Harp Recital: Review

The concert on Sunday 26th August 2012 at St Bartholomew's Church, Sproxton, was a first for me.  The harp was played by Elizabeth Bass, a young performer of whom we should take notice.  The whole concert lasted for about three quarters of an hour and consisted of pieces by Benjamin Britten, C.P.E. Bach, Tzvi Avni and Marcel Grandjamy. The Britten piece (Suite for Harp, Op, 43) was astringent and varied. Accessible and well within the comfort zone of many of us brought up, as I was, in the fifties.  The four movements, majestic, fast and gay, slow and quiet, lively (I do like Britten's use of English rather than Italian!) provided contrasting styles and allowed Elizabeth to introduce us to her considerable powers as an interpreter.

The  CPE Bach (Sonata in G major) was a delight for us all.  This is very exacting music, delightful but hard work to get right.  Elizabeth played and finished the piece with a delight that was evident to us all.  For me this was the music right within my comfort zone but nonetheless exciting for that. The Avni (Fantasy for Harp) and Granjany (Rhapsodie) were pieces quite outside my experience and require, for me, a second and third hearing.  Very modern and exploiting many modern techniques for extracting different colours and percussive sounds from the harp.  Very interesting stuff and looked fiendishly difficult to play. After the music Elizabeth described the working of her harp and gave some historical information.  This was most welcome to many of us who are unaware of the developments that have taken place in its power and sophistication. Elizabeth Bass is the principle harpist to the National Youth Orchestra and many of us saw and heard her in a Prom Concert which was televised earlier in the season.  If you missed it have a look on iPlayer, She started learning the harp when she was seven.  Her mother, Rowena Bass, was her first tutor.  Her current tutor is Eleanor Turner.  She will be competing in the 18th International Harp Contest in Israel which will take place from 22nd November.  We wish her well for that.