Rutti / Duo Praxedis - Harp & Piano - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Album Tracks 1. Vers la Flamme 2. Tod Und Verklärung = Death and Transfiguration 3. Regard de L'eglise D'amour 4. Improvisation 5. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

Harpist to Queen Victoria, the Welsh composer John Thomas (1826-1913) wrote prolifically for his own instrument, both for solo harp and for duos of two harps or harp and piano - a combination where the different sounds of the two instruments enhance the clarity of the texture. Thomas' own compositions use the elegant Romantic style of his own day, but he also left a generous legacy of transcriptions, with no fewer than fourteen Schubert songs recorded on this second volume of his complete duos for harp and piano. Although some of his music was intended for the Victorian drawing room, other pieces require a virtuoso technique - and all of it has a thoroughly engaging melodic appeal. Album Tracks 1. March of the Men of Harlech 2. Souvenir Du Bal 3. Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 'Marche Funèbre' 4. Complete Song Transcriptions 5. Rákóczi-Induló 6. Duet on Themes from Lucia Di Lammermoor

Harpist to Queen Victoria, the Welsh composer John Thomas (1826-1913) was also a prolific composer for his own instrument, writing works both for solo harp and for duos of two harps or harp and piano - a combination where the different sounds of the two instruments enhances the clarity of the texture. Thomas' original works use the elegant Romantic style of his own day, but he often drew on Welsh folksong for his inspiration and also left a generous legacy of transcriptions, especially of operatic favorites. Duo Praxedis comprises the harpist Praxedis Hug-Rütti and the pianist Praxedis Geneviève Hug. Together they have been enchanting audiences for many years. Duo Praxedis's mission is to revive the once popular repertory for harp and piano that flourished from about 1780 until about 1915. Since 2010 Duo Praxedis has been performing regularly throughout Europe and the United States, invariably with great success. Album Tracks 1. Souvenir du Nord~Introduction Allegro con spirito - 2. Souvenir du Nord~Theme Andante con moto - 3. Souvenir du Nord~Var. 1 Moderato - 4. Souvenir du Nord~Var. 2 Allegro brillante - 5. Souvenir du Nord~Var. 3 Andante cantabile - 6. Souvenir du Nord~Var. 4 Allegro scherzando 7. Adelaide, Op. 46 8. Welsh Duet No. 1, Dyddiau Mebyd (Scenes of Childhood)~I. Serch Hudol (Love's Fascination) Moderato spiritoso 9. Welsh Duet No. 1, Dyddiau Mebyd (Scenes of Childhood)~II. Toriad y Dydd (The Dawn of Day) Larghetto affettuoso - Allegro agitato 10. Welsh Duet No. 1, Dyddiau Mebyd (Scenes of Childhood)~III. Gwyr Harlech (Men of Harlech) Moderato maestoso 11. Welsh Duet No. 2, Cambria~I. Y Gadlys (The Camp) Allegro maestoso 12. Welsh Duet No. 2, Cambria~II. Y Ferch o'r Scer (The Lady of Sker) Andante espressivo 13. Welsh Duet No. 2, Cambria~III. Tros y Garreg (Crossing the Stone) Allegro scherzando 14. Welsh Duet