Luogo e data di registrazione		-
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Recording Supervision		-
	Edizione LP		TELEFUNKEN - 6.42628 AP - (1 LP - durata 44' 35") - (p) 1979 - Analogico
	Originale LP		-
	Prima Edizione CD		-
	Note		Produced by DESMAR

It was for the chromatic harp that Debussy wrote the Danses sacrée et profane in 1904. Although the Danses are played almost exclusively on the double action harp today, the compositional restrictions which the chromatic harp imposed on Debussy are still apparent; most obvious, perhaps, is the fact that there are no glissandi in the piece at all. Pleyel's commission to Debussy did not escape the notice of Erard, who in 1905 commissioned Ravel to compose a piece fo the double action harp. We know from the composer's letter to Jean Marnold that introduction and Allegro cost him at least "a week of continuous work and three sleepless nights." Ravel himself throught very highly of the piece. In its original form the work was second for harp, string, string quartet, flute, and clarinet. In this performance, it has been adapted - along with the other works on this disc - for two harps. This was possible since the flute and clarinet always play along with the strings, creating thereby a dialogue with the harp rather than a concerto grosso texture. The Allegro, which is basically in sonata form, includes a brilliant cadenza which uses every pedal of the double action harp in all possible positions. In this performance the cadenza is sensitively executed by Miss Johnson. Albert Roussel (1869-1937) composed the Impromptu, Op. 21 in 1919 for the eminent harpist Lily Laskine (b. 1893). The work is cast in sonatina form i. e. a sonata without development section). It is built on an artificial scale, F#, G#, Ab, A#, Cb, D#, E#, which, according to the Roussel scholar, Basil Deane, was one of the composer's favourite scales. The Impromptu, along with the Sérénade, Op. 30, has established itself as one of the staples of the harpist's repertoire. The Morceau de concert, Op. 154 of Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), also dates from 1919. This piece, which was dedicated to Nicole Anckier, uses more traditional harmonic resources than the works of the other three composers. The second harp part, which assumes the role of the orchestra here, is based on a piano reduction made by Saint-Saëns himself. ·········· Lucile Johnson and Marcela Kozikova come from different cultures, different generations, and different schools of harp playing. Miss Johnson studied harp with Carlos Salzedo and Marcel Tournier (one of Alphonse Jean Hasselmans most renowned pupils), and has long been regarded as one of America's finest harpists. Her active career has included a teaching position at the Eastman School of Music as well as a seat as first-chair harpist in the Pittsburgh Symphony under Fritz Reiner. Miss Kozikova studied at the Academy of Arts in her native Prague, and later studied with Marcel Grandjany and Sophia Berhout. She is a well-known concert artist and has recorded for Supraphon in Prague.