Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20210509 | One of our oldest instruments, the harp has a long and noble history attached to it. From ancient Egypt, to troubadours and princely courts, the harp has held audiences captive for centuries. Instantly recognisable, its gilded beauty proudly announces its presence, yet beyond the glamour of its appearance, and a prominent role as a member of the modern orchestra, it remains one of the least well known instruments in the classical world.
Pivotal to her own musical evolution, in part one we hear the first pieces Catrin Finch came across, that convinced her to pick up the harp. She begins with her vivid memories of being six and hearing a sizzling performance given by Marisa Robles in a local concert hall in West Wales. The influence of the Welsh traditional harp and the 18th century composer John Parry, lead on to the 20th century fireworks of William Mathias, a composer who exploited the language of the harp in a completely modern way. Works by Faur退, Debussy and Ravel, some of the best loved works within the harp's repertoire, are joined by Henriette Reni退, a name of equal significance within the harp world, but who is little known if at all beyond that, but whose contribution to the instrument can be traced through the generations to harp players today.
J退sus Guridi: Viejo Zortzico'
Faur退: Impromptu no 6 in D flat major for harp, op 86
Parry: Sonata no 3 (excerpt)
William Mathias: Santa fe suite
Handel: Concerto for harp in B flat major, op 4 no 6, HWV 294
Debussy: Danse Profane
Ravel: Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet and String Quartet
Henriette Reni退: Danse des Lutins
Gli耀re: Concerto for Harp, op 74
Producer: Johannah Smith for BBC Wales
Catrin Finch begins her travels with the music that ignited her passion for the harp. Catrin Finch shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey. |
| 02 | 20210516 | One of our oldest instruments, the harp has a long and noble history attached to it. From ancient Egypt, to troubadours and princely courts, the harp has held audiences captive over centuries. Instantly recognisable, its gilded beauty proudly announces its presence, yet beyond the glamour of its appearance, and a prominent position in the modern orchestra, it remains one of the least well-known instruments in the classical world.
As a touring musician, Catrin Finch has encountered music from the classical world and a host of other traditions. All of them have helped to shape her thinking and her knowledge of her instrument. In this three-part series the acclaimed virtuoso shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey.
As the leading harpist of her generation, Catrin Finch has done a huge amount to move the harp to centre stage. Historically a solo instrument, in the 19th century composers came to recognise the harp's value as an orchestral instrument. The music of Berlioz, Mahler or Tchaikovsky would be unthinkable without the harp.
In this programme, Catrin Finch reveals the surprising number of avenues down which she and other prominent figures have taken the harp. Moving the harp firmly back into the spotlight across every kind of genre, she talks about her own collaboration with composer John Rutter and the challenges of transcribing JS Bach's Goldberg Variations. The celebrated harpist Osian Ellis's collaboration with Benjamin Britten resulted in an iconic contribution to harp repertoire, while Catherine Michel's association with Michel Legrand took the harp into the field of cinema. The innovations of Alexander Boldachev, part of a new generation of performers, are pushing the instrument's boundaries in yet more unexpected directions.
With music from:
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
Mahler: Symphony no 5
Rimsky-Korsakov, arr. Boldachev
Legrand: Les parapluies de Cherbourg, Suite for harp and Orchestra
JS Bach arr. Catrin Finch: Goldberg Variations
Poulenc, arr I. Moretti: A sa guitare, FP 79
Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp
De Falla, arr Grandjany:
Salzedo: 5 Preludes
Rodrigo: Concierto d'Aranjuez arr by Rodrigo for harp
Britten: Suite for harp, op 83
Rutter: Lullabi for Pegi
Catrin Finch's travels continue as she shows how the harp has reclaimed the centre stage. Catrin Finch shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey. |
| 03 | 20210523 | One of our oldest instruments, the harp has a long and noble history attached to it. From ancient Egypt, to troubadours and princely courts, the harp has held audiences captive over centuries. The harp has constantly evolved and adapted as a response to changing musical environments, from something that existed in almost every ancient culture, to a versatile and sophisticated instrument. Instantly recognisable, the concert harp's gilded beauty proudly announces its presence, yet beyond the glamour of its appearance, and a prominent position in the modern orchestra, it remains still one of the least well known instruments in the classical world.
As a touring musician, Catrin Finch has encountered music from the classical world and a host of other traditions. All of them have helped to shape her thinking and her knowledge of her instrument. In this three-part series the acclaimed virtuoso shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey.
Catrin's passionate about pushing the boundaries of what the harp can sound like, and taking it into new territory. In the third part of her series she celebrates the eclecticism of her instrument, and she looks at the work of others who are doing the same. She talks about her remarkable collaboration with kora player Seckou Keita, and we discover how through their work together, her musicianship has evolved in a completely new direction. We hear how the harp has moved successfully into jazz, and how folk musicians are finding a new musical language in a traditional setting. At the cutting edge of experimentalism, we find the harp being pushed to its limits by harpist Rhodri Davies, and we hear how Philip Glass's music is finding new audiences through Lavinia Meijer's recordings.
Glass, arr Meijer: Etudes no 9
Hubbard: Little Sunflower
Metheny, Mays: `James`
Caplet: Conte fantastique
Finch, Keita: Clarach
Maya Youssef: Bombs turn into roses
Berio: Sequenza II for harp
Trad, arr. Calan: Yr Eneth Ga'dd ei Gwrthod
Sally Beamish: Seavaigers
Each clear and sudden drop is itself
Carlos Rojas: Quita pesares
Producer Johannah Smith for BBC Wales
Catrin Finch's travels take an adventurous turn as she shows the harp in new territories. Catrin Finch shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey. |