PLAYING WITH HAND AND FOOT

The harp is one of the most ancient musical instruments. The first tangible evidence of the existence of this instrument dates from 2703 B.C. in Egypt. This initially involved a six-string bowed harp, in which the neck and body form a bow; after 1552 B.C. evidence points to the existence of angle harps, in which the neck and body are placed at an angle to one another. In the 8th century, the instrument showed up in the British Isles in the form of a frame harp (created by adding an extra arm to connect the end of the neck to the opposite end of the resonator), and by the year 1000, these harps were also appearing on the European continent. The number of strings in the Middle Ages ranged between seven and twenty-five, and were usually were tuned diatonically: however, since the 16th century, chromatically tuned harps have also been in use. And since the 17th, century rotating hooks have enabled rapid retuning by hand. In 1881, Sebastian Érard developed the double-action pedal harp, which is most commonly used nowadays. It consists of almost seven octaves, approximately the same range as the piano. The instrument is tuned in C flat major, whereby seven double-action pedals make it possible to raise each of the seven notes of the C flat major scale by either a half or a whole tone, by means of engaging the string in two different positions, so that all notes in the equal-temperament scale can be played.
Why supply these historical and technical details as an introduction to the text? Well, because harp concerts in the modern-day concert repertoire are more the exception than the rule, and also because the number of orchestral works featuring the harp are rather limited: therefore, there is no harm in providing some insight into the instrument and its complexities. In particular, as one can "only" hear the works recorded on this CD, in which the harp is portrayed in its full virtuosity. Since one does not actually see the interpreter performing, perhaps a certain knowledge of the instrument may lead to a better assessment of the substantial technical prowess demanded of the interpreter – regardless of the diversity of eras from which the works originate.
The oldest harp concerto on this recording is the Concerto in C by Francois-Adrien Boieldïeu (1775 – 1834), who was known in early 19th-century France mainly as a composer of lyrical, romantic comic operas, of which La Dame Blanche (= The White Lady) dating from 1825 is the best known. However, Boieldïeu, star of the "opéra comique", also composed several instrumental works. The light and lively tone of his three-movement Harp Concerto (Allegro - Andante - Rondeau) emphasizes the opinion the French had of Boieldïeu: the "French Mozart". The work is through-composed in free-flowing manner, ingenious ideas pop up all over the place. The dotted rhythm in the orchestral introduction in the first movement is very striking, almost revolutionary in nature, yet at the entry of the harp it becomes tender and delicate, with the roles between soloist and orchestra regularly distributed throughout. The slow movement opens with the pathos of unadorned, unisono strings, after which the harp smoothly yet firmly takes over the melodic and thematic lead. A forward-driving theme in the harp plays a key role in the Rondeau, which begins attacca: this returns in various modifications in rondo-like form.
Some 150 years later – to be precise, in 1952 – the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo (1901 – 1999) composed his Concierto serenata for harp and orchestra. The name Rodrigo rings a bell with not only the connoisseur, but also the less well-informed listener. After all, his Concierto de Aranjuez is one of the best-known, most frequently performed (and "covered") works in the classical repertoire. The Concierto serenata consists of three movements and is dedicated to the great Basque harpist, Nicanor Zabaleta (1907 – 1993). The first movement (Estudiantina) depicts a student march. The portrayal is humorous, witty, and in some places so offbeat (in its orchestration) and disjointed, that one wonders why Rodrigo chose the form of a march in the first place! Here, guitar and mandolin notes flutter about, fragments of trumpet notes are heard in the distance, castanets rattle on, creating an atmosphere of mischievous delight. The second movement is perhaps the most strongly constructed section of the work as far as composition goes. This "Intermezzo con aria" deploys various canon effects, plays about with fugal episodes, and permits the appearance of various highly expressive solos in the orchestra in addition to the harp – which holds its own with difficulty – before the movement fades away in a harp pianissimo. The Finale upholds the rondo principle, with main and secondary themes following one another as almost equal partners. The listener becomes a witness to the light-heartedness of a Spanish fiesta. Thus, Rodrigo himself considered his Concierto serenata to be a "message to the younger generation evoking the sounds of feasts and customs of earlier times."
The last of the three harp concertos on this CD dates from 1953. It was written by the Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887 – 1959) who, apart from having taken cello lessons, was largely a self-taught musician and well able to find his way around most instruments. "Thanks to my experience with the guitar, I was also able to play the harp," he stated. His massive oeuvre, consisting of over 1,000 pieces written for just about every genre in existence, also encompasses the harp concerto on this recording, which was commissioned by the above-mentioned harp virtuoso Nicanor Zabaleta. And they also gave the première performance of the four-movement work together in Philadelphia on January 14, 1955, with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Undoubtedly, Villa-Lobos' Harp Concerto is one of the more marginal works in the genre: indeed, only the three performances of the work were given in 2010. Nevertheless, the work does have its charm. Villa-Lobos, who described himself as a "dazzling tropical bird from the Amazon," put a great deal of work into the detail. Indeed, he was fond of first highlighting a compositional detail, then letting it fade away; after which he would rush on to search for another new aspect, to which he could then give his full attention.

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