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Abbreviation in score for 'Harry's Wondrous World'


Hedwig

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Wondering if anyone can help identify a percussion instrument described in the sheet music for "Harry's Wondrous World'. It is listed as "w/Wws."

 

Have always been intrigued as to what is going on in the orchestration of this particular moment and have just had a first look at the orchestral score to find this mystery percussion abbreviation which I can't find anything about online. I've always found it sounds very 'oaky' almost as if some kind of woodblocks were being used. But I don't think that's an abbreviation for them- although I could be wrong? It give quite a childish quality to the music which is obviously very fitting for the piece.

 

The timestamp for this moment is 0.19 seconds in,

 

 

 

 

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The abbreviation stands for "with woodwinds." If you look at the very first measure of the piece, it identifies the line for the glockenspiel. The instrument hasn't changed - you can tell because the specific instrument is in normal font in the very first measure and the instruction is in italics - it's just that the score is simply indicating that the glockenspiel is supporting the woodwinds at that particular measure. If you look at measure 20, you'll see the exact same "w/Wws" indication for the piano line, so it's clearly not an abbreviation for a specific instrument. The "oaky" woodblock-like sound you think you are hearing is not percussion, but the accented plucking of pizzicato strings.

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