Recordings of Philip Glass’s music for harp are certainly not new and it would be incorrect to view Lavinia Meijer’s intentions on this new release as simply a case of jumping on the bandwagon. Glass’s essentially diatonic harmonics and rhythmic language of oscillating two-note patterns and repeating four-note figures lend themselves well to the harp, so it’s no surprise that harpists are embracing his work. Maybe more surprising is that Glass has never in fact composed specifically for the instrument.
Arguably of more interest is the transformation that takes place when Glass’s music is transferred to the harp: its softer, rounder qualities add expressive depth to the music. Meijer’s recording works especially well in this respect. She does not push the music around too much, and the opening track from Glassworks almost announces itself with a whisper. Her playing in the Metamorphosis cycle is firmer and more restrained, but what is sometimes lost in intensity is made up in clarity and focus.
Meijer’s own personal imprint is stronger in the set of pieces taken from Glass’s soundtrack of Stephen Daldry’s film The Hours (2002), where she made a number of arrangements based on Michael Riesman and Nico Muhly’s own piano transcriptions. The harp’s low, reverberant strings on ‘The Poet Acts’ works impressively well here, acting as an effective musical analogy to the murky depths into which the character of Virginia Wolff descends at the beginning of the film.
March 2013
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The five-part “Metamorphosis” is next, and it is lovely. I must admit that I was first attracted to this recording by the novelty of hearing the music of Glass played on the harp. The novelty factor falls away pretty quickly when listening to “Metamorphosis” though. The way his compositions double back on themselves is highly compelling. I found myself forgetting all about the harp, and just enjoying the remarkable music. The same holds true for the six-part “The Hours,” which features arrangements for accompanying solo piano by Michael Riesman and Nico Muhly in addition to Meijer’s harp.
The sound of the harp is beautiful, yet is rarely heard in a solo context. While listening to this disc, I find myself wondering just why that is the case. The recordings of artists such as Alan Stivell and Alice Coltrane are a couple of exceptions of course. Yet that in itself proves my point, as I am hard pressed to think of anyone else who does this. In any event, both Stivell and Coltrane are highly recommended for those who do enjoy solo harp music.
I would definitely add this young Dutch harpist to that short list. The new Channel Classics release of Metamorphosis, The Hours is on the Super Audio Compact Disc format, which gives it an incredible depth when played on surround sound.
A “super-sized” stereo system is not a requirement to enjoy this disc by any means though. It is still very early in the year, but I must say that Metamorphosis, The Hours is the finest classical recording of 2013 I have heard so far.
Greg Barbrick
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I’ll be frank. There are times when the music of minimalist titan Philip Glass hasn’t done much for me. Some time after “Einstein on the Beach” he simplified his style in many cases. There could be a rhythmic devolvement, a melodic-harmonic banality to some of his work.
To my surprise and delight, harpist Lavinia Meijer has taken some of that very music, arranged it for harp from the piano solo originals, then played the works enchantingly, convincingly. Her recording of Metamorphosis and The Hours (Channel Classics CCS SA 33912) brings out the ever present motility and archaic qualities of Glass’s later music in ways that sound beautiful on solo harp, at least as played by Lavinia.
It’s an hour of Philip Glass the way he might have sounded in Ancient Greece, say, which really does do justice to the straightforward music by adding the resonance of the harp, recorded beautifully, played with conviction and sensitivity.
Much recommended. Now I want to hear more from Lavinia Meijer. As with some of Glass’s music, patience and being in the right situation are necessary. I’ll have to wait for the new one!
Grego Applegate Edwards
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Yet again harpist Lavinia Meijer hits the bull’s eye! With her fourth solo-CD she gives a fantastic new color to the music of Philip Glass. This music appears exceptionally well-suited to the harp and the result is a hallucinatingly beautiful recital in which Meijer combines pieces from ‘Glassworks’ (1982) and ‘The Hours’ (2002) with ‘Metamorphosis’ (1988). Meijer met Glass in 2011 when she performed this last piece – in her own arrangement – at the Melkweg in Amsterdam. The composer was enchanted by the sound, thus encouraging Meijer to search for other works of his that might also be well suited to her instrument.
‘Metamorphosis’ sounds flawless in Meijer’s hands. Her interpretation in the second movement of Glass’ tempo-indication “flowing” is brilliant: quietly virtuoso and oh so beautiful.
According to Meijer, it was more challenging to transpose the soundtrack of ‘The Hours’ to the harp, but she succeeded with six of the eleven pieces. Listen to how splendidly the lower strings resonate in ‘The Poet Acts’ and how they give the original music a completely new color. A fascinating CD in all respects, including the intriguing case.
Peter van der Lint, October 2012
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