Arabesque.
A journey into Harp Artistry by
Isabelle
Perrin
|
| 1 | LA SOURCE | Alphonse Hasselmans (1845-1912) | 4:02 |
| 2 | ARIA AND RONDO PASTORAL (ARRT. JOHN THOMAS) | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) | 9:10 |
| 3 | PRELUDE Op. 28 No. 1 | Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) | 6:16 |
| 4 | FLOWING STREAM | Chinese traditional | 4:46 |
| 5 | SONATA
IN C MINOR (ALLEGRO-ANDANTINO-RONDO ALLEGRO) |
Johann Ladislav Dussek (1760-1812) | 7:25 |
| 6 | CHANSON DANS LA NUIT | Carlos Salzedo (1885-1961) | 3:33 |
| 7 | MINSTREL’S ADIEU TO HIS NATIVE LAND | John Thomas (1826-1913) | 8:35 |
| 8 | SERENADE | Elias Parish Alvars (1808-1849) | 7:25 |
| 9 | SICILIANA | Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) | 4:48 |
| 10 | ARABESQUE | Claude Debussy (1862-1918) | 5:53 |
| 11 | DANSES SACRÉE ET PROFANE | Claude Debussy (1862-1918) | 9:56 |
Total
Time |
1:11:59 |
||
Sleeve Notes
The Harp Through The Ages
Derived from the primitive musical bow, the harp appeared as early as
3000 b.c. The Egyptian harp (2500 b.c.) was quite large and featured
six
to eight strings, a number which was to double later on. None of those
instruments featured a supporting column and thus, were not capable of
withstanding great tension; their sound was therefore soft and mellow.
In the 9th Century b.c., the supporting column made its first appearance on an instrument from Syria. Late; the Greeks began imitating the Syrian design as revealed on many painted vases from the 6th Century b.c. It is most likely the Greeks who introduced the harp in Europe where, as early as the Middle Ages, it was played in Wales and Ireland by bards and Celtic poets. The portative harp became, in the 12th Century, an essential instrument for the jugglers, troubadours, minstrels and Minnesänger who made it hugely popular. It already resembled the modern harp, smaller in dimensions with the same elegant curvature.
It is in the 15th Century that music expressly composed for the harp appears mostly in Spain and Italy. Having reached a popular status, the harp design evolved dramatically and featured a double row of strings tuned as the black and white keys of the keyboard which gave it a new name: “arpa doppia.” In the 16th Century the Welsh harp appeared, featuring three rows of strings (the two outside rows tuned as the white keys and the central row as the black keys.) This particular period was not, however, prolific for the harp, which suffered a sharp decline in interest until the end of the 17th Century when the pedal system was invented. Using rods through the supporting column, these pedals triggered small hooks, which could shorten each string. This device allowed each string to play two notes, thus replacing the need for the cumbersome second row of strings. It is for this instrument that Mozart wrote in 1778, his celebrated Concerto for Flute and Harp.
At the end of the 18th Century the hooks
were replaced by “forks"
(two prongs
mounted on a disc) and at the beginning of the 19th Century; a “double
action”
system for each pedal was developed (seven pedals total, one for each
note of
the scale.) This technological break-through allowed the harp to play
three
notes per string, thus covering the entire chromatic scale. The harp
reached
its apex at the end of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th
Century.
Debussy and Ravel were particularly fond of its pastel tones. The mid
and late
20th Century provided a substantial contribution to the harp repertoire
in the
hands of many composers who were drawn to its formidable array of sonorities.
CHOOSING THE CAMAC HARP
I have been connected to
the harp manufacturer Camac for many years. Upon
completing my studies at the Juilliard School in New York, I returned
to France
where I obtained a teaching position in Nantes, on the West Coast. It
is there
that I met Joel Gamier, founder and Director of the Camac Company. The
following years saw the nurturing of a great friendship and collaboration.
