ANONYMOUS: 17th Century Variations on Greensleeves
This is one of the most popular tunes from the British Isles, mentioned twice by Shakespeare, and set by many composers since the sixteenth century, most notably Vaughan Williams in Sir John in Love.’

ANTONIO VIVALDI: 1675-1741 Sonata in C
Allegro non motto - Larghetto - Allegro
Vivaldi was the most prolific composer of his time, writing for all combinations of instruments. He wrote nearly 400 concertos, operas, oratorios and chamber pieces. David Watkins baa arranged this sonata for flute and harp from a trio for violin, lute and figured bass.

BODIN DE BOISMORTIER 1689-1755 Sonata in G minor (No.2)
Gayement - Gracleusement - Gayement
Boismortier spent much of his life in Paris. This sonata is taken from a set of six written in 1742. The musical invention it exhibits is astonishing, and some of the ideas are thirty years in advance of the time. The flute and harp parts are of equal importance and are written out in full by the composer - innovative indeed, as other accompaniments of this period would have been written out as figured basses, to be embroidered at will by the performer.

CHRISTOPH GLUCK: 1714-1787 Dance of the Blessed Spirits
This is one of the most memorable interludes in Gluck’s opera Orfeo; written in Vienna in 1762. The arrangement for flute and harp captures perfectly the mood of this Elysian scene.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: 1756-1791 Sonata in C, K.V.14
Allegro - Allegro - Minuetto primo - Minuetto secondo - (En Carillon)
Even this composition from the eight-year-old Mozart hints at the greater works to come. Originally a sonata for keyboard with accompaniment of a violin or flute, it has been reworked to interchange some of the voices. In the eighteenth century keyboard parts were often played on the harp, and in a work like this the harp conveys the original sound rather better than a modem piano.

JEAN-BAPTISTE KRUMPHOLTZ: 1745-1790 Sonata in F
Allegro - Romanza - Tempo di Minuetto en Rondo
Krumpholtz was born in Prague, studied in Paris and was then engaged by Haydn for the orchestra of Prince Esterhazy in Hungary. He returned to Paris, where he taught Mlle de Guines (the dedicatée of the Mozart Concerto for flute and harp) and made a great name as a harpist and composer. Many said that his wife was a better performer on the harp, and when she ran off with her lover, he threw himself into the Seine. David Watkins has made this performing edition from the original engraving in the Clive Morley Library.

GIOACCHINO ROSSINI: 1792-1868 Andante con variazioni
Rossini used a melody from his opera Tancredi (the cavatina ‘Tu che accendi questo core’) for this delightful work. After a dramatic introduction, the beautiful theme is stated in a simple form for both instruments. Four variations follow, exploring the technique on both instruments to the full.

FRÉDIÉRIC CHOPIN: 1810-1849 Variations on a theme of Rossini
The simple accompaniment in this composition belies the genius of Chopin. The subtlety and imagination, however, lie in the flute part, which, after a straightforward statement of the theme, is developed with breathtaking virtuosity. Four variations succeed the theme.

HECTOR BERLIOZ: 1803-1869 Trio from L’Enfance du Christ
This exquisite trio for two flutes and harp is the centrepiece of Berlioz’s oratorio the 'Childhood of Christ.’ It is a complete composition by itself, with a brief opening Allegro, an Andante Espressivo which returns after a section marked Allegro vivo. Clive Conway is joined by Jill Hughes in this recording.

Notes by DAVID WATKINS

Credits

All of the works in this recording have been edited by David Watkins.

Digitally recorded in St. Edward the Confessors Church, Mottingham, London, using an AKG C24 microphone
Recorded by Richard Hughes, Produced by John Shuttleworth
Musical supervision by Rachel Smith, Assistant engineer: Paul Jacques
Cover picture courtesy of Attwell Galleries
Project co-ordinated by Clive Conway

MERIDIAN RECORDS, P0 BOX 317, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 4SF.

©MERIDIAN RECORDS 1993