy who struggles to follow the gestures of the grown-ups—general merriment of the
brothers and sisters who turn in circles until they are dizzy.
What an interesting picture seems to come out from the tale, “A Thousand and One Nights.”
***
LE ROUET ENCHANTE (THE ENCHANTED SPINNING-WHEEL) Op. 44 – 1937
This is an important poem for the harp dressed up in a thousand powerful and shimmering
colours.
Upon the murmur of the spinning wheel, a melodic theme comes to share its tender colour. From
pink, the tint becomes nuanced, iridescent, and becomes more expressive so to bring to life the
dream that was asleep… here we have the spinning wheel that is enchanted by its murmur; it
cries out, beautifully and sonorously its tender melody; it is feverish again, becomes exasperated
in a moment of craziness, during which time it turns wildly, chanting brutally its song.
Then its melancholic murmur returns in a tint of charming softness, the fever has gone… but
no… but no…. it is coming back, little by little, more intensely tinted by its aureate dream
marked by the eternal murmur of this enchanted spinning-wheel.
***
189
Dans les premières oeuvres de Marcel Tournier, ses quatre préludes sont d’une écriture
classique, normale. Il suit tout droit le chemin tracé, exprimant très clairement ce qu’il veut dire,
et il le dit d’une façon toute naturelle. A ces 4 préludes, succède une oeuvre importante: Thème
et variations. Cette oeuvre devrait s’appeler plus exactement Variations rythmiques sur un thème
mélodique. Certaines variations ont déjà une couleur, un aspect spécial, laissant entr’apercevoir
le sentier qui mènera au chemin nouveau que l’auteur va parcourir. En effet, instinctivement et
subitement même, Marcel Tournier s’évade de l’écriture classique de la harpe et sa “Féérie” nous
apparait comme une oeuvre revêtue de couleurs scintillantes. Nous avons l’impression que
l’auteur a trouvé son véritable chemin féérique; il nous montre la harpe avec des timbres rares et
curieux qui surprennent agréablement l’oreille. Il fait vibrer son instrument par de chaudes et
riches sonorités que l’on dirait orchestrées, et qu’il renouvelle sans cesse.
Désormais il se dégagera de ses oeuvres des impressions étranges, lumineuses ou estompées

mais toujours empreintes de cette magie poétique qui est l’âme même de la harpe.
FEERIE (Prélude et danse)
Pour harpe et quatuor à cordes
Cette oeuvre (dont la première audition a été donnée en 1912 au Concours du Conservatoire) a
été composée en 1911 pour la harpe seule.
C’est vers 1924 que l’auteur a éprouvé le besoin de lui donner toute sa vigueur, toute sa
signification féérique en y adjoignant un quatuor à cordes.
***
Sur une tenue des cordes, la harpe improvise de curieuses arabesques. C’est, durant tout le
prélude, un jeu de sonorités, rebondissant de plus en plus brillamment de la harpe au quatuor.
Un rythme mystérieux annonce le début de la danse. Danse lointaine, doucement rythmée,

