Harp Concerto (Glière) Explained

Reinhold Glière wrote his Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E-flat major, Op. 74, in 1938.

It lasts about 25 minutes and is in three movements:

1. Allegro moderato in E-flat major
2. Tema con variazioni in C-flat major^[1]
3. Allegro giocoso in E-flat major

Glière sought the technical advice of the harpist Ksenia Alexandrovna Erdely (1878–1971). She made so many suggestions that he offered to credit her as co-composer, but she declined. The work was published as the work of Glière as edited by Erdely.^{[2] [3] [4]}

The music combines features that are redolent of both the Viennese classical style and Russian romantic nationalism.^[1]

Recordings

The Harp Concerto in E-flat has been recorded a number of times:

• Osian Ellis, London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bonynge (1968)
• Olga Erdeli, Moscow Radio Large Symphony Orchestra, Boris Khaikin and Gennady Rozhdestvensky (1968)
• Catherine Michel, Luxembourg Radio/Television Symphony Orchestra, Louis de Froment (1992)
• Rachel Masters, City of London Sinfonia, Richard Hickox (1993)
• Alice Giles, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, David Porcelijn (1999)
• Gretchen Van Hoesen, New Symphony Orchestra (Sofia), Rossen Milanov (2002)
• Emmanuel Ceysson, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Renes (2009)
• Claire Jones, English Chamber Orchestra, Paul Watkins (2010)^[5]
• Xavier de Maistre, WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, Nathalie Stutzmann (2022)

See also

• List of compositions for harp

Notes and References

1. Reinhold Gliere's Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E-Flat Major Op.74: An Analysis and Performance Guide . Kamnirdratana, Phuttaraksa . December 2012.
2. http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/111536.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about Classical Archives
3. http://www.naxos.com/reviews/reviewslist.asp?catalogueid=900106&languageid=EN Naxos
4. Web site: Ksenia Erdely International Harp Competition . 2012-06-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121006101936/http://erdelycompetition.ru/en/erdeli/ . 2012-10-06 . dead .
5. http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Drilldown?name_id1=4487&name_role1=1&bcorder=1&comp_id=22923 ArkivMusic