R. Gliere: Concerto for harp - I. Allegro moderato (Olga Erdeli, harp)

Reinhold Glière: Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E-flat major, Op. 74 I. Allegro moderato Olga Erdeli, harp Reinhold Glière wrote his Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E-flat major, Op. 74, in 1938. Glière sought the technical advice of the harpist Ksenia Alexandrovna Erdeli (1878-1971). She made so many suggestions that he offered to credit her as co-composer, but she declined. The work was published as the work of Glière as edited by Erdeli. “A master of colorful orchestration and at the height of his powers at the time of its composition, Gliere’s concerto is in the grand tradition of the Romantic concertos of the nineteenth century - a wonderful display piece for the instrument and a major work of substantial length, of which the harp has too few. Unusual in its choice of instrument, it is also a refreshing exercise in orchestral economy, and the harp is never effaced by the orchestra. The first movement (Allegro moderato) with its long cadenza is followed by a charming set of variations on a beautiful elegiac melody, and the last movement (Allegro giocoso) although not an actual quotation from the folk dance, is reminiscent of a vigorous Ukranian gopak, and brings the work to a brilliant conclusion.“ /Ann Griffiths, 2006/ Born in 1927, Olga Erdeli is among the most respected harpists in Russia. She graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, where she studied with her aunt, Ksenia Erdeli - herself a famous harpist. A key moment in her career came in 1946, when she became a soloist with the Great Symphony Orchestra of the All-Soviet Union Radio and TV; in 1949, she began to give solo recitals and to perform in various chamber ensembles. In the same year, she won First Prize at the Second International Youth Festival (Russia). Since then she has performed in the finest halls in Russia, and toured extensively abroad. Ms. Erdeli is a People Artist of Russia, and since 1953 a highly esteemed professor at the Moscow Conservatory. She has had the great pleasure of teaching harp at the Conservatory to both her daughter Tatyana and her granddaughter Ksenia. As these recordings demonstrate, Ms. Erdeli possesses a brilliant technique, and an outstanding knowledge of the potential of the harp - having authored arrangements for harp of works by Rodrigo, Beethoven, Shostakovich, Khachaturian, and others. All information and photos were taken from the Internet.