Lily Laskine / Marielle Nordmann - Concert Pour Deux Harpes

Erato - LP

France, 1972

Ancient Classical / Baroque / Harp Music

Besides beautiful renditions of Harp Duos by Haydn or Petrini, the record also includes seldom recorded pieces by little-known 18th century French composer and harpist Martin Pierre d'Alvimare, whose life is some biopic material: played in front of Marie-Antoinette at age 7, wrote his first opera at age 16, refused the office of receiver of sal-tax of his father to become Louis XVI's bodygard instead, hid during the Revolution and worked as a draftsman for a handkerchief factory, and evenutally became harp master for the Empress, Joséphine at the end of his life... Some of the crazy things we end up reading to write these texts. Anyway, that Martin Pierre d'Alvimare's "Second Duo Pour Harpes" is enchanting and particularly moving in that version recorded by Lily Laskine (born 1941) and her mentor Marielle Nordmann (born 1893).