Alberto Ginastera
Harp Concerto (Ginastera)
The Harp Concerto by Alberto Ginastera was composed in 1956 and first performed in 1965. The concerto was commissioned by Edna Phillips, the harpist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Phillips had
Background#
At the time of composition in 1958, Ginastera was in a period he described as “Subjective Nationalism”, and nationalism for him meant the use and incorporation of Argentine folk elements. While the guitar is the instrument most associated with Spain, Central and South America today, it was not always so. The harp was the instrument par excellence of the Spanish Renaissance and early Baroque periods, introduced extensively to the New World by the missionaries, and folk harps remain an integral part of traditional music across Latin America. As such, Ginastera was able to incorporate elements of both traditional aesthetics and Latin American harp into his work.
Music#
The concerto has three movements: It is scored for the following instruments: ;Woodwinds: :2 flutes (flute 2 doubling piccolo) :2 oboes :2 clarinets in B :2 bassoons ;Brass: :2 horns in F :2 trumpets in C ;Percussion: :timpani :tambourine :field drum :cymbals :xylophone :celesta :various Latin percussion instruments ;Strings: :harp :violin I :violin II :violas :cellos :double basses
See also#
- List of compositions for harp
Sources#
*Ginastera, Alberto. “Harp Concerto. Op. 25.” (Boosey & Hawkes, 1974).
- Composer
- Alberto Ginastera