soutenue par le quatuor. Ce Ier thème de danse semble s’évanouir comme emporté par le
murmure aérien des violons.
Un thème mélodique simple et rêveur exposé par la harpe est repris par le quatuor, puis
légèrement développé dans une ambiance poétique où la mélancolique alto soupire, tandis que
les harmoniques des violons font briller de lointaines étoiles.
La danse reprend douce et calme, puis se colore et entraîne vigoureusement avec elle le thème
mélodique et rêveur exprimé cette fois en force par tous les instruments. Enfin, dans une
atmosphère troublée la danse devient de plus en plus fièvreuse et s’achève, comme exaspérée,
danse un long crescendo.
***
AU MATIN (1913)
Cette “Etude de Concert” est d’une fraicheur savoureuse avec ses murmures de source, ses
ramages d’oiseaux, son ciel lumineux, tout y respire la joie saine d’un beau matin.
190
***
VERS LA SOURCE DANS LE BOIS... (1922)
Dans cette oeuvre, nous sommes en pleine rêverie, en pleine féérie poétique. Seule la harpe peut
idéaliser aussi intensément (au moyen de ses notes répétées) le murmure de cette source qui nous
attire irrésistiblement.
***
SONATINE (1924) Op.30
Allégrement...
Poétiquement...
Fièvreusement...
sont en effet les 3 aspects de cette sonatine, solidement construite et parée des plus riches attraits
sonores de la harpe.
L’allégresse du premier mouvement se communique dès le début tel l’air frais d’un matin de
printemps ensoleillé.
Une troublante atmosphère de poésie se dégage du 2ème mouvement avec ses grasses et chaudes
sonorités puisées dans le beau médium velouté de l’instrument. C’est une émotionnante
réalisation de l’idéal poétique de la harpe.
Le final nous jette subitement dans un ruissellement d’arpèges où la harpe règne en maître. Tout
est lumière et joie.
Le thème initial du Ier mouvement vient mêler son allégresse à l’ambiance générale. Il se
transformera, se développera, autour des thèmes du final et terminera victorieusement l’oeuvre
dans un sentiment de joie débordante de vie.
***
L’auteur ne s’est servi d’aucun glissando (I). L’écriture semble simple, mais donne à l’audition,
une impression de nouveauté Les timbres sont amalgamés de si heureuse façon, que l’oreille ne
peut qu’être étonnée ou séduite en les écoutant.
C’est la première fois qu’une oeuvre de cette importance est réalisée pour la harpe seule.
L’auteur l’a transcrite pour harpe, violon et violoncelle lui donnant un relief saisissant de vitalité,
de luminosité et aussi de poésie intense dans le second mouvement calme et expressif.
(I) Seul un cours glissando sort d’un accord arpégé (3ème mesure avant la fin) que l’auteur a
récemment dénommé arpège mixte, c’est-à-dire commençant doigté et se terminant glissé.
***
191
Nous voice au moment de présenter les douze IMAGES, publiées en quatre suites.
Bien que n’ayant aucun lien musical entre elles, l’auteur a éprouvé le besoin de les faire paraître
par séries de trois.
Leurs couleurs différentes deviennent d’autant plus saisissantes que leurs encadrements, si divers
et si inattendus, les assemblent en les complétant mieux encore, à la manière de tableaux ornant
un panneau accrochés au mur qui, bien que disparates, forment un curieux ensemble décoratif.
IMAGES (Ière suite) Op.29 – 1925
I – Clair de Lune sur l’Etang du Parc
Poétique évocation de ce soir d’été pendant lequel les feuilles s’argent féériquement, les gouttes
d’eau troublent la quiétude de ce décor rêvé à l’ombre de quelque vieux château, tandis que la
lune, lentement, poursuit sa course, idéalisant tout...puis éteignant en s’éloignant, ce qu’elle
venait de faire vibrer par la magie de sa blancheur.
II – Au seuil du Temple
Au moment d’ouvrir la porte de l’église, on reste troublé en entendant la voix hésitante des
fidèles, qui dégà psalmodient les chants de l’office, tandis que la douce voix de la cloche len
tement rappelle au village que c’est l’heure de prier.
III – Lolita, la danseuse
Eventail, mantille, fleur aux lèvres, Lolita s’anime peu à peu...Ses yeux étincellant...Son
déhanchement devient plus nerveux, ses gestes ponctuent le rythme...Elle semble heureuse de
vivre...de danser...heureuse de tout.
***
IMAGES (2ème suite) Op.21 – 1925
IV – Les Enfants à la Crèche de Noël
Dans leur naïveté charmante les enfants chantent...Leurs voix deviennent subitement timides en
entendant les cloches, qui tintent d’abord lentement puis sonnent à toutes volées. Le silence
revient laissant les enfants émus, contemplant la crèche de l’Enfant Jésus tandis que les derniers
battements de cloches semblent monter vers le Ciel.
V – L’Etrange Cavalier
D’un saut brutal, il se plante en selle maîtrisant sa monture impatiente. Il part d’un trot léger...A
travers la ville il galope maintenant, grisé d’air, bondissant sur les obstacles rencontrés en
chemin...à gauche ? ....à droite ? ...qu’importe, il veut reprendre sa course échevelée, mais la bête
semble lassés par l’effort. Il s’éloigne de la ville cet étrange cavalier qui n’est pas d’ici, que
personne ne connaît.
192
VI – La Marchande de Frivolités
La boutique est si bien achalandée ! ... Charmants bavardage au milieu de ces mille tissus,
rubans, dentelles,..., etc...
I Vous désirez ? Madame... Voyez ce satin... Quels beaux reflets... regardez...
admirez...
I Quel prix? ... Oh! Comme il est cher, quel dommage...
Et les charmants bavardages reprennent et les étoffes défilent sous les yeux. Enfin l’affaire est
conclue. Le carillon tinte quand s’ouvre la porte...
I Au revoir... Mademoiselle.
I Merci, au revoir Madame...
***
Nous voici arrivés à la 3ème suite d’Images. Elle est évocatrice de ces nouvelles sonorités dont
l’auteur a le secret. Aucun thème n’est puisé dans le folklore de ce beau pays Nord-Africain
qu’est la Tunisie.
Seuls les noms de route ou de villages sont réels. Le reste est imagination... Imagination le chant
des âniers... Imagination des rythmes de danses. Du soleil, de l’air parfumé, des danses, des cris
même ainsi qu’un peu de cette mélancolie qui toujours se dégage de l’Orient.
Afin de rendre plus vivantes ces 3 images, l’auteur a adjoint à la harpe un quatuor à cordes,
soulignant plus violemment ses intentions, estimant que “l’expression” des cordes du violon ou
du violoncelle est l’heureux complément de la sonorité de la harpe faite d’une pureté idéale.
VII – Les ânesses grises sur la route d’El-Azib
D’un pas menu et léger les ânesses grises partent, foulant à peine le sol, tandis que les âniers
chantent de leur vois nasillarde... elles deviennent paresseuses soufflant un peu pendant la rude
montée du chemin... Et les voici trotinnant, leurs petits sabots ferrés accompagnant le chant
nasillard qui reprend, puis toute cette petite caravane disparait dans un léger ruban de poussière
teintée de soleil, rose et or.
VIII – Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham
Comme elle est jolie cette fille qui semble improviser d’étranges pas rythmiques... lascifs... près
de cette vieille fontaine dont l’éternel murmure ajoute un parfum troublant à l’air pur du jour.
IX – Soir de fête à Sedjenane
Le soir est venu. Hommes, femmes, enfants, tous dansent et rythment par de bizarres petits cris
et en frappant des mains, cette ronde qui, d’abord un peu rude, devient tendre, pour peu à peu
s’enfiévrer dans la griserie de la danse.
193
X – La volière magique
Tournez le déclir... Voice que les oiseaux s’appellent. C’est leur langage habituel... Oh! Comme
ils sont nombreux, on dirait qu’ils se disputent et subitement les voici qui s’envolent, tandis que
le gros coucou semble leur imposer silence... Comme il est charmant votre duo d’amour
entrecoupé de battements d’ailes, chers petits oiseaux... Quel dommage, voici vos bruyants frères
qui reviennent et recommencent leur babillage... Quel excellent et terrible gardien ce gros coucou
qui rappelle tout le monde à l’ordre. Ils s’en vont tous dormir dans leurs nids féériques,
disséminés dans tous les coins de leur volière magique, qui ne les fait vivre qu’en tournant le
déclic.
XI- Cloches sous la neige
Le village est tout blanc... Quelques pas sont marqués au milieu du chemin. Une cloche lointaine
apporte sa vibration mélancolique... puis une autre, et encore une autre. Comme elle sonne fort la
grosse cloche!... le chemin est tout blanc... Les toits idéalisés... et les cloches sonnent assourdies
comme émues des caresses de la neige....
XII – La danse du Moujik
Un paysan botté, rythme sa danse à la manière de ces slaves qui s’animent dans une sorte de
griserie énervante... Il danse... Il bondit... Il tourne jusqu’à épuisement de ses muscles d’acier.
***
SIX NOELS – Op.32 – 1926
Ces Noëls sont naïfs comme le regard des engants. Ils chantent en toute simplicité la fête de
Noël.
Certains – le 4ème et 5ème – évoquent le reflet de la joie des engants au soir de Noël, tandis que
le 6ěme, d’un timbre si particulier se colore curieusement des rayons lumineux qui filtrent à
travers le vitrail de l’église.
***
BERCEUSE RUSSE Op.40 – 1932
Tendrement poétique, dans une ambiance teintée de mélancolie un vieil air de pays voltige dans
l’air, entrecoupé par le son assourdi des cloches lointaines... dans cette atmosphère de calme, de
neige, l’enfant s’endort peu à peu, sous le regard attendri de la mère heureuse.
***
194
JAZZ-BAND Op.33 – 1926
C’est une oeuvre de bonne humeur (teintée de malicieuses intentions), très curieusement réalisée,
à l’opposée de l’essence poétique qui naturellement se dégage de la harpe. Le harpiste joue
vraiment des mains et des pieds car certaines notes sont exécutées par les pédales.
Diverses sonorités spéciales à la harpe donnent nettement l’impression de ces orchestres de jazz
où certains instruments solistes, se font entendre à tour de rôle, puis se mélangent dans une
atmosphère de gaieté exubérante.
***
Cette oeuvre a été écrite en 1925, pour Harpe solo. L’auteur l’a transcrite pour 3 violoncelles et 3
harpes, soulignant et amplifiant ainsi les curieuses sonorités qui se dégagent de ce jazz.
A noter certains petits glissando qui ne sont pas sans malice, employés pour la première fois à la
harpe.
***
SCHERZO-ROMANTIQUE Op.38 – 1932
Curieux panorama d’étranges sonorités, dans lequel un rythme impitoyabe s’impose du début à
la fin Deux thèmes vont s’entrecroiser, se chercher ou lutter dans ce scherzo solidement construit
– non à la manière des classiques – dans un beau cadre élargi de romantisme, qui sied si bien à la
harpe, la transformant en instrument diabolique.
Curieuse évocation de choses et d’êtres surnaturels évoluant dans une atmosphère

