Harpe Chromatique/Harpe Diatonique
byFrancette Bartholomée
reviewed by Harper Tasche
Despite its unmistakable classical affiliation, this album
is a wonder to behold if you have any interest in the cross-strung harp
or in 20th century harp music. Mme. Bartholomée is regarded as the
leading classical cross-strung harpist in the world, having taught both
cross-strung and pedal harp at the Conservatoire Royal in Brussels since
1972, and she is truly dazzling. (I'm grateful to Philippe
Clément for introducing me to her work.)
This very nicely balanced and sequenced album contains
works by three composers, all Belgian, who have written for both types of
(classical) harp: August De Boeck and Joseph Jongen (who were contemporaries
of the orchestral cross-strung harp's zenith in the early 20th century)
and the contemporary Pierre Bartholomée. Many of these pieces are
unpublished, and the beautiful interpretations given them here constitute
both fine art and the best archiving a composer could possibly hope for.
(Liner notes are provided in Dutch, English, German and French; I only wish
more information was given about her cross-strung harp - pictured at
right)
Mme. Bartholomée seems equally at home in the late Romantic and lyrical styles of De Boeck and Jongen, and in the sparser textures and more "vertical" writing of (her husband) Pierre Bartholomée, whose works represented here lean more toward development of musical gestures floating in space, than toward traditional melody and harmony with which FHJ readers would be more familiar (and perhaps more comfortable). I'm quite taken with this album -- I've listened to it numerous times, and enjoy something new with each hearing. My current favorite is Bartholomée's "Pastorale" (1981), written as a competition piece for both pedal harp and cross-strung harp and performed here on each; it's utterly fascinating to hear the same music on such different instruments. One is never asked to choose which is better; we are all fortunate to have such extravagant options, and in these superb interpretations by Mme. Bartholomée we are gifted with the best of both worlds. My only hope is that more cross-strung recordings by this fine artist are forthcoming!
Titles: 1) Fantaisie en mi mineur 2) Improvisation en sol majeur 3) Ballade sur un vieux Noël wallon oublié 4) Valse Op. 73 en la bémol majeur 5) Fancy 6) Nocturne 1 7) Nocturne 2 8) Nocturne 3 9) Pastorale (chromatique) 10) Pastorale (diatonique).
Total program length 58:13
originally published in the Folk Harp Journal
More Reviews | Meet Our Reviewers | Reviewers Guidelines
Folk Harp Journal: An American Harper in Wales | Folk Harp Journal: Harpsounds
Kim Robertson Home Page | Harpers' Hall & culinary society
