La Harpe Reine: Concertos for Harp at the Court of Marie-Antoinette

Featuring

William Christie
Xavier de Maistre
Les Arts Florissants
Jean-Baptiste Krumpholtz
Joseph Haydn
Johann David Hermann

Christoph Willibald Gluck

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Historical Context

The harp experienced a 'golden age' from 1760 onwards in Paris, with over 200 harp shops coexisting, largely due to Marie Antoinette's passion for the instrument.

Compositional Technique

Harp music in France between 1760 and 1790, even virtuosic concertos, often featured accessible techniques based on scales, arpeggios, and octaves, reflecting the prevalence of amateur female players.

Interpretation

For this recording, Xavier de Maistre played a meticulously restored late 18th-century harp, adapting to its lower string tension and more fragile action to achieve unique sonorities.

Performer Biography

Xavier de Maistre, the harpist on this album, has worked to establish the harp as a solo instrument on leading concert platforms, challenging its cliché as an aristocratic salon instrument.

Recording & Production

This album originated from a gala concert on June 28, 2016, at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, a venue built for Marie Antoinette's wedding, which marked the start of a world tour.

Composer Biography

Jan Křtitel Krumpholtz, a Bohemian harpist and composer, was helped by Joseph Haydn in his compositions and served as harpist in Haydn's orchestra at the Esterházy court.

Instruments

The pedal harp, which allowed for chromatic alterations, was invented by Jacob Hochbrucker in Bavaria, with an initial five-pedal design in 1697, later improved to seven pedals in 1720.

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