Search - Orazio Mihi Dell' Arpa, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Claudio Monteverdi :: The Harp of Luduvíco: Fantasias, Arias and Toccatas by Frescobaldi and His Predecessors - Andrew Lawrence-King

Outstanding music from rare Spanish and Italian 16th C. harp

C. B Collins Jr. | Atlanta, GA United States | 05/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an incredible selection of music which is masterfully presented by Andrew Lawrence-King. Mr. Lawrence-King has selected works from Spanish 16th century harpists and then traces the movement of these influences to Naples and Southern Italy in the works of 5 Italian harpists.



Whereas the title refers to Luduvico, all 7 of these harpists were followers of Ludovico, ending with the works of Frescobaldi, a renouned harpists in Rome.



The works are superb, complex, meditative, uplifting, and captivating. Andrew Lawrence-King built or had built wooden harps with non-metal strings to try to capture the sound of these original compositions. The effect is fantastic, with a warmth akin to the lute, with none of the metalic twang of some modern orchestral harpists.



I have owned this CD for around 15 years and I often pull it out to absorb its radiance one more time."

FYI

SB | 08/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Harp of Luduvico has been reissued on Helios, Hyperion's budget label; perhaps it will have nine-lives..."