Guest Post: Harp Music

After one of the brightest and loudest instrument in the orchestra, the trumpet, here comes the softest and gentlest one: the harp. Ruth Mar is a harpist, teacher, and designer, who "plucks strings and pushes pixels in the Pacific Northwest." She curated two excellent playlists, with works specifically written for harp - no transcriptions. Here's Ruth:

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My aim with both these playlists is to show the harp's wide range of color.  The harp is often pigeonholed as a romantic, soothing instrument; but it's really capable of so much more! Check out especially the second Caplet Divertissement,  Holliger Praludium, and Schafer Crown of Ariadne from the Intro list for some more unusual / percussive harp sounds. Spotify has an impressive collection of harp music from reputable artists; I've discovered several few works I'd never heard before (including the Genzmer from the chamber music list).

I tried to balance between both standard and lesser known works and feature a variety of the excellent artists on Spotify. Both lists also only include works written originally for harp.

Harp Music Intro (27 tracks, 2 hours) - A mix of solo works and concerti movements. I arranged it purely according to personal preference, rather than chronologically.

Works included:
Andre Caplet / Divertissements a la francaise & a l'espagnole
George Frederic Handel / Concerto in B-flat Major, Mvt. 1
Alphonse Hasselmans / La Source
Paul Hindemith / Sonate, Mvt. 1
Benjamin Britten / Fugue from Suite, Op. 83 and Interlude from A Ceremony of Carols
Dittersdorf / Concerto in A, Larghetto
Srul Irving Glick / King David Sonata, II. David and Saul
David Watkins / Fire Dance from Petite Suite
Carlos Salzedo / Quietude and Whirlwind from 5 Preludes
W.A. Mozart / Concerto for Flute and Harp K 299, II. Andantino
Marcel Grandjany / Children's Hour Suite
Marcel Tournier / Vers la Source dans le Bois
Heinz Holliger / Praludium from Praludium, Arioso and Passacaglia
Gabriel Faure / Une Chatelaine en sa tour…
Lynn Wainwright Palmer / Prelude and Sarabande from Classical Suite
Gabriel Faure / Impromptu, Op. 86
Kelly-Marie Murphy / Star from Illuminations
Henriette Renie / Danse des Lutins
Joaquin Rodrigo / Concerto Serenade, 3. Sarao
Marjan Mozetich / Freedom from Songs of Nymphs
R. Murray Schafer / Ariadne's Dance from The Crown of Ariadne
Carlos Salzedo / Ballade, Op. 28
Claude Debussy / Danses Sacree et Profane

Harp Chamber Music (35 tracks, 2 hours)

I really believe that the harp shines in chamber music. It blends beautifully with a wide spectrum of instruments and voice types; and can easily move between accompaniment and solo roles. The smaller instrumentation also allows it to be heard clearly. For this list, full works are included.

Works included:
Claude Debussy / Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp
Sebastien Currier / Night Time for Violin and Harp
Camille Saint-Saens / Fantaisie pour violon et harp, Op. 124
Vincent Persechetti / Serenade No. 10 for flute and harp
Andre Jolivet / Chant de Linos for Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Harp
Harald Genzmer / Trio for Flute, Viola, and Harp
Arnold Bax / Elegaic Trio for Flute, Viola, and Harp
Anonymous / Nocturne for horn and harp
Benjamin Britten / Canticle V: The Death of St. Narcissus, Op. 89 for tenor and harp
Marcel Tournier / La Lettre Du Jardinier pour chant et harpe
Andre Caplet / Conte fantastique for harp and string quartet
Jean Cras / Quintette for flute, harp and strings
Adrian Schaposhnikov / Sonata for flute and harp
Maurice Ravel / Introduction et Allegro for flute, clarinet, string quartet and harp

Guest post by Ruth Mar