Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ernst Eichner, George Frideric Handel, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joaquin Rodrigo, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Antonio de Almeida, Colin David, Marcel Couraud, I Musici, AndrA© PA©pin, Hubert Barwahser, Annie Challan, Catherine Michel, Osian Ellis, Ursula Holliger, London Symphony Orchestra, Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra, Musica Alta Ripa - Favourite Harp Concertos

An outstanding survey of recordings for harp and orchestra.

There's nothing quite like classical music to soothe the stress of the afternoon commute (especially on Greater Boston's Rt. 128 or your local equivalent). Harp music, in particular, has an extraordinarily calming effect. I'm not exactly sure why that is (darnit Jim, I'm an engineer not a behavioral psychologist) but I can personally vouch for the results. This two-disc set contains some of the finest music for harp and orchestra ever composed.

Disc 1 contains familiar harp concerti by Handel and Mozart, followed by a lesser known work by Eichner. The melodies and performances are guaranteed to work their way deep into your soul. Ursula Holliger (oboe virtuoso Heinz Holliger's wife, in case you were wondering) produces a stellar performance in the Handel concerto. Her technique and interpretation are both insightful and strongly delivered. The orchestras in question should by no means be ignored. I Musici, The London Symphony, and Musica Antiqua Koln (for the Handel, Mozart, and Eichner, respectively) are all names to be reckoned with in the field and they do not disappoint.

Disc 2 consists of more modern works by composers less familiar even to classical music fans except, of course, those who know Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo for their classical guitar music. The works on the second disc are somewhat less accessible to the casual listener, but after repeated listenings, I find them well worth the effort.

In short, stuffing this CD into your car stereo system (or, as in my case, the passenger-seat boombox) will make that jerk in the Beemer who just cut you off, far less relevant. December 20, 1998

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