Angelic voices and harps

An evening dedicated to compositions for female voices and harp begins with Johannes Brahms and his Vier Gesänge written for the Hamburgischer Frauenchor, which he founded and of which Clara Schumann was an honorary member.  Other pieces in the program are the acclaimed Laudi alla Vergine Maria by Giuseppe Verdi in 1890, based on verses of the Canto XXXIII of Dante's Paradiso and the interlude of A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, written in 1942 during a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.

Program

Johannes Brahms
Vier Gesänge op. 17 for female choir, horns and harp

Jacques Ibert
Reflets dans l’eau for solo harp

Joseph Gabriel Rheinberger
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen op. 35 for female choir and harp

Jacques Ibert
Scherzetto for solo harp

Gabriel Faurè
Le Ruisseau op. 22, transcription for female choir and harp

Albert Heinrich Zabel
La Source for solo harp

Gustav Holst
Two Eastern Pictures for female choir and harp

Benjamin Britten
Interlude for solo harp from A Ceremony of Carols op. 28

Gustav Holst
Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda (third group) for female choir and harp

Artists

Choir director
Lorenzo Fratini

Female Choir of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Harp
Susanna Bertuccioli

French horns
Gianfranco Dini
Simone Cinque