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Harpist Xavier de Maistre's brilliant first Mozart recording includes transcriptions of piano works recorded in the composer's hometown. Album of the Weekend, 27-28 July 2013.
Recorded in Salzburg, this album is French harpist Xavier de Maistre‘s personal homage to the peerless Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
In addition to the popular double concerto for flute and harp, de Maistre has recorded Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F major for the first time on the harp as well as the famous C major Sonata – also originally composed for the piano. Transcribing piano works for harp is a 19th century tradition that has been frowned on and forgotten, but de Maistre amply demonstrates that it's a tradition fit for revival.
By joining with Magali Mosnier, a French flautist, for the double a concerto he's also paying special homage to the composer - not only was the concerto written in Paris, it was originally composed for two French soloists.
The harp is accompanied splendidly throughout by the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg - one of the most renowned Mozart orchestras - conducted by Ivor Bolton.