Last night, I 'discovered' the Malcolm Arnold Harp Fantasy!!!!
Thanks to a suggestion that annoyingly popped up when I ordered another piece of music on musicroom.com the other day (I think it was that site, anyway) I ended up ordering a piece that I didn't think I really wanted, but thought I should try......
And, lo and behold, it is the most wondrous piece and I heartily recommend it!
I am going to perform it for the first time during my recital on Ruth Faber's harp course for 14-18 year olds at Millfield School in Glastonbury. As soon as I got my fingers around the first set of chords (which, incidentally, were written for Osian Ellis and must have sounded fantastic under his fingers!) I was in love with the piece.
Arnold was born in Northampton, which is near where I live! Also, my excellent student Elizabeth Bass happens to live there and I cannot WAIT to hear what she thinks about this piece, too. It is beautifully written for the harp and composed so well, structurally, that it is really satisfying to play and listen to. I also love the 'March' section with the Shostakovichy staccato repeated chords.
I am not going to have Arnold's Fantasy too far from my music stand for a while :)
I also have the Prelude by Herbert Howells which is so beautiful, but really challenging, and what with the Britten Suite too....and my new piece by Tommy Hewitt Jones...
OUR BRITISH COMPOSERS ARE AWESOME!!!!
Ellie
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