Carlos Salzedo

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Carlos Salzedo (1885-1961), harpist and composer, was born in Arcachon, France. The child of musicians, he grew up to become one of the greatest harpists that ever lived, a virtuoso player unparalleled, a virtuoso pianist and conductor, and a primal teacher. He was a progressive spirit, seeking new resources in the harp, inspiring and creating new works, creating new styles of music. His composing progressed from French Romantic to Impressionist to a new style uniquely his own. He introduced and popularized Ravel's Introduction and Allegrom to the United States in performances with the major symphony orchestras. He appeared regularly as soloist with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, on tour as recitalist, harp ensemble leader and flute-harp-cello trio member. His activity in the 1920s alone was astonishing in its fecundity, and he was a celebrity as well. He was compared to Wanda Landowska by no less a critic than Virgil Thomson, as a pioneer and as a fascinating performer. He also performed historical music] as well as the new, featuring French baroque music extensively on his programs. He was a piano pupil of de Beriot, the pupil of Chopin. He received the premier prix in both harp and piano on the same day, a feat never matched, when he graduated from the Paris Conservatoire at the age of sixteen. He was married three times, to Viola (Mimine) Gramm, a singer, to Lucile Lawrence, his protegee and partner, and later to Marjorie Call, also a protegee and partner in performing. His ideas led to the designs of two harps still manufactured by Lyon & Healy, the art-nouveau style 11 and the art deco Salzedo model.

He started the harp program at Curtis Institute, and the Salzedo Harp Colony in Camden, Maine with Lucile Lawrence.

== Known Compositions, other than harp (many early works were published by Costallat, but have apparently vanished) ==

Berceuse for Cello and Piano, opus 72 (1907)
Caprice Scherzando for Cello and Piano (1908)
Invocation for Cello and Piano (1908)
Piece Concertante for Trombone and Piano, opus 27 (1910)
Rivalite de Fleurs, opus 25 for Voice and Piano (1911)
Four Choruses in Old Sonata Form for 3 mens voices/choir and harp, organ or piano (1914)
Prelude to Olaf Bolm for Piano (1926)
Breaking in the New Year for Piano (1935)
Offriam for Cello (1951)
Volute and Rondel for Flute (1951)
Marya Freund for Piano (1956)
Enigme for Piano (1960)

[edit] Chronology of Compositions for Harp, solo, chamber and soloist

Trois Morceaux: Ballade op. 28, Jeux d'Eau, Variations sur un theme dans le style ancien (1910-11)
Paraphrase (Cadenza) for Liszt's Second Rhapsody (a solo showpiece or cadenza for orchestral performance)
Chanson Chagrine (1914)
Five Preludes for Harp Alone: (1917)
Lamentation
Quietude
Iridescence
Introspection
Whirlwind

Five Preludes on the name of Olga (Samaroff-Stokowski) (1917):
Embryon
Eveil
Fete au village
Hallucinations
Fraicheur

The Enchanted Isle, a tone poem for Harp and Orchestra (1918)

Bolmimerie, for seven-harp ensemble (1918)
Brise Marine, for soprano, oboe, horn, bassoon, six harps (1918)
Five Poetical Studies for Harp Alone:
(Flight)
(Mirage)
(Inquietude)'
(Idyllic Poem)
(Communion)(1919)

Poems of Sara Yarrow, for soprano, oboe, horn, bassoon, six harps:
Ecstasy
Despair
Humility
(1919)

Preludes Intimes:
tenderly emoted
dreamingly
profoundly peaceful
in self-communion
procession-like
(1919)

Burlesque Sentimental (1920)
Five Sketches on Friends of Mine: Kyra Alanova
Dane Rudhyar
Edith Sullivan
Sara Yarrow
Edgard Varese
(1920)

Four Preludes to the Afternoon of a Telephone, for harp duo:
Audubon 530
Plaza 4570
Prospect 7272
Riverside 4937 (1921)