perpétuellement agitée, éclairée de lumières troublantes.
***
SUITE Op.34 pour flûte, violon, violoncelle, alto et harpe.
I – Soir
Sur une sonorité mystérieuse et lointaine des cordes en sourdine, la flûte expose le thème de cette
pièce. Il sera repris poétiquement par chaque instrument, puis deviendra estompé au milieu de
sonorités plus lumineuses, pour reparaître au violon d’abord, puis au violon rehaussé de la voix
alanguie de la flûte.
C’est le soir calme et mystérieux...
II – Danse
Par deux fois, la flûte expose le thème de la danse, accompagné par la harpe. Subitement, l’alto
transforme le motif, entouré de bruissements de harpe et de flûte. Le violon s’en empare, puis
tous les instruments se mêlent dans un crescendo arrêté brusquement.
195
La flûte rythme à nouveau la danse, toujours accompagnée par la harpe; à son tour, le violon se
fait entendre. Puis le début du thème, de la flûte redescend au violoncelle, pour terminer la danse
sur un accord de notes harmoniques.
C’est une danse naïve;
III – Lied
Le violoncelle chante une mélodie mélancolique des cloches lointaines sonnent... Une montée
des cordes très soutenue, fait entendre la mélodie vibrante et fièvreuse... puis un murmure de
harpe enveloppe la mélodie déclamée, cette fois, par l’alto... Le violon chante encore... et la flûte
semble faire mourir poétiquement cette mélodie douce et mélancolique.
IV – Fête
Cette pièce, d’allure animée et vivante, est composée avec les thèmes du “Soir” et de la “Danse.”
Lointains bruits de fête qui arrivent joyeux et qui, rapidement, éclatent en force. Puis surgit le
thème du “Soir,” enveloppant et coupé par le thème de la “Danse”... moment de calme poétique
au milieu de la fête qui, peu à peu, reprend son allure vivante. Les deux motifs se cherchent, du
grave à l’aigu, danse une atmosphère douce et alanguie... C’est le thème de la danse qui se
précise nettement à la flûte encadrée d’accords de harpe... La danse s’anime follement et fait
vibrer fortement le thème du “Soir” autour duquel voltige le rythme de la “Danse”... Au loin, les
bruits de fêtes renaissent et deviennent de plus en plus bruyants et mouvementés.
C’est une fête de joie, de poésie...
***
ENCORE UNE BOITE A MUSIQUE! ... Op.43 – 1935
Encore, parce qu’il y a déjà pas mal de boîtes à musique composées. Celle-ci est amusante avec
sa mise en marche, semblable à un vieux mouvement d’horlogerie vite remonté et amplissant
l’air de quelque vieille chanson... On dirait qu’elle va s’arrêter défaillante, semblant implorer: -
Remontez – moi vite que je chante encore!... et l’harmonieuse vieille chanson recommence.
***
PIECES NEGRES Op.41 – 1935
Comment ne pas être étonné en écoutant les pièces négres?.
L’auteur nous étonne doublement:
I° - par ses neuves et bizarres sonorités;
2° - par ses modulations, car il a établi ses tonalités de telle manière, qu’aucune pédale n’est à
employer dans ces 3 pièces
196
I – Comment ne pas être séduit par le charme de cette “Berceuse Nègre,” au rythme naïf. Une
brise lointaine embaume l’air. On dirait que de petits gémissements sortent du berceau de
l’enfant que l’on berce pour dormir.
II – Comme il est attirant le rythme rempli de langueur orientale de cette “jeune fille au voile”
qui danse étrangement tandis que les arabesques de son voile se dessinent dans l’air au gré du
vent si léger.
III – Quel amusant grouillement dans cette “Ronde des Négrillons” si évocatrice de la joie
éprouvée par ceux qui tournent en se tenant par la main... Jusqu’au plus petit des négrillons qui
s’essoufle à suivre l’allure des grands. Ronde générale. Allégresse générale des frères et soeurs
de couleur qui tournent... qui tournent jusqu’au vertige.
Quelles saisissantes colorations qui semblent sortir d’un conte des “Mille et une Nuits.”
***
LE ROUET ENCHANTE Op.44 – 1937
C’est un important poème pour la harpe revêtu de mille couleurs chatoyantes et puissantes.
Sur le murmure du rouet, un thème mélodique vient poser sa tendre couleur. De rose, la teinte se
nuance, s’irise, devient plus expressive faisant vivre le rêve qui sommeillait.... Voici le rouet qui
s’enchante de son murmure; il clame, belle et sonore sa tendre mélodie; il s’enfièvre encore,
devient comme exaspéré d’un moment de folie, pendant lequel il tourne, éperdument, scandant
brutalement sa chanson.
Puis son murmure mélancolique redevient danse une teinte de douceur charmante, la fièvre est
tombée... mais non... mais non... elle remonte peu à peu, plus intense grisée de son rêve auréolé
de l’éternel murmure de ce Rouet enchanté.
197
Appendix B: Informed Consent Form for the Research of Angela

Schwarzkopf
You are invited to participate in my study of the life of Marcel Tournier, and oral traditions and
authentic performance practices of his music. Oral tradition plays an important role in the study
of music, and authentic performance practice is a goal towards which musicians are constantly
striving. My research into the oral traditions of Tournier’s compositions will not only provide
insight into aspects of interpretation most related to the composer’s wishes, but will also
document the performance traditions of French harp music. The methodology of this research is
reliant on the interviews with first generation students and other individuals associated with
Tournier. If you are willing to participate, I will travel to your city to conduct several interview
sessions (each approx. 2 hours) over the course of 1-3 days.
Participation in this study is voluntary. You have the right to refuse participation, to decline to
answer any questions, and to withdraw at any time, up to and including the last interview. From
that point on any withdrawal of information will not be possible, as it will compromise my
research and writing. Each session will be audio and video recorded, and you have the right to
refuse either device. Further information about your rights can be found at the Office of Research
Ethics (ethics.review@utoronto.ca, 416-946-3273).
There are no foreseen direct risks involved with this project. Benefits for participation in this
study is helping make the wishes (above and beyond the printed scores) of Marcel Tournier
available to society. By the shared knowledge gained through your personal experiences, we are
making this information accessible to generations of harpists to come.
Confidentiality will not be a part of this study, as the authority of the oral traditions lies in the
affiliation to your name. During the research only I and my committee will have access to the
information. The complete dissertation will be offered to you before submission. Once complete,
the dissertation will be published so that the information is accessible to all harpists. After the
research is complete I will retain the information gathered for further reference, but it will not be
used again without further consent from you during your lifetime. This information has the
potential of archival value, and as such will be kept indefinitely unless you direct otherwise.
If you agree to the above terms and information, please sign the form below.
_____________________ ________________________
Signature of Interviewee Date

