Customer Reviews

The Harmonious Harp

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD brings together some familiar music for the harp, such as Handel's wonderful concerto, and some rather underrated works by Wagenseil, Boieldieu, and others. Zabaleta's flawless performance, the great sound quality, and a good selection make this a highly recommended CD.

Don't expect the Mozart piece on this CD to equal his Concerto for Flute and Harp (somehow missing from this collection!). And as for the Wagenseil concerto, the first movement is a real gem, though not included in this CD. I really wish Deutsche Gramophon had included an essay with some background about the different compositions.

By the way, this music makes for wonderful study or reading time.

This disc, obviously, is not for everyone. If you don't like the harp, move on. But, if you enjoy the harp, this disc is a wonderful excursion in to the soft and soothing sounds of the harp, accompanied on most tracks by soft orchestra.

The disc opens with Handel's 'Concerto for Harp & Orchestra in B-flat Major. This is 3 movements of beautiful harp with soft string accompaniment that is superb; a treat and a true credit to Handel that is blatantly overlooked because of his more famous works (you know, a few little pieces like "Water Music", "Royal Fireworks Music", or the ever-present "Messiah"). The piece is mainly harp with minor string involvement that is not instrusive and the entire piece is magical, feeling both baroque and romantic at the same time. Also offered by Handel is the piece 'Theme & Variations in G minor' which is a wonderful diversion for solo harp.
Offered next is J.S. Bach's 'Concerto In F Major' arranged by Bach for keyboard from Vivaldi's Concerto of the same name. This would be the arrangement of the piano version, played on the harp. It is 3 movements and has a baroque feel, very pleasant to listen to. The harp is plucked softly and the accompanying strings are perfect; not too loud and not overbearing. This is like listening to a string quartet with a violin standing in for one of the strings and it is very satisfying.
Also offered by J.S. Bach is the Prelude from his transcription for Lute of his 'Partita for Violin No. 3'; confusing, yes, but what you have is a piece that was written for Violin by Bach, transcribed for Lute by Bach, now presented for your listening pleasure on the Harp. Just know this; it is a beautiful piece for solo harp.
Next is a strange piece, Mozart's 'Adagio & Rondo in C minor'. This was a piece that was written for the Flute, Viola, Cello, Oboe and Glass Harmonica (or Armonica). This piece actually focuses very little on the harp. The harp is played in place of the Armonica, but the other pieces are a large part of the piece and the album title is truly appropriate in this piece as the harp harmonizes with the other instruments. Still a beautiful piece. The flute work is especially nice and actually outshines the harp in this particular piece.
Next is a piece that was composed for the harp and orchestra by a German composer that is, for the most part, forgotten; Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf. The piece is actually just the 3rd movement from Dittersdorf's 'Concerto for Harp & Orchestra in A Major'. This Allegretto showcases the harp along with a wonderful orchestral melody. It is proof that, firstly, the entire composition should have been included on this disc, and secondly, that Dittersdorf had a lot to offer the musical world and his music should be rediscovered and played much more often.
Another rather unkonwn composer follows with 'Air and Variations for Harp'. This piece was composed by Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz, a harp virtuoso and composer who was instrumental in improving the design of the harp and who was known more as a performer in his time than as a composer. This piece, however, does dazzle as the player is obviously pushed to perform across the entire plane of the strings with moments of cascading music and gentle plucking. A perfect piece for the solo harp.
Yet again we are presented with a piece by a forgotten composer. Georg Christoph Wagenseil was a composer who was known by the likes of Haydn and Mozart. He taught Johann Schenk who, in turn, taught Beethoven (not too shabby, eh?). The piece is a movement from his 'Concerto for Orchestra & Harp', an andante that allows the harp to trickle over soft strings and backing orchestra. The piece is wonderful and, like stated above, prove that far too many composers go unknown or little known.
The next piece is by J.S. Bach's son, Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach. It is a sonata that is very intense (as intense as a harp can be) and is played both quickly and aggresively. It is very beautiful, but it is not as relaxing as the other pieces on this album. It is the Allegro movement from the 'Sonata for Harp in G Major'.
Finally, 2 movements by another not-so-well-known composer, Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, close out the album. The 2nd and 3rd movements from the 'Concerto for Harp & Orchestra in C Major' are presented. The 2nd movement, a Andante, seems a little slow and is a tad boring, but the 3rd movement is absolutely wonderful. It is a Allegro agitato movement that relies heavily on the harp and lifts the spirits quickly; probably my favorite piece on the CD.

All of the pieces on this disc are recorded well and there is little, if any, background noise; just music. The mixing is done well, allowing the harp, which can be a little queit at times, to be heard throughout.
This is definitely a disc that I would recommend to any lover of the harp or to anyone who is looking for a good classical album for relaxation.

Enjoy!!!

I originally purchased this CD solely because it has the beautiful Handel harp concerto, but there is actually a lot of beautiful music here, and from many genres. For example, the harp concerto by Boieldieu is actually impressionist music.

However, since this is a compilation of various recordings, the results can be inconsistent. For example, the Bach piece sounds very compressed. Yes, it was recorded in analog format, but today's digital processing can actually clean up a lot of noise and expand the dynamic range. The Bach piece has tonal emphasis in the wrong places and an overall murky sound. It is the piece that suffers the most in this set.

The largos and adagios tend to be soft, muted and relaxing. These pieces can serve very nicely as background music for guests having dinner or just sharing time. In fact, by using harp concertos instead of solo harp, this compilation provides a more rounded musical experience thanks to some rich orchestration.

I bought this album as a gift for my daughter, who wanted to learn how to play the harp but we couldn't afford the lessons. So I bought this for her and when I heard it online I decided it was something I wanted as well. It's lovely, relaxing and lifts the spirit. The harp is truly an angelic instrument and this recording is very enjoyable.

Glad that I purchased this CD. I just love listening to it. The harp is a beautiful sounding Instrument. The classical music on it is played beautifully. If you are looking for music that you can relax to but dont want to spend a great deal of money. This CD could be for you.....Enjoy.

I bought this mainly for Handel's concerto in B flat, but the whole CD is fabulous. I'm especially happy because the harpist played the pieces straight and didn't throw in fancy extra notes.

I originally listened to this CD by borrowing it from the library, among other ones. I liked it so much that I wanted to own it for myself. It is very relaxing and beautiful music. I never tire of listening to it.

I love using harp music in my yoga classes and when I meditate. This CD is excellent for both. The following "Product Link" is a meditation training CD that I produced about a year ago. Meditation: The Awareness Approach

I really enjoyed listening to this CD. It's very relaxing and soothing to the senses. The sound of the harp reminds me of heaven and all its angels. I simply adore all of the famous composers who contributed to this great treasure, especially Mozart. Usually, I love to listen to this CD while taking an afternoon nap or having a good cup of flavored coffee. So for the pleasure one recieves from listening to this CD, it's well worth the price.

I bought the music CD to play at work but I loved it so much I play it at home as well.