Zuzanna Elster harp
Andrzej Krzyżanowski flute
Adam Siebers violin
Mateusz Doniec viola
Marcel Markowski cello
Barbara Szczęsna-Remisz host
Maurice Ravel Sonatine en Trio in F-Sharp Minor for flute, viola and harp
Marcel Tournier Suite Op. 34 for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp
Jacques Ibert Trio for violin, cello and harp
André Jolivet Chant de Linos for flute, harp and string trio
It is difficult to imagine French music of the early 20th century without the harp and the flute. When the delicate and diverse tones of those instruments are enriched by the sound of strings, a musical impression is born – an ethereal and poetic composition, which also includes references to nature and oriental themes. This unique character is reflected in the program of the concert. In 1905, Maurice Ravel wrote the Sonatina for piano, which served as inspiration for a trio version of the piece composed by his contemporary and harpist, Carlos Salzedo. Salzedo divided the piano part between the harp, flute and string trio, and when he presented his arrangement to Ravel, the latter supposedly said “I wish I had thought of that”. Marcel Tournier, Ravel’s junior by several years, was also a harpist. His Suite Op. 34 from 1929 is a very vibrant and illustrative piece, which follows from the instruments it was written for – a quintet consisting of flute, harp and string trio – and the names of its movements: Evening, Dance, Song, and Celebration. A similar combination of instruments was employed by André Jolivet in a chamber version of Chant de Linos, a musical story based on Greek myth and ancient scales. By contrast, Jacques Ibert’s trio – written at the request of his own daughter – does not include a flute, but instead focuses on the strings and the harp, which is not surprising, considering the fact that his daughter was a harpist herself.
Malina Sarnowska