198
Vous êtes invités à participer à mon étude au sujet de la vie de la vie de Marcel Tournier ainsi
que les traditions orales et les pratiques de l’interprétation authentique de sa musique. La
tradition orale joue un rôle important dans l'étude de la musique et la pratique de l'interprétation
authentique est un objectif auquel les musiciens s'efforcent d’atteindre constamment. Mes
recherches sur les traditions orales des compositions de Tournier fourniront non seulement un
aperçu des aspects d'interprétation liés à la volonté des compositeurs, mais serviront également à
documenter les traditions de performance de la musique française de la harpe. La méthodologie
de cette recherche consiste en une série d’entrevues auprès d’étudiants de première génération
ainsi que d’autres individus présents dans la vie de Tournier. Si vous désirez participer à cette
étude, je me rendrai dans votre ville afin d’effectuer des séances d'entrevue (chacune d’environ 2
heures) au cours de 1 à 3 jours.
La participation à cette étude est volontaire. Vous avez le droit de décliner votre participation, de
refuser de répondre aux questions et de vous retirer à tout moment, jusqu'à et y compris la
dernière entrevue. Dès lors, tout retrait de renseignements ne sera pas possible, car cela
compromettra mes travaux de recherche et d’écriture. Chaque session sera enregistrée par audio
et vidéo, et vous avez le droit de refuser l’une ou l'autre de ces méthodes. Pour en savoir
davantage sur vos droits, vous pouvez contacter la « Office of Research Ethics »
(ethics.review@utoronto.ca, 416-946-3273).
Il n'y a pas de risques directs prévus d’impliqués dans ce projet. Les avantages liés à votre
participation sont, entre-autres, d’aider à promouvoir, au-delà des partitions imprimées, la
volonté de Marcel Tournier; c’est-à-dire que ses œuvres soient interprétés à la hauteur de ses
espérances. Par le partage de vos connaissances, acquises dans le cadre de vos expériences
personnelles, ces informations seront accessibles aux harpistes des générations à venir.
La confidentialité ne sera pas en cause dans cette étude puisque l'autorité des traditions orales
réside dans l'affiliation à votre nom. Moi-même et mon comité seront les seuls à avoir accès à
l’information au cours de la recherche. La thèse vous sera transmise avant qu’elle ne soit
soumise. Lorsque celle-ci sera publiée, elle sera accessible à tous les harpistes. Également,
lorsque la recherche sera terminée, tous les renseignements recueillis seront conservés comme
source de référence mais ne seront pas utilisés à nouveau sans votre consentement et ceci tout au
cours de votre vie. Les renseignements seront aussi archivés et conservés indéfiniment à moins
d’avis contraire de votre part.
Si vous acceptez les modalités de ce formulaire de consentement, veuillez apposer votre

signature ci-dessous.
______________________________ ________________________
Signature de la personne interviewée Date

199
Appendix C: Informal Interview Questions

1) What music by your teacher(s) did you study with them?
Quelle(s) pièce(s), composées par votre professeur, avez vous étudiées avec lui?
2) What are the strongest musical style points you have retained from your lessons?
Quelles sont les directives musicales les plus importantes que vous avez retenues lors de
vos leçons?
3) How would you explain the technique of your teacher?
Pouvez-vous nous expliquer la technique de votre professeur?
4) How would you describe his or her composing style?
Comment pouvez-vous décrire son style de composition?
5) What kind of key things did your teacher(s) implement in the teaching of their
compositions?
Par rapport à l’enseignement de ses compositions, quels sont les éléments clés soulignés
par votre professeur?
6) Are there any oral traditions affiliated with any particular repertoire that jumps to mind?
Selon vous, est-ce qu’il y a des traditions orales spécifiques pour certaines de ses œuvres?
Si oui, lesquelles?
7) Have you ever heard a performance of your former teacher’s compositions played the
way it is in print, but is different from your teacher’s intentions?
Est-ce que vous avez déjà entendu une composition de votre professeur interprétée telle
qu’écrite mais qui diffère de l’intention de celui-ci?
8) Do you remember any additional musical information from your lessons with your
former teacher that is particularly significant in relation to the repertoire under
discussion?
Est-ce que vous vous souvenez de d’autres informations musicales reliées au répertoire
dont nous discutons qui sont significatives et qui ont été soulignées par votre professeur?
200
Appendix D: Interview Questions for Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche

1) When did you study with Tournier? During what period in your musical development and
for how long? What music did you study with him? At what point was this in his career?
Quand avez vous étudié avec Tournier? Durant quelle période de votre développement
musical, et quelle en fut la durée? Quelles œuvres avez-vous étudiées avec lui? Ou était-il
rendu dans sa carrière?
2) What kind/make or harp did Tournier have? Has the size and string tension of harps
changed at all over the century to your knowledge?
Quel genre de harpe possédait-il? Qui en était le fabricant? Selon vous, est-ce que la
grosseur et la tension de la corde ont changé au cours du siècle?
3) Who was Tournier’s primary editor? Are misprints common in his music? Were there
revisions, re-prints, or new editions?
Qui était sont éditeur principal? Est-ce que des erreurs se glissaient couramment? Est-ce
qu’il y avait des révisions, réimpressions, ou nouvelles éditions?
4) His book was published after his death. When was it exactly written (1944-45)? Its
copyright is from 1959. I have noticed that he uses musical examples from Grandjany
and Renié, but not Salzedo, do you know the reason for this?
Son livre a été publié après sa mort. Quand a-t-il été écrit exactement (1944-45)? Son
droit d’auteur est daté de 1959. J’ai remarqué qu’il utilise des exemples de Grandjany et
Renié, mais non de Salzedo, est-ce que vous en connaissez la raison?
5) Tournier uses a lot of left hand melodies; do you know if he was left-handed?
Tournier utilise beaucoup de mélodies jouées de la main gauche. Savez-vous s’il était
gaucher?
6) Do you know any information about the time he spent in the war?
Tournier a participé aux efforts de guerre; avez-vous des renseignements à ce sujet?
7) What were Tournier’s main compositional characteristics? What common styles,
rhythms, or intervals did he use?
Quels étaient les caractéristiques principales de ses compositions? Quels sont les styles,
rythmes, ou intervalles qu’il utilisait le plus fréquemment?
8) I have noticed a trend that he seems to dedicate every work to a different person. What
was the personal choice behind these dedications?
J’ai remarqué qu’à chacune de ses œuvres, la dédicace n’est jamais adressée à la même
personne. Comment en arrivait-il à faire un choix?
9) What are the trends in the performances of his different works? What was popular when
you were studying with him? What do you teach most now?
Quelles sont les tendances dans l’interprétation de ses différentes œuvres? Quelles étaient
les pièces en vogue lorsque vous avez étudié avec lui? Quelles sont les œuvres dont vous-
même enseignez le plus maintenant?
10) In the dissertation Romantic and Impressionist Style in the Harp Repertoire of Marcel
Tournier, Jo Lynn Dentith discusses the idea that the increase in performance directions
seen during that time, and in Tournier’s music, actually allowed for more performance
freedom, since the performer had the choice to what degree they performed the marking.
What is your opinion of this idea, and how many liberties did Tournier expect the
performer to take in relation to his markings?
Jo Lynn Dentith ouvre le débat suivant; à l’époque de Tournier et au niveau de sa
musique, les directives d’interprétation donnaient plus de liberté à l’interprète car celui-ci
201
pouvait choisir le degré ou l’intensité des indications musicales. Quelle est votre opinion
à ce sujet? Croyez-vous que Tournier aurait permis bien des libertés en lien avec ses
indications?
11) Some composers never put the metronome marking in their music, but publishers and
editor did. What was the case for Tournier’s music?
Quelques compositeurs n’inscrivent jamais la mesure du métronome désirée dans leurs
œuvres, par contre, les éditeurs et les maisons d’édition l’insèrent. Qu’en était-il pour
Tournier?
12) How did Tournier change his style of teaching from student to student?
De quelle façon Tournier a-t-il change son approche pédagogique d’un élève à l’autre?
13) There are few pedal markings in Tournier’s music. What was his reasoning for this? Also
in some music I have noticed notes on executions (indicating pedals and notes played);
were these put in by him?
On retrouve peu d’indications de pédale dans la musique de Tournier. En connaissez-
vous la raison? J’ai aussi noté qu’on retrouve des notes sur l’exécution, qui indiquent des
pédales et notes à jouer. Est-ce lui-même qui les a écrites?
14) In Tournier’s music, it seems certain chords are not always marked as rolled chords but
are generally played as such; did he want to leave that up to the performer? Were solid
chord markings not used during his time?
Dans la musique de Tournier, certains accords roulés, qui ne sont pas marqués ainsi, sont
pourtant joués comme s’ils l’étaient; a-t-il voulu donner le choix à l’interprète? L’écriture
des accords solides n’était-elle pas utilisée durant sont époque?
15) Repeated murmuring patterns were used a lot in his music, what was the musical choice
for this? Was he exploring the enharmonic evolution of the harp?
Il utilise fréquemment des formules rythmiques en effet de murmure dans sa musique,
quel est le choix musical pour ceci? Est-ce que c’est parce qu’il explorait l’évolution
enharmonique de la harpe?
16) The notation of enharmonic notes that we use today was indicated to be pioneered by
Tournier according to Kimberly Ann Houser in her dissertation; is this correct?
Kimberly Ann Houser, dans sa thèse, nous suggère que l’écriture de notes enharmoniques
que nous utilisons de nos jours aurait été innovée par Tournier; Est-ce vrai?
17) Sometimes the music notates what pedals are needed for enharmonic notes, other times
there is an execution note, and other times there is nothing at all. Do you think this is a
result of his compositional development?
On remarque, qu’à certains moments, Tournier indique quelles pédales utilisées pour les
notes enharmoniques tandis qu’à d’autres moments il écrit une note d’exécution ou
encore il n’écrit rien du tout. Est-ce que vous croyez que ceci résulte de son
développement de compositeur?
18) I have noticed in some of his music he uses an X to mark the end of a glissando, and
other times an ending note is indicated. Is this an editor addition, or is it his indication?
Je note que dans quelques unes de ses pièces, il utilise un X afin d’indiquer la fin d’un
glissando tandis que parfois, une note finale est utilisée. Est-ce un ajout de l’éditeur ou
ses propres indications?
19) From my understanding Tournier created the glissando-piccolo and glissando chord harp
effects. Would you happen to know when he devised these, and also if he developed any
other effects?
202
D’après ma connaissance, Tournier a créé les effets de glissando-piccolo et le glissando

