大象传媒

One of our oldest instruments, the harp has a long and noble history attached to it. From ancient Egypt, to troubadours and princely courts, the harp has held audiences captive over centuries. Instantly recognisable, its gilded beauty proudly announces its presence, yet beyond the glamour of its appearance, and a prominent position in the modern orchestra, it remains one of the least well-known instruments in the classical world.

As a touring musician, Catrin Finch has encountered music from the classical world and a host of other traditions. All of them have helped to shape her thinking and her knowledge of her instrument. In this three-part series the acclaimed virtuoso shares her insights, taking us on a surprising and a very personal journey.

As the leading harpist of her generation, Catrin Finch has done a huge amount to move the harp to centre stage. Historically a solo instrument, in the 19th century composers came to recognise the harp's value as an orchestral instrument. The music of Berlioz, Mahler or Tchaikovsky would be unthinkable without the harp.

In this programme, Catrin Finch reveals the surprising number of avenues down which she and other prominent figures have taken the harp. Moving the harp firmly back into the spotlight across every kind of genre, she talks about her own collaboration with composer John Rutter and the challenges of transcribing JS Bach's Goldberg Variations. The celebrated harpist Osian Ellis's collaboration with Benjamin Britten resulted in an iconic contribution to harp repertoire, while Catherine Michel's association with Michel Legrand took the harp into the field of cinema. The innovations of Alexander Boldachev, part of a new generation of performers, are pushing the instrument's boundaries in yet more unexpected directions.

With music from:

Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique
II: le Bal
Les si猫cles
Fran莽ois-Xavier Roth, director

Mahler: Symphony no 5
II: Adagietto
Vienna Philharmonic
Pierre Boulez, conductor

Rimsky-Korsakov, arr. Boldachev
Fantaisie, op 14 after Sh茅h茅razade, op 35
Alexander Boldachev, harp

Legrand: Les parapluies de Cherbourg, Suite for harp and Orchestra
Catherine Michel, harp
Grandes Orchestre Symphonie
Michel Legrand, conductor

JS Bach arr. Catrin Finch: Goldberg Variations
Catrin Finch, harp

Poulenc, arr I. Moretti: A sa guitare, FP 79
Felicity Lott, soprano
Isabelle Moretti, harp

Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp
II: Andantino
Marisa Robles, harp
James Galway, flute
Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields
Neville Marriner, director

De Falla, arr Grandjany:
La vida breve
Xavier de Maistre, harp

Salzedo: 5 Preludes
II: Quietude
Alice Giles, harp

Rodrigo: Concierto d鈥橝ranjuez arr by Rodrigo for harp
3. Allegro gentile
Naoko Yoshino (harp)
Orchestre d'Auvergne
Roberto For茅s Veses, conductor

Britten: Suite for harp, op 83
2. Toccata
Osian Ellis, harp

Rutter: Lullabi for Pegi
Catrin Finch, harp
Symphonia Cymru
John Rutter, conductor