Joel Gamier, unfortunately now deceased, loved the harp passionately
and
dedicated his life to the honing of his manufacturing process. He had
distinct
ideas, which revolutionized the technical conception of the instrument
and
was constantly seeking the advice of professional harpists in his quest
to
further refine his instruments’ sonority. His initial focus was
student harps,
which he refined to such high degree that they quickly spread into the
professional realm. Jakez François, his successor, continues that
tradition of
discovery and innovation, which will further refine this great instrument.
I have played on a Camac Atlantide Prestige Harp
for many years now, and I must
say that it has never disappointed me. The distinctive clarity of its
sound and its
marvelous projection are completely in accord with the qualities I expect
from my
instrument.
“Arabesque” IN THE MAKING
The
idea behind this recording project was inspired by the encounter of
Christophe Chagnard, conductor, with whom I had the opportunity to work
at the
Sixth World Harp Congress in the USA, Winston Ma, producer, and myself.
Our
deep common musical understanding and the notorious difficulty of recording
such a tonally complex instrument as the harp, set the stage to take
on what we
perceived as a great challenge.
THE REPERTOIRE
My choice of repertory was meant
to be as eclectic as possible, as much in
the various styles and time periods as in the distinct character of the
different
compositions, thus reflecting what could be featured at one of my recitals.
Some
famous pieces (often conceived initially for the piano and beautifully
adapted for
the harp) as well as lesser-known selections were assembled to provide
the widest
possible perspective on this magical instrument, and for each number
to further
enhance our love of it. It is my hope that my choices and preferences
will provide the
listeners with a glimpse of the immense pleasure I had in recording this
album.
Isabelle Perrin. (Translated from French by Christophe
Chagnard)
All rights reserved.
HASSELMANS: LA SOURCE
In this strikingly evocative piece, Hasselmans
makes use of the contrast between the treble and
bass of the harp to create, by means of arpeggios as
accompaniment, the sound of water flowing while
the melody suggests droplets.
EBERL-MOZART: ARIA AND RONDO PASTORAL
This piece
features two movements: the first, an “aria con variazioni” was
composed by Eberl, a pupil of Mozart and the second a “Rondo Pastoral” was
originally conceived for string trio by Mozart and
later transcribed for the harp by John Thomas, a
19th Century Welsh harpist who also conceived of
bringing the two compositions together as one opus.
CHOPIN: PRELUDE Op. 28, No. 15
This prelude, charged
with intense emotion, was
composed during a sojourn of Chopin and his lover
George Sand at Majorca. Finding himself alone
during a stormy afternoon and feeling rather
somber, Chopin sat at the piano and composed a
piece which, by the insistent repetitions of certain
notes, suggests drops of rain falling, interrupted
by dramatic chord progressions, revealing the
emotional turmoil the composer was in the midst
of during that period.
CHINESE TRADITIONAL: FLOWING STREAM
This
popular Chinese folk melody inspired by the
sound of water flowing, lends itself perfectly to
the harp’s ability to translate the fluidity of water
through the use of long arpeggios.
DUSSEK: SONATA IN C MINOR
Dussek did nor have to
search very far for
inspiration to write for the harp; both his mother
and wife were harpists! This sonata was written
in three movements and was conceived as one
of three such sonatas presented as a whole. It
proved very successful and became one of the most
performed compositions in the harp repertoire.
The first and third movements are light in character
(the third being in the form of a Rondo reminiscent
of a music box) while the second, in a minor mode,
is more melancholic.
SALZEDO: CHANSON DANS LA NUIT
Composed in 1934,
this piece reveals through great
poetry and an impressive science of tone colours, a
rich variety of sounds including the use of nails,
tapping of the soundboard and many different
types of glissandi.
THOMAS: MINSTREL’S
ADIEU TO HIS NATIVE LAND
This moving piece was inspired by a poem from
Moore of the same title. It begins with a grave
and solemn theme followed by variations which
lead us to believe in a happy unfolding (the fourth
variation), but ending with a coda reminiscent of
the opening theme’s mournful character.