en accords pour le répertoire de harpe. Est-ce que vous savez quand il les aurait créés? A-
t-il développé d’autres effets?
20) What were his thoughts on Salzedo’s harmonic notational choice?
Que pensait-il du choix de notation harmonique de Salzedo?
21) He often uses cres. following the crescendo symbol. What was the purpose for this
notational choice?
Il utilise souvent le mot cres. suivant la notation graphique d’un crescendo. Quel est
l’utilité de ce choix de notation?
22) What was the reasoning for writing a duo version of the Préludes? Which came first? I
have noticed that they both have the same opus number.
Pourquoi a-t-il écrit une version duo pour Préludes? La version solo et la version duo ont
toutes deux le même numéro d’opus, donc, laquelle des versions parue en premier?
23) What were his opinions on rolled and solid chords? For example the chord at the end of
the first glissando in Au Matin.
Quelles étaient ses opinions au sujet des accords roulés et solides (ou plaqués)? Par
exemple l’accord à la fin du premier glissando dans la pièce Au Matin.
24) How did he feel about the use of muffles, pauses, and phrasing, for example in a work
such as Au Matin, where these things are not always marked in the music, but are
commonly played that way?
Quel était son sentiment par rapport à l’utilisation des étouffements, pauses et phrasées
par exemple dans une œuvre telle que Au Matin, où ces éléments ne sont pas toujours
indiqués dans la partition, mais ils sont plus communément interprétés ainsi.
25) Were the Images written consecutively as a whole? I know there are other opus numbers
in-between the different suites, but within the suites they are consecutively numbered.
Was it his intention for the four suites to be numbered that way?
Est-ce que l’œuvre Image fut été écrite afin de former un tout? Je sais que les Image sont
intercalées d’autres numéros d’opus, mais il numérote chaque Image de façon
consécutive. Était-ce son intention?
26) Image 3 and 4 are printed together in the same book, but the layout of the 3 and 4 Image
look different. Were they originally published separately?
Image 3 et 4 sont imprimés ensemble dans le même livre, cependant le format diffère. À
l’origine, ont-ils été publiés séparément?
27) Is there a string quartet accompaniment for all the Images, or just no.3, and how would
you get your hands on these arrangements?
Est-ce qu’il y a un accompagnement de quatuor à cordes pour tous les Images, ou
seulement pour numéro 3? Comment peut-on se procurer ces arrangements?
28) In Image no.1 how did Tournier intend the counting for the opening of mov.1.
Dans Image numéro 1, de quelle façon Tournier avait-il l’intention de compter
l’ouverture du 1er mouvement?
29) In mov.3 on this Image, the glissando like parts do not have the notation of the word gliss
and could technically be plucked; how did Tournier intend that to be executed? In
contrast, in Image 4 the glissandi are marked with the word notation.
Dans le 3ième mouvement de cette Image, la section qui ressemble à un glissando n’a pas
la notation musicale du mot gliss et pourrait être jouée sans glissando. Quelle aurait été
l’interprétation de Tournier pour cette section? Contrairement à Image 4 où on y retrouve
le mot notation pour les glissandi.
203
30) In mov.3 of Image no.4, how did he want the staccatos to be executed? Also, how would
you interpret the staccato notes marked in Berceuse Russe?
Dans le 3ieme mouvement d’Image numéro 4 comment a-t-il voulu l’interprétation des
staccatos? Quelle est votre interprétation des notes staccatos dans Berceuse Russe?
31) In Vers la source dans le bois the cédez markings are up to the interpretation of the
individual performer. There is an idea from one of the writings on Tournier, that the
performance markings actually gave more freedom to the performer, because they
allowed for the choice of how much you chose to interpret each marking. How would
Tournier feel about that, for example in this piece? In one recording I listened to, the
harpists went so far as to pause before an A tempo section (page 3 and 4 and before the
glissando on page 5).
Dans Vers la source dans le bois, on laisse la liberté à l’interprète d’exécuter le cédez.
Dans un écrit sur Tournier, on avance que les notations musicales donnaient plus de
liberté à l’interprète, il choisissait l’intensité de chaque note. Qu’est-ce que Tournier en
penserait, par exemple pour cette pièce? Dans un enregistrement, la harpiste a pris la
liberté de prendre une pause avant une section à tempo (p.3 et 4, et avant le glissando de
p.5).
32) In the same work I have noticed that some recordings vary by a time length of almost a
minute. Anywhere from 3:30 to 4:15. Did Tournier have a tempo marking in mind?
Dans la même œuvre, j’ai noté que le temps de certains enregistrements varient parfois de
presque une minute : entre 3:30 et 4:15. Est-ce que Tournier avait une mesure
métronomique en tête?
33) Should the opening be counted exactly as there is no fermata marking, even though
harpists tend to play it that way?
Est-ce que l’ouverture devrait être jouée comme s’il n’avait pas de point d’orgue? (même
si plusieurs harpistes l’interprètent de cette façon?)
34) The division of the right hand repetition is sometimes marked in the left hand and
sometimes just the right hand such as in bar 4-5. Was this an editing mistake, or was the
change in marking a directive from Tournier?
Le doigté de la formule rythmique répétitive de la main droite est des fois écrite à la main
gauche et tantôt elle apparaît uniquement à la main droite comme à la mesure 4-5. Est-ce
une erreur de l’éditeur, ou était-ce une directive de Tournier?
35) Is Jazz Band his only work that makes use of the pedal slide?
Est-ce que Jazz Band est sa seule œuvre où il utilise le glissement de pédale?
36) In Jazz Band he clearly is exploring his interest in Jazz music. How straight should his
rhythms be played, or should they have more swing? I can see his Jazz influence in other
works, such as the first movement of his Sonatine; how would one play those rhythms?
Dans Jazz Band c’est clair qu’il démontre ses intérêts dans le monde de musique Jazz.
Quelle est la rythmique de cette pièce? Est-ce que cette œuvre devrait avoir plus de
swing? Je note son influence jazz dans certaines de ses œuvres, telle que le premier
mouvement de sa Sonatine; comment devrait-on jouer ces rythmes?
37) La Pastel du vieux Japon is not a work I am familiar with being played much in North
America. I also don’t remember seeing it published anywhere.
Je ne suis pas familière avec La Pastel du vieux Japon, une œuvre qui n’est pas jouée
souvent en Amérique du nord. Je ne me souviens pas de l’avoir vu publier nul part.
38) What scale, and rhythms inspired his works? What was his influence? Did he travel to
Japan?
204
Quels ont été le mode et les rythmes qui lui ont inspiré l’écriture de cette oeuvre? Quel
était sa source d’inspiration? A-t-il voyagé au Japon?
39) His Deux Préludes Romantique was originally written for violin and harp, but I have a
recording of it for flute. I am interested in performing it this way. Did Tournier have any
strong feelings on the instrumentation? Did he have a violinist friend in mind that he was
writing this for?
Ses Deux Préludes Romantiques ont originalement été écrites pour violon et harpe, mais
je possède un enregistrement pour flute et harpe. Je suis très intéressée de l’interpréter de
cette façon. Est-ce que Tournier accordait beaucoup d’importance quant à
l’instrumentation? Est-ce qu’il a écrit cette œuvre spécifiquement pour un ami violoniste?
40) Féerie is a work I personally struggle to understand. I find the sectional layout and
themes of the work difficult for me to musically understand. However I do see the
imagery of fairies.
Féerie est une œuvre qui me cause des défis. Musicalement je trouve le format de
l’écriture et les différents thèmes de l’œuvre difficile à comprendre. Par contre, je vois le
monde imaginaire des fées.
41) In terms of the triplet rhythms, how strict should they be? On page 11, the difference
between the rolled chords and written out triplet figure in some interpretations blurs the
rhythm. Should the chords be played solid? On page 12 with the grace notes and chord,
should they be rolled or solid?
En ce qui à trait aux rythmes de triolets, quelle devrait être la précision? À la page 11
c’est difficile de comprendre le rythme entre les accords roulés et les rythmes de triolets
dans certaines interprétations. Est-ce que les accords doivent être solides (plaqués)? À la
page 12 avec les fioritures suivies d’accords, est-ce que ceux-ci doivent être roulés ou
plaqués?
42) In the dance how precise did he want the rhythm to be? Would the use of rubato be
appropriate?
Pour ce qui est de la danse, est-ce que le rythme devait être très précis? Est-ce que
l’utilisation de rubato est appropriée?
43) In some works I have noticed that the soutenu notes get muffled. For examples in Féerie
page 2.
Dans quelques œuvres, j’observe que les notes soutenues sont étouffés. Par exemple dans
Féerie à la page 2.
44) In the Sonatine, I question the general use of rubato and timing. I feel that most harpists
have the impression that French music is all supposed to be played rubato. How much
rubato is appropriate in Tournier’s music?
Dans la Sonatine, je remets en question l’utilisation de rubato et de la rythmique. Je crois
que la plupart des harpistes ont l’impression que la musique Française devrait être
interprétée avec rubato. Combien de rubato est approprié pour la musique de Tournier?
45) I am trying to understand the literal translation between a Piu Forte and Piu Piano. For
example, would more forte be a bit more then a forte, or more forte? Sometimes I think it
is easy to treat Piu Forte as sF. For example in movement 1 bar 34.
Je m’efforce de connaître la définition de Piu Forte et Piu Piano. Par exemple, est-ce que
Piu Forte devrait être un petit peu plus fort que Forte, ou beaucoup plus fort que Forte?
Parfois je crois qu’il est plus facile d’interpréter Piu Forte comme sF. Par exemple,
mouvement 1 mesure 34.
46) In general I struggle to understand when you should and should not roll chords. For
example in the Sonatine, in the first movement opening rolled chords, only the first
205
marked. Also the chords bar 96 marked soutenu, and the chords at the end of first
movement that alternate markings for rolled chords and solid.
Généralement il m’est difficile de comprendre si on doit ou non jouer les accords de
façon roulés. Par exemple, seulement le premier accord roulé est indiqué dans le premier
mouvement de Sonatine. Également, les accords soutenus de la mesure 96 ainsi que
l’alternation des indications pour les accords roulés et solides à la fin du premier
mouvement.
47) In movement 2, the phrasing and breaks at bar 33: It is a new section but the phrase line
continues. Is this marking correct?
Dans le second mouvement, le phrasé et l’arrêt à la mesure 33 sont tout à fait une
nouvelle section mais la phrase musicale continue. Est-ce que ces indications sont
exactes?
48) Movement 2 crescendos in bars 26-27, is not marked that way but often performed that
way. How did Tournier intend it?
Dans le mouvement 2 il y a un crescendo à la mesure 26-27 qui n’est pas indiqué mais
qui est souvent interprété ainsi. Quelle était l’intention de Tournier?
49) In movement 3 how long should the “pause” be into bar 199?
Dans le 3ième mouvement, la pause de la mesure 199 devrait être de quelle durée?
50) Exact placing of the performance directives is questionable. For example the marking for
peu à peu in bar 53 of movement 3: should it start where the marking is, or at the
beginning of the bar?
Le placement précis des indicatifs musicaux est discutable. Par exemple l’indication peu
à peu dans la mesure 53 du mouvement 3, devrait-il commencer là où il est, ou au début
de la mesure?
51) Should there be a dynamic crescendo marked at page 22?
Devrait-il y avoir un crescendo écrit à la page 22?
52) On pages 16-17 of the Sonatine: I learned it using the enharmonic equivalents so that I
am playing in flats to be more resonant. Is this contradictory to what Tournier wanted?
À la page 16-17 de Sonatine, j’utilise les pédales bémols afin d’augmenter la résonance
de l’instrument. Est-ce que ceci serait à l’encontre de ce que Tournier aurait voulu?
206
Appendix E: Interview Questions for Huguette Geliot

