Harpe

The Montreal Chamber Players, all members of the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal who are also avid chamber-music players join Jennifer Swartz, principal harp with the OSM and a prolific soloist, for this recording of French works from the post-Romantic and Impressionistic periods. They play works written by Ravel in his youth, and by Debussy at the peak of his career. They also play masterpieces by three less known but equally indispensable composers: an ode to the sea beside which he grew up by Ropartz, strongly influenced by the Breton folk tradition; one of the very last works that Koechlin completed, amply demonstrating his unerring instinct as an orchestrator; and Roussel's Sérénade, a musical snapshot of Paris in the Roaring Twenties, full of vivid impressions and effervescent poetry.

Dynamic roots-rocking band Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers are releasing their first ever holiday album, THE CHRISTMAS SWING. Following up their acclaimed 2017 sophomore album, BIG ROAD, the new holiday album is a fun seasonal romp chock full of hooky blues-guitar-fueled gems. We had a lot of fun making this album. Its a holiday album for music fans that dont necessarily like Christmas music, declares Erin, its just good music, that will make your holidays more fun!

The harpist Lily Laskine (1893-1988) was a popular and influential figure whose name was particularly closely identified with the Erato label, although she also recorded for EMI. The first woman to play in the orchestra of the Paris Opéra, she made her first recording for Erato – Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp with Jean-Pierre Rampal – in 1958, when she was already 65. She made her last Erato recording 23 years later. Her stereo remake of the Mozart concerto (again partnering with Rampal), recorded in 1963, remains an all-time classical bestseller in France.

Jazz fusion with Fender Rhodes, bass, and drums. CD features Mitch Forman, Ed Czach, Tom Kennedy, Dave Enos and others. CD won the 2007 Los Angeles Music Award for Best Instrumental Jazz. Shades of Blue won the Great American Song Contest in Inst. Jazz.

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive folk music
"Reflets" represented a teaser of STIVELL's mid to late 70s recordings with its blend of mournful (and occasionally spry) vocals with harp and other folk accompaniments and a little rock thrown in. It alluded to his indefatigable drive, now 4 decades old, to keep the tradition alive by holding its feet to the fire.

When the young Archduchess of Austria, Marie-Antoinette, arrived at the French court in 1770, amongst her luggage was a harp. Contrary to the instrument’s heralded decline, the harp was about to enjoy an unprecedented popularity and to inspire a rich and prolific repertoire, quite distinct from the concertos being composed for the keyboard. Xavier de Maistre and Les Arts Florissants take us on a voyage of discovery through these magnificent compositions, from the lesser known Concerto for harp & orchestra by Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz to Haydn’s “La Reine” Symphony, bringing them to life using period instruments in a programme that is as accomplished as it is captivating.