PARISH ALVARS: SERENADE
Hector Berlioz, a great
admirer of Parish Alvars,
described him as “the Liszt of the harp.” This
Serenade is indeed a true virtuoso piece of great
difficulty. The introduction is particularly
challenging with the use of harmonics
throughout the “love song” motive, later restated
in the coda as well.
RESPIGHI: SICILIANA
It is in 16th Century lute
music that Respighi
found the inspiration for his Siciliana, which he
originally composed for string orchestra. It was
later arranged for the harp by Marcel Grandjany
who made use of all the harp’s resources to create a
piece of great melodic beauty and virtuosity.
DEBUSSY: ARABESQUE
The term arabesque indicates
a complex and ornate
design of intertwined floral and geometrical
figures. Although initially conceived for the
piano, this piece seems to have been meant for the
harp. The fluidity of irs arpeggios for instance
feels so natural on the harp that this Arabesque is
performed more often by harpists than pianists!
DEBUSSY: DANSES SACRÉE
ET PROFANE
Debussy
clearly had a predilection for the harp,
an instrument he incorporated in nearly all of his
orchestral works. The Dances sacrée et profane
were conceived in 1903 as examination pieces
for the Brussels Conservatory. The two dances
are played without interruption while displaying
very distinct contrasts. The Spanish influence is
particularly strong in the “Danse profane” while
the “Danse sacrée” was inspired by a short piece by
Portuguese composer Francisco de Lacerda.
Isabelle Perrin. (Translated from
French by Christophe Chagnard)
All rights reserved.
CHRISTOPHE CHAGNARD
One of the most sought-after
conductors in the Pacific Northwest, French
conductor Christophe Chagnard is an all-around musician acclaimed for
his finely-etched performances and charismatic approach to music. As
co-founder of the Northwest Sinfonietta, in a few short years Mr. Chagnard
has built the finest chamber orchestra in the Northwest and performs
regularly with some of the biggest names in music — among them
Nadja
Salerno-Sonnenberg, Lynn Harrell, Richard Stoltzman, Lara St. John and
Awadagin Pratt.
A gifted communicator, Mr. Chagnard draws audiences into a piece of music with a direct approach that is compelling and distinctly his own, He has been praised by The News Tribune as an “intensely musical conductor given sometimes to attempting unconventional performances.” With a repertoire that cuts across the chamber, symphonic and choral repertories, Mr. Chagnard brings the finely-honed sensibilities of the chamber musician to orchestral performance. A commitment to music of our time, a keen interest in mentoring and encouraging young musicians, and an easy manner in front of audiences help make him the complete musician.
THE NORTHWEST SINFONIETTA was
created in 1991 by
Christophe Chagnard and Kathryn Habedank on the occasion
of the Mozart Bicentennial. It features thirty-six of the
Northwest’s finest instrumentalists and performs a wide range
of repertoire from Baroque to contemporary composers. The
Northwest Sinfonietta has received numerous accolades from
audience and critics alike and has been held as one of the finest
orchestras of its kind.
“The 12-year-old Northwest Sinfonietta, based in Tacoma under the direction of conductor Christophe Chagnard, has developed into an ensemble that can hold its own among the best classical-music organizations in the Northwest.” The Seattle Times.
For more information on the Northwest Sinfonietta, please visit: www.nwsinfonietta.com
Credits
Executive Producer: Winston MA
Producer: Christophe Chagnard
Recording Engineer: Jeff Mee
Artistic Advisor: Patricia Wooster
Video Engineers: Messrs. Lee Po Chung and Wan Chi Man,
Allied Entertainment Ltd., Hong Kong
Venue: Rialto Theater, Tacoma, Washington USA 14-16 May
2002
Mastering Engineer: Paul Stubblebine, San Francisco USA. October
2003
Recording and Mastering System: Sony DSD recording and mastering system
Photos credit: I. Perrin by Anne Roman, C. Chagnard by Creative Indulgence,
Northwest Sinfonietta by Kate A. Miner.