for how long? What music did you study with him?
musical, et quelle en fut la durée? Quelles pièces avez-vous étudiées avec lui?
2) While learning a piece of his, would he ever paint a mental picture to help your
understanding of the atmosphere? Do you have visualizations that you associate with his
different pieces?
Lors de votre apprentissage, est-ce qu’il vous aidait à mieux comprendre une pièce en
décrivant une image? Si oui, vous souvenez-vous des images associées à ses pièces?
3) I understand that Tournier taught in the school of Hasslemans technique. Do you
remember any specific technical corrections that he would emphasize?
Selon notre connaissance, Tournier enseignait la technique de Hasselmans. Est-ce que
vous vous souvenez de corrections techniques spécifiques qu’il aurait considérées
importantes?
4) Can you explain the lesson and group lesson structure at the conservatory?
Pouvez vous nous expliquer la structure des leçons privées et de groupe au
Conservatoire?
5) Tournier uses a lot of left hand melodies; do you know if he was left-handed?
Il utilise beaucoup de mélodies de la main gauche; savez-vous s’il était gaucher?
6) Do you have any information about the time Tournier spent in the war?
7) Was Raphaël Martenot one of Tournier’s teachers?
Est-ce que Raphaël Martenot était un de ses professeurs?
8) What were Tournier’s opinions towards Salzedo, Grandjany, and Renié?
Qu’est-ce que Tournier pensait de Salzedo, Grandjany et Renié?
9) Who was in Tournier’s social circle? Did it include Debussy, Ravel, and/or Fauré?
Est-ce que Debussy, Ravel et Fauré faisaient partis de son cercle social? Est-ce qu’il y
avait d’autres noms de renommée?
10) Can you describe how Tournier was influenced by art and music of his time?
Pouvez vous décrire comment la musique et l’art de son époque l’ont influencé?
11) Do you know of any other literature by Tournier aside from his book?
Est-ce que vous connaissez d’autres écrits par Tournier, autre que son livre?
12) Do you know if Tournier invented any extended harp techniques? Such as the glissando-
piccolo, glissando chord, circling enharmonic notes, using unique key signatures, pedal
slides etc.
Est-ce que vous savez si Tournier aurait inventé des effets de harpes? Par exemple : le
glissando-piccolo, glissando en accords, l’utilisation de nouvelles armatures, glissements
de pédales, etc.
rhythms, or intervals, did he use?
rythmes, ou intervalles, qu’il utilisait?
14) The idea of progression in Tournier’s music was described to me by Elisabeth Fontan-
Binoche. She used it in many sections of Tournier’s music to talk about how the phrases
207
and dynamics should be shaped. She compared it to a rainbow, the end of one phrase
would be the beginning of another. What are your thoughts on this?
Élizabeth Fontan-Binoche explique qu’elle utilise le concept de progression dans la
musique de Tournier dans plusieurs sections de la musique surtout en ce qui a trait à
l’enchaînement de phrases musicales. Elle compare ce concept à un arc-en-ciel; la fin
d’une phrase est le début d’une autre. Qu’est-ce que vous en pensez?
15) Can you share your thoughts on interpretation of dynamics and phrasing in Tournier’s
music?
Quelles sont vos réflexions par rapport à l’interprétation des nuances et des phrasés dans
la musique de Tournier?
16) What was Tournier’s favorite composition? What did he teach the most? Were any of his
pieces used as teaching exercises, such as for technique, musicality, or left hand strength?
Quelle était la composition préférée de Tournier? Quelle fut la pièce dont il a le plus
souvent enseignée? Durant sont enseignement, est-ce qu’il y avait des pièces qui étaient
utilisées à des fins d’exemple de technique, musicalité, ou encore afin d’augmenter la
force de la main gauche?
17) How specific was Tournier with fingerings in his music? Can you remember any
instances in his music where he enforced it?
Est-ce que Tournier était spécifique dans les doigtés pour ses pièces? Est-ce que vous
vous souvenez de moments musicaux où il vous a dicté des doigtés?
18) There are few pedal indications in his music. What was his reasoning for this?
Il y a peu indication de pédales dans sa musique. Pourquoi, selon vous?
19) How did Tournier intend staccato markings to be interpreted in his music? Did he muffle
them? Play them close to the soundboard? Or did he create a staccato sound through the
approach and attack of the string?
De quelle façon voulait-il que les staccatos de ses pièces soient interprétés? Est-ce qu’il
attenuait les cordes? Près de la table? Ou est-ce une question d’attaque de la corde?
20) When did Tournier intend for you to muffle the harp? Would he have expected this
during his rest signs?
L’atténuement des cordes s’effectue à quel moment dans la musique de Tournier? Avait-
il l’intention d’atténuer les cordes durant les soupirs?
21) In Tournier’s music, it seems certain chords are not always marked as rolled chords but
are generally played as such; did Tournier want to leave that up to the performer? Were
solid chord markings not used during his time?
Certains accords roulés, qui ne sont pas marqués ainsi, sont pourtant joués comme s’ils
l’étaient; a-t-il voulu donner le choix à l’interprète? L’écriture des accords solides n’était-
elle pas utilisée Durant son époque?
22) I have noticed in some of his music he uses an X to mark the end of a glissando, and
other times an ending note is indicated. Can you explain what X indicated?
Je note que dans quelques unes de ses pièces, il utilise un X afin d’indiquer la fin d’un
glissando, tandis que parfois, une note finale est utilisée. Pouvez vous expliquer ce que le
X signifie?
208
Appendix F: Interview Questions for Gérard Devos

