Music and Gender Blog by Rita Dunn

 

Music and Gender

 

I must admit how much I have enjoyed the Music and Diversity class- especially since we have talked so much about the harp and how the Indigenous people commonly played the instrument. The harp truly is versatile because many countries have played different versions of the harp. In my last blog, I mentioned how the harp is an instrument from Ireland (Neat fact, the harp is the national symbol of Ireland which is why the harp is imprinted on their Irish currency.).

 

As a classical harpist, I thought I would write about the Concert pedal harps in France and the gender identity with the instrument. What gender do you usually imagine when you hear the harp? You probably visualize a beautiful ethereal angel or girl with long blond hair performing lush rolling chords and glissandos! Well, this is the concept many Americans have or associate with the harp. However, the most prestigious and famous French harpists in the world were men! For instance, Alphonse Hasselmans taught at the Paris Conservatory, and composed many standard harp repertoires still performed today. He wrote a lovely piece titled “La Source” (or translated “The Fountain”) which you can enjoy on this link.

                                                        

                                                             Image of Hasselman

 Hasselmans trained a generation of the most important French harpists of the 20th century such as Marcel Grandjany  and Carlos Salzedo. Marcel Grandjany started the harp department at Julliard School of Music and founded the American Harp Society. He also wrote many technical harp pieces including his Fantasie on a Theme of Haydn.  Here is a video of me performing his piece.

                                                                 Image of Grandjany 

The next male harpist, Carlos Salzedo started the harp department at Curtis Institute of Music, and promoted the harp in Europe and the United States. He would perform many concerts as soloist, chamber music (with a harp student, flutist, and celloist), or with a harp ensemble (his students). One of his top students was Lucille Lawrence whom he greatly admired for her impeccable talent. (Lawrence also was the first president of the American Harp Society.) They toured as a duo and wrote several harp method books together. I love reading history about Lucille Lawrence because she is my harp grandmother. My harp teacher, Professor John Wickey studied harp with her at Boston Conservatory. Since Lucille Lawrence studied under the famous male harpist, Carlos Salzedo, he is my harp great-grandfather. What an exciting musical legacy!

With that note (pun intended!) I would like to include a video of Carlos Salzedo performing his Theme and Variations in Ancient Style on radio. You can hear him play at 2:19 into the video. (This is an old recording, so the sound quality may not be clear, but it is so neat to hear him perform his first harp composition.)

He is a recording of me performing the same piece for my junior harp recital last semester. You can hear the piece at 24:51 into the video.

 

I found a recording of Lucille Lawrence performing with an orchestra on television. Hope you enjoy!

 

Okay I know I am probably a nerd, but for one of my Junior recital photoshoot pictures, I decided to pose as my harp great-grandfather, Carlos Salzedo. 

                                                              Image of Carlos Salzedo

                                                                Image of Me

Getting back to the topic of music and gender, you can see the harp is not just an instrument for women, but also men. We may not see men play the harp as often, but they still do perform the instrument. Obviously, my teacher is a male harpist who is the harpist and music librarian for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. I am excited to hear him play the harp concerto  Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo Here is a recording of the concerto he will perform in April. (Also in this video, note the harpist performing the piece is a man!

 

Also, for your enjoyment, I included a harp piece my teacher wrote for harp quartet. He recorded an album with several other accomplished harpists and included this piece titled  “Obelisk.” He composed the work using unique sound effects to showcase the Egyptian culture (perfect to listen to since we are in Music and Diversity Class).

Thank you for reading my music blog! I really enjoyed writing about this topic and hope you enjoyed reading and learning about gender identity with the harp!