The Executive Producer and Producer wish to thank
Messrs. David Kawakami and
Gus Skinas, Sony SACD Project; The Broadway Center For The Performing
Arts;
James Wong of Allied Entertainment Ltd., Hong Kong; and the Camac Company,
France.
Special thanks are given to Mr. Paul Stubblebine
for his untiring energy and unique
talent in mastering the recorded material.
© & (P) First Impression Music, Inc.,
USA
Tel.: (425) 868 5326 Fax: (425) 836 9061
wma@fimpression.com
www.fimpression.com
| Instruments: | Harp / Track 11 Harp & Orchestra |
| Genre: | Classical |
| Format: | Hybrid SACD Multi-channel Disc |
| Our Ref: | A0168 |
| MCPS: | FIM SACD M 045 |
| Label: | First Impression Music |
| Year: | 2003 |
| Origin: | USA |
On her return to France, she was chosen by the Jeunesses Musicales de France to go on tour for three consecutive years giving recitals throughout France, thus introducing the harp to a wider public. Named co-principal of the Orchestre National de France and honoured to be chosen as a participating soloist by the Menuhin Foundation, Isabelle Perrin is also a winner of the Torneo Internazionale de Musica, in Rome, Italy. An international soloist, Ms. Perrin is regularly invited to play with many prestigious orchestras such as the Northwest Sinfonietta (Tacoma, USA), the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France. She has also performed with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony (Canada), the Orchestre National d'Ile de France, the Orchestre National de Lille, the Orchestre National du Capitol de Toulouse, the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, and many other well-known orchestras. She tours regularly in Europe, USA, Africa (Tunisia, South Africa) and Asia (China, Japan). This year she will be playing in Holland, USA, Canada, China, Korea, Japan, France, Russia, Switzerland, England, Germany and Italy. Isabelle Perrin’s personality has inspired composers to write for her. Piérick Houdy - Grand Prix de Rome- wrote his“Concerto Français” for harp and orchestra especially for her. She performed the World Premiere of this piece in France with the Orchestre de Bretagne and played it for the first time in America in Baton Rouge (Louisiana, USA) with the Baton Rouge Symphony. She has also performed it at the Rudolfinum Hall in Prague with the Radio Prague Symphony Orchestra. Bernard Andres, a leading composer for the harp, dedicated his “Danses d’Erzulie” for harp, string orchestra and percussion to her. She performed the world premiere of this piece in Cincinnati, USA, in June 2000. Ms. Perrin has recorded several compact discs. These include a recital of the works of Bernard Andres. She has also recorded with the Turner Trio, of which she is the founding member, original works of Arnold Bax for Flute, Viola and Harp. She has recently released the world’s first recording on a period instrument of the works of LA. Boieldieu for Harp, which includes the famous C major Concerto. Ms. Perrin just recorded 2 new CDs. One of Mr. Piérick Houdy’s harp music (including the Sonata and the Concerto he wrote for her) and this Arabesque’. The youngest French musician to obtain the C.A. (French degree to teach in the Conservatoires Nationaux de Région), Isabelle Perrin is now teaching at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. She gives master-classes all over the world and was recently invited for two months as guest faculty at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA. |
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| Contact | Isabelle Perrin |
| 142 rue de Courcelles 75017 PARIS FRANCE |
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| Telephone | 00 33 (0) 6 10 81 02 89 |
| Fax | 00 33 (0) 1 40 54 70 79 |
| click here | |
| Artists web site | www.isabelleperrin.com |
Isabelle
Perrin| Available from Creighton's Collection by Isabelle Perrin: | |||
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| Arnold Bax | Boieldieu | Bernard Andrès | Arabesque |