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American Harp / Yolanda Kondonassis

Williams / Lash / Paulus / Carter / Kondonassis
Release Date: 06/25/2013 
Label:  Azica   Catalog #: 71281   Spars Code: DDD 
Composer:  John Williams,  Hannah Lash,  Lowell Liebermann,  Stephen Paulus,   ... 
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
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Notes and Editorial Reviews


This adventurous program features Yolanda Kondonassis in seven surprisingly substantial works for harp by American composers. There’s remarkably little fluff; even the lightest pieces here—John Williams’ the Lanes of Limerick, Stephen Paulus’ Berceuse, and Norman Dello Joio’s Bagatelles—have a degree of substance that we don’t always expect in repertoire for this particular instrument. Hannah Lash’s Stalk, whatever that’s supposed to mean, is alternately spiky and lyrical–quite entertaining. John Cage’s In a Landscape is hypnotic and proto-minimalist, with an Eastern flavor emerging now and again. Kondonassis gives her harp an appropriately austere twang here.

The major work on the Read more disc is Lowell Liebermann’s Music for Harp. At almost 18 minutes, this is a major addition to the repertoire for the instrument, and it’s an impressively sustained piece full of distinctive ideas. That leaves us with Bariolage, by Elliott Carter. “Bariolage” means (on the violin at least) the rapid alternation of a single note with other notes around it. The technique was often used by Haydn to repeat the same note on different strings, with humorous results. Now the harp is, by its very nature, a tonal instrument, and humor never was Carter’s strong suit. Nevertheless, and despite Carter’s best efforts to be his usual self, the instrument defeats him–with the result that the piece is quite enjoyable.

Kondonassis is an amazing harpist with perfect technique and a pure, limpid tone that consistently seduces the ear. She handles the wildest flights of contemporary virtuosity with ease. Make no mistake, this is difficult music, not just for the hands, but for the feet as well. Her pedal shifting is always smooth and silent, and believe me there’s a lot of it. Azica’s sonics capture the harp at the ideal distance to offer maximum warmth as well as clarity. This is an absolutely beautiful disc full of music that’s well worth getting to know. It will surprise you.

-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording

1.
The Lanes of Limerick by John Williams
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1999 
2.
Stalk by Hannah Lash
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
Written: 2008 
3.
Music for Harp, Op. 116 by Lowell Liebermann
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
4.
Berceuse by Stephen Paulus
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1983 
5.
Bagatelles for harp by Norman Dello Joio
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
6.
In a Landscape by John Cage
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1948; USA 
7.
Bariolage by Elliott Carter
Performer:  Yolanda Kondonassis (Harp)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1992 

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review:  ( 2 Customer Reviews )
 welcome a new compositional talent September 21, 2013 By M. Baranchik (Chicago, IL) See All My Reviews "The sound and performances are universally excellent as one would expect from an artist of Ms. Kondonassis talent. Personally, I enjoy this most for introducing me to the work of Hannah Lash, a composer who also studied harp with Ms. Kondonassis. If this piece is any indication, hers is a voice I look forward to hearing often in the future." Report Abuse
 Gorgeous harp music written by contemporary compo July 29, 2013 By Warren Harris See All My Reviews "If you are a harp lover, then you probably know who Yolanda Kondonassis is – and for those that don’t, you are in for a treat as she is a masterful musician. This disc consists of nine works for harp by contemporary composers. But not to worry, this is not a collection of dissonant atonal pieces. Rather, it is a collection of evocative works brought to life in a very special way. The first piece, film composer John Williams’ “The Lanes of Limerick” from the score to “Angela’s Ashes” is an Irish flavored work that makes you just sit back and gape. “Stalk” by Hannah Lash, a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music in harp performance, offers us a complex work that speaks (per the composer in the informative liner notes) to being trapped in a garden full of beautiful flowers in nightmare (you just have to hear it to understand). Lowell Liebermann offers us “Music for Harp, Op. 116” in which the abilities of the harp are explored in numerous interesting ways. Stephan Paulus’ “Berceuse” is a single movement for solo harp of a work for Chamber Orchestra and features beautiful fluid passages of the type only possible on the harp. “Batelles” from Norman Dello Joio consists of 3 works that are somewhat soul-searching, although the second one is fairly spritely. “In a Landscape” is a John Cage work, and it is just gorgeous. This one pleasantly surprised me. Finally we have Elliott Carter’s “Bariolage” -- this is difficult to describe, parts of it seeming disjointed except that they are not, intermixed with somewhat haunting passages. Not my favorite work on the disc, but I am strangely glad that it is here. The recording quality is excellent, and I can’t say enough about Ms. Kondonassis’ technique and music making ability. If you like harp music, then this CD is worth looking at. Strongly recommended." Report Abuse
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