Poem of the Little Stars (1921)
Recessional (1921)
Sonata for Harp and Piano (1922)
Four Pieces for the Modern Irish Harp (1924)
"Sarabande variee"
"Bi-tonal jig"
"Pavloviana"
"Prelude Nocturne"
Three Poems of Stephane Mallarme, for soprano, harp, piano (1924)
"Las de l'amer repos ou ma paresse offense"
"Feuillet d'album" (soprano solo)
"Une dentell s'abolit"
Nocturne to Ursula, for unspecified instrument, presumably harp or piano (1925)
Concerto for Harp and Seven Wind Instruments, harp, fl/picc, cl A, ob, hn, bsn, trp C (1926)
(three movements)
Preludes for Beginners, harp, published in Method for the Harp (1927)
No titles for I-IX,
XII "Fanfare"
XIII "Cortege"
XIV "La Desirade"
XV "Chanson dans la nuit" (his most famous composition)
Pentacle, suite for harp duo (1928)
"Steel"
"Serenade"
"Felines"
"Catacombs"
"Pantomime"
Preambule et Jeux, harp solo, fl,ob,bsn, str quintet
(one movement)
Prelude Fatidique, harp solo (1930)
Prelude in the Nature of an Octave Study (editor's title) (1930)
Untitled work, harp, brasses, strings (1930)
Musique des Troubadours, soprano, harp, viola d'amore, viola da gamba (1931)
Triptic Dance, harp duo or trio (1931)
Short Stories in Music, harp (1934) Series I and II
"The Dwarf and the Giant"
"The Kitten and the Limping Dog"
"Rocking Horse"
"On Donkeyback"
"Raindrops"
"Madonna and Child"
"Memories of a Clock"
"Night Breeze" harp solo or ensemble
and
"On Stilts"
"Pirouetting Music Box"
"Behind the Barracks" harp solo or duo
"At Church"
"Goldfish"
"The Mermaid's Chimes"
"Skipping Rope" harp solo or duo

Original Compositions for the harp (or arrangements of traditional tunes): (titles only)

Ballade
Behind the Barracks
Chanson dans la nuit (Song in the Night)
Concerto for Harp and Seven Wind Instruments
Dixie Parade
Fraicheur
Introspection
Iridescence
Jeux D’Eau
Jolly Piper
Lamentation
Last Rose of Summer, The
Londonderry Air
Night Breeze
Pentacle
Poem of the Little Stars
Prelude for a Drama
Preludes Intimes
Scintillation
Song of the Volga Boatman
Suite of Eight Dances:
Gavotte, Menuet, Polka, Siciliana, Bolero, Seguidilla, Tango, Rumba
Traipsin’ thru Arkansaw
Turkey Strut
Two New Wedding Marches
Variations sur un theme dans le style ancient

Collections/books of music:
Carlos Salzedo Collection
Christmas Harp Collection
Daily Dozen
Paraphrases on Christmas Carols Vol. 2
Short Stories in Music, Vol. 1
Short Stories in Music, Vol. 2
Sketches for Harpist Beginners, Volume 1
Sketches for Harpist Beginners, Volume 2
Suite of 8 Dances
The Star Spangled Banner
Tiny Tales, Vol. 1
Tiny Tales, Vol. 2

Arrangements and Transcriptions include:
Bouree J. S. Bach / Salzedo
Sixth French Suite J. S. Bach / Salzedo
Children Corner SuiteDebussy / Salzedo
Clair de lune Debussy / Salzedo
Concerto Mozart/Salzedo
Concerto in B-Flat Handel / Salzedo
Harmonious Blacksmith Sheet Music Handel / Salzedo
Jingle Bells ?/Salzedo
I Wonder as I Wander Niles/Carols Salzedo
La Cathedral EngloutieDebussy / Salzedo
La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin/Maid with the Flaxen Hair
Debussy / Salzedo
La Joyeuse Rameau/Salzedo
The Lord's Prayer Malotte / Salzedo
Meditation Massenet/Salzedo
Pavane Anon. / Salzedo
Prelude Ravel/Salzedo
Seven Spanish Songs DeFalla/Salzedo
Sonata in C Minor Pescetti / Salzedo
Spanish Dance No.5 Granados/Salzedo
Triptic Dance Beauchant/Salzedo

Technique books:
The Art of Modulating Book Lawrence / Salzedo
Conditioning Exercises Carlos Salzedo
Method for the Harp Book Lawrence / Salzedo
Modern Study of the Harp Carlos Salzedo
Pathfinder to the Harp Lawrence / Salzedo

Other Information:
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