Musica per arpa - CD

Courage is one of the striking qualities of harpist Kateřina Englichová, whose search for new possibilities has led her to composers of the second half of the 20th century. She has given the premieres of many of these works, while others were written for and dedicated to her. Rather than presenting the harp as a delicate romantic instrument whose virtuosity soon grows tiring, Slavický, Hurník and Kabeláč show it as dynamic, assertive and expressively flexible, an instrument that invites exploration. Their inspiration includes the form of the French suite, Mozart’s catchy themes and the colourful possibilities of the flute and harp. It may surprise listeners how much exploratory yet beautiful harp music was written in the same period as Britten’s Suite in this small Czech musical environment. In two works, Englichová is joined by American flautist Carol Wincenc, a highly respected professor at the Juilliard School; Gemrot’s trio features oboist Vilém Veverka and pianist Martin Kasík. For those unafraid of the unfamiliar, Kateřina Englichová reveals beauty that has not yet been discovered: playful, exploratory and wildly beautiful harp music.