Aficionados may disagree about who is the finest harpist working today, but Xavier de Maistre certainly belongs near the top of the list of the most charismatic. After releasing several successful thematic albums on Sony Classical, he returned in 2021 with Christmas Harp, offering a host of Christmas favorites in harp arrangements, old and new. It's an attractive release in that it can be recommended to anyone looking for general holiday-season soundtracks for home or auto, yet, it also brings to the fore some figures from ...
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Aficionados may disagree about who is the finest harpist working today, but Xavier de Maistre certainly belongs near the top of the list of the most charismatic. After releasing several successful thematic albums on Sony Classical, he returned in 2021 with Christmas Harp, offering a host of Christmas favorites in harp arrangements, old and new. It's an attractive release in that it can be recommended to anyone looking for general holiday-season soundtracks for home or auto, yet, it also brings to the fore some figures from the harp's history who served as arrangers. Primary among these is 20th century harpist Carlos Salzedo, who provided a big chunk of the harp transcription repertory and is represented here by arrangements of familiar carols, some of them quite virtuosic. There are a couple of intricate variation sets, and consider his Paraphrase on It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, with its striking opening at the very top of the harp's register. However, younger figures are also present, including...
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