Ernst Krenek's Sonata for Harp was written in 1955 at the request of Spanish harpist Nicanor Zabaleta, who had previously performed Krenek's Harp Concerto.
Composition History
Jean Cras's Deux impromptus pour harpe benefited greatly from the expertise of harpist Pierre Jamet, who found an initial version too 'pianistic' and unplayable on the harp.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in three sessions on June 17, July 2, and August 29, 2021, at Tonstudio Waldenburg in Switzerland.
Compositional Technique
Heinz Holliger's Präludium, Arioso und Passacaglia includes a Passacaglia based on a five-note motif, C-D-E flat-C-A, which spells out his wife Ursula's name using a combination of Latin and German note designations.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album highlights the fruitful exchange between harpists and composers, where composers gain inspiration from the instrument's possibilities and performers discover new facets of their instrument.
Composer Biography
Jean Cras, a largely self-taught composer, was a career naval officer in the French navy, serving as a captain and Major General of the Port of Brest.
Performer Biography
Julia Wacker, the harpist on this album, is known for her versatile playing and her humorous adaptation of 'The Flight of the Bumblebee'.
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Serenata Española
M. Zalewska: Harp solo
Harp Showpieces
Pieces From My Childhood
Vienna Stories
Nocturne, Music for Harp
Byron: In the Village of Hope
Hersch: Three Character Studies: I. Nocturne for Left Hand Alone (Version for Harp)
Chopin: Valse in A Minor, Op. posth. B. 150 (Version for Harp in A Flat Minor)
