In her recently released CD set La Belle Époque de la Harpe, Volume #2 and 3, the fine harpist Suzanna Klintcharova features four French composers. They are the acknowledged masters, Debussy and Ravel, André Caplet, the brilliant orchestrator of several of Debussy’s works, and a venturesome creator in his own right, and Albert Roussel, renowned composer and teacher of Edgard Varèse and Bohuslav Martinů.
Conte Fantastique, a musical realization of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, is a vivid representation of Caplet’s gifts. Both the harp and string writing employ non-traditional techniques and a harmonic language that projects further into the twentieth century. Ms. Klintcharova’s technical facility in this, as in everything, is beyond reproach. Her rhythm is infallible, and her tone is clean and resonant. In addition, the stringent demands made on the strings are handled quite well, which is no mean feat.
Ravel’s Introduction et Allegro and Debussy’s Danses Sacrée et Profane are two cornerstones of the French repertory and both are given excellent treatment here by Ms. Klintcharova and the Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra. While both works contain extended solo passages and some meaty challenges for the harp, the Ravel is more intricate and interwoven amongst the players, while the Debussy, by its nature, is a more blended, harmonious composition. Though I found the interpretation in the Ravel somewhat on the conservative side, the playing was distinctive, most especially from the flutist Gueorgui Spassov. Ms. Klintcharova, a generous and intelligent collaborator, chooses her partners well.
These impressions of unity in musicality and expression amongst the players were only strengthened in the final disc of the recording. In Debussy’s Sonata No.2 for Flute, Viola, and Harp, I was particularly impressed by the violist Ognyan Konstantinov, whose beautiful tone quality and intonation were a pleasure to hear. Both Ms. Klintcharova and flutist Andrash Adorjan an employed a wide color palette to produce some magical effects. The players’ approach did not work quite so well, however, in Carlos Salzedo’s arrangement of the Ravel Sonatine for Piano, renamed Sonatine en Trio, for flute, cello and harp. This may be attributable to the inherent difficulties of transferring piano literature to chamber music. I missed the pristine delicacy of the original, and found that in some passages, choices in articulation and dynamic did not reflect the spirit of piano version. In general, it suffered from over interpretation.
The finale of the third disc, Roussel’s Sérénade for Flute, String Trio and Harp, Op. 30, was a revelation, and a rollicking finish to this recording. By far the most modernistic composition of the group, it has a rhythmic drive and metric complexity that proved exhilarating. Quoting freely from French folk song, and incorporating the flavor of early jazz, this chamber work occupies an unusual niche in the French repertory. Once again, Ms. Klintcharova and her partners were at the top of their game. This CD set is a consistently rewarding addition to the catalogue of French harp music.