Good evening, I am calling on behalf of Angela Schwarzkopf, who is currently pursuing a
Doctorate in music from the University of Toronto, and who is researching the life of Marcel
Tournier. I am Angela’s translator and assistant, and I will facilitate our phone interview.
Do you agree to be recorded?
We would like to use this interview as part of creating a body of knowledge for our research. Do
you accept that we use what you have said during this interview for research purposes? Is there
any information that you do not wish that we use in this project?
***
Bonsoir, J’appelle de la part d’Angela Schwarzkopf qui entreprend son doctorat à L’Université
de Toronto, et qui fait des recherches sur la vie de Marcel Tournier. Je suis le traducteur et
assistant d’Angela, et je faciliterai notre entrevue téléphonique.
Est-ce que vous acceptez que l’on enregistre la conversation?
Nous aimerions utiliser cette entrevue afin d’approfondir le contenu de notre recherche. Est-ce
que vous acceptez qu’on utilise ce que vous nous avez dit durant cette entrevue afin
d’approfondir notre recherche? Est-ce qu’il y a des informations que vous ne voulez pas qui se
retrouvent dans notre projet?
for how long? What music did you study with him?
musical, et quelle en fût la durée? Quelles pièces avez-vous étudiées avec lui?
2) Can you explain the lesson and group lesson structure at the conservatory?
Pouvez-vous nous expliquer la structure des leçons privées et de groupe au
Conservatoire?
3) I understand that Tournier taught in the school of Hasslemans technique. Do you
remember any specific technical corrections that he would emphasize?
Selon notre connaissance, Tournier enseignait la technique de Hasselmans. Est-ce que
vous vous souvenez de corrections techniques spécifique qu’il aurait considérées
importantes?
4) Do you remember any additional musical information from your lessons with Tournier
that are particularly significant?
Est-ce que vous vous souvenez de d’autres informations musicales durant vos leçons avec
Tournier qui sont particulièrement significatives?
5) What are the strongest musical style points you have retained from your lessons?
Quelles sont les plus importantes directives musicales que vous avez retenues de vos
leçons?
6) What kind of key things did Tournier implement in the teaching of his compositions?
Quels éléments clés Tournier vous a-t-il enseignés par rapport à ses compositions?
209
7) Which one of Tournier’s pieces did you teach the most?

