January 15, 2025 | Author: Dominic Nicholas | Category:Instruments
Harpist Serafina Jaffe
Down the centuries the harp has been an instrument associated with images of heaven, with cherubim and seraphim strumming in celestial surroundings. In the hands of even an average player it is certainly capable of producing feelings of rapture, of transportation to a higher, more heavenly plane. It's not surprising, therefore, that many composers have been inspired to write for this most exquisite, most divine of instruments. Here are 10 of our favourite works.
A poised and elegant work that showcases the compositional finesse of C.P.E. Bach, the second and most talented son of Johann Sebastian. Its style is already far removed from that of his father, emphasising classical elegance rather than contrapuntal rigour.
There is absolutely no sign of Mozart’s apparent dislike of both the flute and the harp in this gem of a piece. Written during his 1778 sojourn in Paris, the work is lively, elegant, refined and, in its central movement, tender and profound. It is no surprise, therefore, that it has become one of the most important works in the harp repertoire.
Though an early and relatively slight work by Beethoven, it would be hard for any harpist to overlook a piece from one of the greatest composers to have lived. And though some of the variations are more tricky than others, it is also relatively straightforward to play, making it a good choice for amateurs.
Jan Ladislav Dussek (1760–1812) was a Bohemian composer and pioneer of the Romantic style. He is also noted for his gift for writing rich lyrical melodies. This sonata was likely composed around the late 1790s or early 1800s when the harp was becoming more popular as a chamber instrument. In three short movements, it progresses from a moody and tense Allegro, to an introspective Adagio Cantabile and a final, spirited Rondo.
Louis Spohr (1784–1859) was a pioneering Romantic composer, not to mention violinist and conductor. His Fantasia in C Minor unfolds in free improvisatory form across a single movement. Dark and brooding it incorporates passages of dazzling arpeggios, rapid scales, and complex figuration to showcase the technical prowess of the performer.
Debussy wrote Danse sacrée et profane in 1904 for a new chromatic harp invented by the Pleyel company. Instead of pedals the instrument used a system of parallel strings to allow chromatic playing. The instrument did not catch on, so nowadays it is most often performed on a standard harp. The work is divided into two contrasting sections: Danse sacrée, which highlights restraint, reverence and spirituality, with the music evoking ancient church modes; and Danse profane, which is full of sensuality and earthly delight, with a correspondingly more chromatic and harmonically adventurous musical texture.
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924) wrote his Impromptu No.6 in 1904 as a test piece for the Paris Conservatoire’s annual harp competition. It is written is a single continuous movement in a free from structure typical of the impromptu genre. Improvisatory and rhapsodic in quality, it alternates introspection with dazzlingly passages of virtuosic rapid figurations.
Introduction and Allegro was written by Ravel (1875–1935) in 1905 for the Erard company, which had developed the modern double-action pedal harp. It was intended to demonstrate the technical and expressive characteristics of the instrument in light of the competition from Pleyel’s new chromatic harp. Written for solo harp with flute, clarinet and string quartet, it is a masterpiece of texture, color, and harmonic innovation, showcasing Ravel’s Impressionist style.
Marcel Tourier (1879 - 1951) was a prominent French harpist, composer and teacher at the Paris Conservatoire. His Féerie is perhaps the most enchanting of the many pieces he wrote for the instrument. It was written in 1912 during the height of the Impressionst movement in France, its language owing much to contemporaries such as Debussy and Ravel. Dreamlike in character, the music captures the feeling of a mystical, fairy-like world—‘Féerie’ translates as ‘Magic’ or ‘Enchantment.’
10. William Mathias - Harp Concerto, Op.70
The harp is the national instrument of Wales, so it is perhaps unsurprising that Carmarthenshire-born composer William Mathias wrote a number of piece for the instrument, the most famous of which is his Harp Concerto, Op.70. Written in 1970 for the great Welsh harp player Osian Ellis, it is a work of sharp contrasts: the first moment expressive and lyrical, the second inhabiting the dark sound world of the composer’s vocal masterpiece ‘Elegy for a Prince’, the final movement lively, tuneful and rhythmic.
