Henriette Renie - Henriette Renié Retrospective: Historical Harp Recordings 1927-1955 (2025)

Tracklist

CD1
01. Andante religioso for harp and violin
02. Scherzo-Fantaisie for harp and violin
03. Contemplation
04. Légende
05. Harp Concerto in C Minor: I. Allegro risoluto
06. Harp Concerto in C Minor: II. Adagio
07. Deux pieces symphoniques: I. Elégie
08. Deux pieces symphoniques: II. Danse caprice
09. Pièce symphonique
10. Danse des lutins
11. Feuillets d’automne (Esquisse)
12. Promenade matinale, 2 pièces pour harpe I. Au loin, dans la verdure, la mer calme et mystérieuse
13. Promenade matinale, 2 pièces pour harpe: II. Dans la campagne ensoleillée, la rosée scintilla
14. La Commère (from Second livre de pieces de clavecin 6e ordre)
01. Un sospiro (Caprice poétique from Trois grandes études de concert, No. 3)

CD2
02. Première arabesque
03. Siciliana (from Antiche danze ed arie per liuto)
04. Menuet (from Castor et Pollux)
05. Menuet (from Sonata No. 33, Divertimento per il cembalo solo)
06. L’Hirondelle (from Premier livre de pieces de clavecin, Suite No. 2)
07. Le Coucou (from Premier livre de pieces de clavecin, Suite No. 3)
08. Moment Musical No. 3 (from Moments musicaux, D. 780, No. 3)
09. Sonate facile en ut (from Eine kleine klavier sonate für Anfänger, K. 545)
10. Consolation No. 3, S. 172
11. Tic-toc-choc ou les maillotins (from Troisième livre de pieces de clavecin, 18e ordre)
12. Célèbre Valse dite du chat (from 3 valses pour le piano, Op. 64, No. 1 “Minute”)
13. Capriccio (from Sonata in E Major, L. 375)
14. Le rossignol, d’après la Mélodie russe d’Alabieff (from Deux melodies russes, Arabesques, No. 1)
15. Pastorale, K. 9
16. Nocturne (from Liebesträume, 3 Notturnos, No. 3)
17. Étude de concert, Op. 132
18. Am Springbrunnen (from La Source, Op. 23, No. 24)
19. Prelude No. 7 (from Ten Pieces for Piano, Op. 12)
20. Pièce de concert, Op. 32

In celebration of Henriette Renié’s 150th birthday, this collection is being issued as a complete representation of her professional and personal recordings. All have been carefully re-mastered and pitch-corrected, and presented in their original, unedited format. This historical collection shows a different side of Renié’s performing – one which is more “human” than the highly polished and perfected recordings of today’s artists. The value is apparent – while there may be notes which are out of tune or not quite perfect in execution, the unique voice of Mlle Renié as a performer comes through unaltered, as if one were sitting in her living room in Paris on a steamy evening, savoring the most delicious notes from her harp, along with the sounds of creaking chairs, sighs and applause. The collection offers a true “living-room” view of our artist, with spoken introductions by her in French. The musical selections of CD1 are organized chronologically, based on the publication dates for her original compositions, followed by the order of publication for her Les classiques transcriptions. Although recordings do not exist for all her published works, the pieces on CD1 run the gamut of her writing styles and recordings. CD2 includes in contrast her performances of works for harp written by a variety of composers. The overall impression is that of a master class in musicality and performance: qualities that have drawn pedagogues to this composer, performer and teacher for decades. With so many different interpretations of her best known compositions – such as Légende, Contemplation and Pièce symphonique – this account of her own interpretation preserves her voice as both composer and performer, and will be important for all generations of pedagogues. To further shed light on Renié, the CD booklet includes candid photographs of her with her students; they show her to be a lover of life, always grateful to her Maker.

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