Harp

SKU: UT.HS-284

Composed by Pellegrino Santucci. Edited by Giuseppe Monari. Saddle stitching. Classical. Ut Orpheus #HS 284. Published by Ut Orpheus (UT.HS-284).

ISBN 9790215326460. 9 x 12 inches.

Melodia for Solo Harp/ Alleluja Modo II - Wachet auf for Harp and Organ

This publication gathers together in these three pieces the only compositions by Santucci devoted to the harp, both as a solo instrument and in dialogue with the organ, his favourite instrument.
The little Melodia per arpa, a simple piece having an apparently didactic purpose, does not show the date of composition but, judging by the handwriting of the manuscript, it probably dates back to the period between 1980 and 1990. No other information has reached us as to why the piece was composed.
The two pieces Alleluja Modo II and Wachet auf, both dated 20 March 1993, composed for the unusual duo of harp and organ, are dedicated to Anna Maria Restani, first harp in the orchestra of the Teatro Comunale of Bologna from 1965 to 2002, and to her son Wladimir Matesic, organist and now teacher at the Conservatoire in Trieste. Gregorian chant is the protagonist of the first piece, evoking a Gothic and rarefied atmosphere. The second is instead a blatant tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach (right from the first bars the reference to Prelude no. 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier is clear), through one of his most famous chorales (Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme), also used by Santucci for numerous other compositions, including Il corteo dei Magi [for trumpet, organ, orchestra and choir, 1986, ms.], still performed in the Christmas concerts in Bologna.
(Giuseppe Monari).

Harp

SKU: HL.48180013

Composed by Gabriel Pierne. Leduc. Classical. Softcover. 9 pages. Alphonse Leduc #AL10381. Published by Alphonse Leduc (HL.48180013).

UPC: 888680787660. 9.0x12.0x0.061 inches.

Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937) was a French composer, conductor and organist. Despite being predominantly remembered as a conductor, his Impromptu-Caprice remains a popular performance piece in the advanced harpists' repertoire. Pierné studied at the Paris Conservatoire before taking up the position of chief conductor for the concert series, Concerts Colonne in 1910. He remained in the post until 1933, and during this time, he notably conducted the world premiere of Igor Stravinsky's The Firebird. Pierné composed for a variety of instruments, Impromptu-Caprice being one of four solo works by the composer. This Pierné piece for harp contains many characteristics typical of the French style, such as significant tempo changes, flourishes of semiquavers and many alterations in dynamics. Impromptu-Caprice is a varied piece essential to the repertoire of aspiring harpists.

Harp

SKU: FG.55011-912-3

Composed by Tauno Marttinen. Classical, contemporary. Score. Fennica Gehrman #55011-912-3. Published by Fennica Gehrman (FG.55011-912-3).

ISBN 9790550119123.

Luon nonjumala (God of Nature) is Tauno Marttinen’s adaption for harp of his piano suite Taara op. 34. The manuscript for harp was found in January 2024 by Rauno Marttinen, composer’s son.

Duration: c. 15’
Movements:
1. Virran ääniä | The Voices of the Stream
2. Luonnonjumalan lähde | The Spring of God of Nature
3. Metsässä tuulee |The Wind Blows through the Forest

Tauno Marttinen (1912–2008) studied in Viipuri and later in Helsinki at the Helsinki Conservatoire. His piano teachers were Ilmari Hannikainen and Selim Palmgren, but he soon became increasingly interested in composing. Marttinen was also the conductor of the Hämeenlinna City Orchestra in 1949−1958 and the founder and principal of the Hämeenlinna Music Institute.

Marttin en started his composing career in late Romantic vein. However, his first concerts in the 1940s met with criticism since the winds of Modernism had already landed in Finland. He then became interested in Dodecaphony and studied under Vladimir Vogel in Ascona but later abandoned strict dodecaphony and found his own, personal style incorporating elements from Neo-classicism and free-tonality with a hint of mysticism – he was called the Shaman of Hämeenlinna (his hometown).

Tauno Marttinen was an incredibly productive composer; he wrote around four hundred works with opus numbers as well as a wealth of other pieces. His oeuvre includes 10 symphonies, concertos for various solo instruments, operas as well as vocal, chamber and instrumental works. Many of Marttinen’s pieces have become popular standard repertoire, such as the piano piece Kimalluksia (Gleams).

Harp

SKU: UT.MAG-265

Composed by Wilhelm Posse. Edited by Anna Pasetti. Saddle stitching. Magadis. Classical. Ut Orpheus #MAG 265. Published by Ut Orpheus (UT.MAG-265).

ISBN 9790215326422. 9 x 12 inches.

Posseâ€⠄¢s compositions for harp are rich and varied, and range from the easy pieces dedicated to his students to the virtuoso concert pieces; we must also remember his didactic works, in particular the ‘Six Small Studies’ and the universally known ‘Eight Great Concert Studies’.
It is not easy to draw a balance of his legacy in the harp world. On one hand his technical vision of virtuosity combined with a great stability of the hand and rigor of the fingerings certainly contributed to the development of the 20th Century harp technique; on the other hand, his use of the pedals, often driven by two together with the same foot (a very old French technique), has gradually become more and more difficult on modern harps. From the point of view of his contribution to the harp repertoire, the constant run-up to the piano has heavily influenced his compositional production, making him often completely miss the idiomatic effects of 19th Century harp music (except for the use of harmonic sounds), which were so loved by his friend Liszt in the compositions of Parish Alvars.

Harp

SKU: UT.MAG-266

Composed by Wilhelm Posse. Edited by Anna Pasetti. Saddle stitching. Magadis. Classical. Ut Orpheus #MAG 266. Published by Ut Orpheus (UT.MAG-266).

ISBN 9790215326439. 9 x 12 inches.

Posseâ€⠄¢s compositions for harp are rich and varied, and range from the easy pieces dedicated to his students to the virtuoso concert pieces; we must also remember his didactic works, in particular the ‘Six Small Studies’ and the universally known ‘Eight Great Concert Studies’.
It is not easy to draw a balance of his legacy in the harp world. On one hand his technical vision of virtuosity combined with a great stability of the hand and rigor of the fingerings certainly contributed to the development of the 20th Century harp technique; on the other hand, his use of the pedals, often driven by two together with the same foot (a very old French technique), has gradually become more and more difficult on modern harps. From the point of view of his contribution to the harp repertoire, the constant run-up to the piano has heavily influenced his compositional production, making him often completely miss the idiomatic effects of 19th Century harp music (except for the use of harmonic sounds), which were so loved by his friend Liszt in the compositions of Parish Alvars.

By Dusik Jan Ladislav. Czech title: Sest sonatin pro harfu. Published by Praha (Czech import).