Quelles pièces de Tournier avez-vous le plus enseignées le plus souvent?
8) What was Tournier’s favorite composition? What did he teach the most? Were any of his
pieces used as teaching exercises, such as for technique, musicality, or left hand strength?
Quelle était la composition préférée de Tournier? Quelle pièce a-t-il le plus souvent
enseignée? Durant sont enseignement, est-ce qu’il y avait des pièces qui étaient utilisées à
des fins d’exemple de technique, musicalité, ou encore afin d’augmenter la force de la
main gauche?
9) From my understanding Tournier created the glissando-piccolo and glissando chord harp
effects. Would you happen to know when he devised these?
D’après ma connaissance, Tournier créa les effets de glissando-piccolo et le glissando en
accords pour le répertoire de harpe. À quel moment les a-t-il créés?
10) The notation of enharmonic notes is also credited to Tournier, do you know if this is
correct?
Quelques harpistes croient que l’écriture de notes enharmoniques que nous utilisons de
nos jours est l’œuvre de Tournier, est-ce vrai?
11) Can you think of anything else that he invented or pioneered?
Est-il l’auteur de d’autres techniques innovatrices?
12) How would you describe his composing style?
Comment pourriez-vous décrire son style de composition?
rhythms, or intervals, did he use?
rythmes, ou intervalles, qu’il utilisait?
14) Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche described to me the idea of progression in Tournier’s music.
She used it in many sections of Tournier’s music to talk about how the phrases and
dynamics should be shaped. She compared it to a rainbow, where the end of one phrase
would be the beginning of another. What are your thoughts on this?
Elisabeth Fontan-Binoche explique qu’elle utilise le concept de progression dans la
musique de Tournier dans plusieurs sections de la musique surtout en ce qui a trait à
l’enchaînement de phrases musicales. Elle compare ce concept à un arc-en-ciel; la fin
d’une phrase est le début d’une autre. Qu’est-ce que vous en pensez?
15) Do you know of any other literature by Tournier aside from his book?
Est-ce que Tournier a écrit plus d’un livre?
210
Appendix G: Interview Questions for Jean-Claude Tournier

1) Can you tell me about Tournier’s family background? Who are the current living family
members?
Parlez-moi de la famille de Marcel Tournier. Qui sont les membres de sa famille toujours
vivants?
2) Who would you consider Marcel Tournier’s friends?
Qui étaient les amis de Marcel Tournier?
3) Can you tell me about Marcel Tournier’s love for art? What types of art influenced him?
Est-ce que vous pouvez me parler de son amour pour l’art? Qu’est-ce qui l’a le plus
influencé?
4) Do you know where Marcel Tournier is buried?
Connaissez-vous le lieu de sépulture de Marcel Tournier?
5) Can you clarify the two opera houses in France and when Marcel Tournier worked in
them and in which harp position? 1st or 2nd harp?
En France, Marcel Tournier, s’est produit dans deux maisons d’opéra, pouvez-vous
apporter plus de précisions? Était-il premier ou deuxième harpiste?
6) Do you have any additional information about the time Marcel Tournier spent in the war?
211
Appendix H: Interview Questions for Michel Crichton

1) Can you tell me about the relationship between the composer and the publisher during the
early twentieth-century?
2) What music publishers did Leduc absorb?
3) Can you tell me about the publishing process of the early 20th century?
4) If a composer published his/her work and later realized there was a mistake, how would
that affect the editions?
5) What if a composer, a year or two after the original publishing, decided he did not in fact
like all the notes used in a particular passage and wanted to make a change, how would
that work?
6) I understand that when a manuscript is being prepared, there is a lot of back and forth
between the composer and the editor. Is there ever anything the editor might add to the
manuscript to make the music clearer, such as a pedal indication or a tempo marking?
7) I noticed in Tournier’s music that he always dedicates a piece to a different person. Is this
a common practice of the early twentieth-century publishing?
8) I am trying to compile a complete list of all the music Tournier published including his
piano music. Would I be able to view your records pertaining to Tournier?
9) Do you have any additional information you can share on Marcel Tournier's publications
with Leduc?

Schwarzkopf Angela M 201506 DMA Thesis

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Schwarzkopf Angela M 201506 DMA Thesis

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Life of Marcel Tournier and a Guide to the

Performance Practices of His Music

A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements

© Copyright by Angela Schwarzkopf 2015

Ex. 29. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from

Ex. 30. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from

Ex. 31. Marcel Tournier, En Scandinavie: Légende du bossu-boiteux from

Ex. 41. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane,

Ex. 77. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,

Ex. 79. Marcel Tournier, Image IX, Soir de fête à Sedjenane,

Ex. 81. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,

Ex. 82. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,

Ex. 84. Marcel Tournier, Image VIII, Danseuse à la fontaine d’Aïn-Draham,

Ex. 86. Marcel Tournier, Images No. X, La Volière magique,

Ex.88. Marcel Tournier, Berceuse du cavalier from Au hasard des ondes,

1.1 Project Summary

1.2 Purpose of the Study

1.4 Personal Background

2.1.1 The author, composer, and performer

2.2 The issues of authenticity as explored by Taruskin,

2.2.1 Historical Performance

‘historical’ performance today is not really historical; that a specious veneer of

2.2.2 Composer’s Intentions

Butt presents a complete chapter on the composer’s intentions in relation to historical

3.1 History of the Harp

3.1.1 Early Harps and Artistic Depictions

3.1.2 Harp in Europe in the Middle Ages

3.1.3 Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Harps

3.1.4 Nineteenth Century

3.1.5 Twentieth Century

3.1.6 The Erard Harp of Marcel Tournier

3.2 Marcel Tournier: June 5, 1879 – May 8, 1951

3.2.1 Early Years: 1879-1899

3.2.2 Early Career: 1900-1914

3.2.3 World War I: 1914-1918

3.2.4 Post World War I: 1919-1926

3.2.5 Late Life: 1926-1951

Ex. 3 Parish-Alvars, Sérénade, op.83, mm.65. (Pub. Gérard Billaudot).

Ex. 4 Marcel Tournier, Jazz-Band, op.33, mm.28-29. (Pub. Lemoine).

Ex. 7. Marcel Tournier, The Harp, pg. 55. (Pub. Lemoine).

This section is particularly interesting for understanding Tournier’s compositional preferences,

A subsection on the glissando chord opens with:

A subsection examines the mixed arpeggio—the combination of an arpeggio and a glissando—in

Ex. 20. Marcel Tournier, La Harpe, pg .78. (Pub. Lemoine).

The final subsection covers the glissando-piccolo. Tournier explains:

4.1.2 Commentary and Poems

4.2 Codifications and Innovations

Fontan-Binoche suggests it is unclear if it was Tournier or a previous harpist-composer, such as

(changes in stemming, dynamics, performance directive, as so forth). Based on the information

4.3 Interpretive Elements as Discussed by Tournier’s

4.3.3 Staccatos and Dampening

4.3.4 Resonance and Muffling

The playing of all chords is based on the three following principles:

4.3.10 Pedal Markings

5.1 Preparatory Work

5.1.1 Selecting an Edition

Changes in the Waddington Edition Bar Numbers

The respelling of all enharmonic notes. Found throughout

Changes in the Waddington Edition Bar Numbers

slightly different locations than the original.

Bar numbers at the beginning of each line. Found throughout

Translation of m.g to L.H. 1

Pedals indicated through a diagram. 1

Missing tenuto marking over the E♮ in the left hand. 6