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20th Century Harp Sonatas / Sarah Schuster Ericsson
Sono Luminus

20th Century Harp Sonatas / Sarah Schuster Ericsson

$18.99

Details

Composer
HOUDY CASELLA FLAGELLO HIND
Artist
Sarah Schuster Ericsson
Format
CD
Label
Sono Luminus
Released
Mar 30, 2010
Catalog #
DSL-92106
UPC
053479210623

About

Sarah Schuster Ericsson has been harpist of both the Baltimore Symphony and the Boston Symphony orchestras. Here she offers a pleasantly varied program within the rubric identified by the collection’s title. Most noteworthy is the 1961 sonata by American composer Nicolas Flagello. Although he wrote three pieces for harp solo, the sonata is by far the best known, appearing frequently on recitals and at competitions. In fact, this is the third recording of the work currently available on CD. Typical of his music, but atypical of conventional works for harp, Flagello’s sonata is dramatic and serious in tone overall, although leavened by a lovely, melancholy waltz-like slow movement, and a briskly exuberant finale. Ericsson’s approach to the work is richly expansive, in striking contrast to Erica Goodman’s meticulously precise, unsentimental reading (BIS 319). Some of Flagello’s works can benefit from an expansive approach: For a piece like the Harp Sonata, with dense textures and some rhythmic complexity, a broader approach can allow details to blossom, while a tighter, more metronomic approach can force those details “under the rug,” so to speak. On the other hand, taking expansiveness to an extreme can drain rhythmic energy, and cause the work to lose focus.

In general Ericsson’s performances are gracious and tasteful, if a trifle hesitant and reserved. Probably the best-known work on the program is the sonata by Paul Hindemith. Ericsson offers an appealing performance of this uncharacteristically warm and lyrical piece. Alfredo Casella (1883–1947), an Italian contemporary of Bartók and Stravinsky, was celebrated as a modernist during the early years of the 20th century, but most of his work has faded from view. His Harp Sonata, composed during World War II, pursues a gentle neoclassicism somewhat similar to the music of Gian-Francesco Malipiero, another contemporary of Casella’s, as well as a fellow countryman. From today’s perspective Casella’s sonata is a solid, attractive work with the slightly archaic flavor characteristic of the Mediterranean neoclassicists. Germaine Tailleferre is remembered today chiefly as the woman among the early French modernists known as Les Six. Her music leans toward a light-hearted cheerfulness that does not appeal to me. Her sonata is the least interesting item on the program. Pierick Houdy, a Breton composer who has spent most of his prolific career in Canada, is still active at 80, as far as I know, although he returned to France in his later years. His wife is a harpist, and he composed his sonata with her in mind. It is a pleasantly melodic, untroubled and untroubling work—another staple of the contemporary harp repertoire.

All in all, this is an ingratiating program, excellently played, and expertly recorded. I suspect that it will please most connoisseurs and enthusiasts of the harp.

FANFARE: Walter Simmons

Tracklist 15 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro moderato 04:53
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    04:53
    Composer
    Pierick Houdy
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  2. 2 II. Lento 03:52
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Lento
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Pierick Houdy
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  3. 3 III. Vivo 02:37
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Vivo
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Pierick Houdy
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  4. 4 I. Allegro vivace 05:59
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    05:59
    Composer
    Alfredo Casella
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  5. 5 II. Sarabanda: Grave, solenne 07:53
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Sarabanda: Grave, solenne
    Duration
    07:53
    Composer
    Alfredo Casella
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  6. 6 III. Finale: Tempo di marcia vivo e festoso 04:07
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Finale: Tempo di marcia vivo e festoso
    Duration
    04:07
    Composer
    Alfredo Casella
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  7. 7 I. Maestoso quasi allegro 07:00
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Maestoso quasi allegro
    Duration
    07:00
    Composer
    Nicolas Flagello
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  8. 8 II. Lento 05:23
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Lento
    Duration
    05:23
    Composer
    Nicolas Flagello
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  9. 9 III. Allegro più possibile 04:37
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Allegro più possibile
    Duration
    04:37
    Composer
    Nicolas Flagello
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  10. 10 I. Massig schnell 05:09
    Track
    10
    Title
    I. Massig schnell
    Duration
    05:09
    Composer
    Paul Hindemith
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  11. 11 II. Lebhaft 02:25
    Track
    11
    Title
    II. Lebhaft
    Duration
    02:25
    Composer
    Paul Hindemith
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  12. 12 III. Lied: Sehr langsam 03:10
    Track
    12
    Title
    III. Lied: Sehr langsam
    Duration
    03:10
    Composer
    Paul Hindemith
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  13. 13 I. Allegretto 02:46
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Allegretto
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Germaine Tailleferre
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  14. 14 II. Lento 04:44
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Lento
    Duration
    04:44
    Composer
    Germaine Tailleferre
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson
  15. 15 III. Perpetuum Mobile: Allegro gaiement 03:07
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Perpetuum Mobile: Allegro gaiement
    Duration
    03:07
    Composer
    Germaine Tailleferre
    Performer
    Sarah Schuster Ericsson