Impromptu Sarah O'Brien

• Gabriel Pierné (1863 - 1937): Impromptu-Caprice, Op. 9:
• 1 Pierné: Impromptu-Caprice, Op. 9 06:18
• François Couperin (1668 - 1733): Le Tic-Toc-Choc:
• 2 Couperin: Le Tic-Toc-Choc 02:27
• Jean Cras (1879 - 1932): Deux impromptus pour Harpe:
• 3 Cras: Deux impromptus pour Harpe: I. Lent 06:22
• 4 Cras: Deux impromptus pour Harpe: II. Animé 03:40
• Jean Philippe Rameau (1683 - 1764): Suite in E Minor:
• 5 Rameau: Suite in E Minor: V. Les rappel des Oiseaux 03:05
• Suite in G Major / G Minor:
• 6 Rameau: Suite in G Major / G Minor: IV. La Poule 03:38
• Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963): Sonata for Harp:
• 7 Hindemith: Sonata for Harp: I. Mäßig Schnell 05:02
• 8 Hindemith: Sonata for Harp: II. Lebhaft 02:24
• 9 Hindemith: Sonata for Harp: III. Lied. Sehr Langsam 03:28
• Joaquín Rodrigo (1901 - 1999): Impromptu para Arpa:
• 10 Rodrigo: Impromptu para Arpa 03:58
• Reinhold Glière (1875 - 1956): Impromptu:
• 11 Glière: Impromptu 04:10
• Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz (1864 - 1955): Impromptu pour la Harpe:
• 12 Ropartz: Impromptu pour la Harpe 04:08
• Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757): Sonata in E Major, K. 380:
• 13 Scarlatti: Sonata in E Major, K. 380 02:59
• Nino Rota (1911 - 1979): Sarabanda e Toccata per Arpa:
• 14 Rota: Sarabanda e Toccata per Arpa: I. Sarabanda 05:06
• 15 Rota: Sarabanda e Toccata per Arpa: II. Toccata 02:30
• Virgilio Mortari (1902 - 1993): Sonatina Prodigio:
• 16 Mortari: Sonatina Prodigio: I. Gagliarda 01:57
• 17 Mortari: Sonatina Prodigio: II. Canzone 01:16
• 18 Mortari: Sonatina Prodigio: III. Toccata 02:12
• Albert Roussel (1869 - 1937): Impromptu, Op. 21:
• 19 Roussel: Impromptu, Op. 21 06:58
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): Impromptu in D-Flat Major, Op. 86:
• 20 Fauré: Impromptu in D-Flat Major, Op. 86 08:45
• Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757): Sonata in A Major, K. 323 (Bonus Track):
• 21 Scarlatti: Sonata in A Major, K. 323 (Bonus Track) 01:56
• Félix Godefroid (1818 - 1897): Romance sans Paroles (Bonus Track):
• 22 Godefroid: Romance sans Paroles (Bonus Track) 02:25
• Total Runtime 01:24:44

Info for Impromptu

A common genre on the piano since Franz Schubert, there are far fewer impromptus for the harp than one might think. Sarah O'Brien, long-time principal harpist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and the Munich Philharmonic, presents here a compendium of all impromptus for harp. She has collected both well-known works and surprising rarities, which she complements with 20th century compositions and spices up with some jewels from the 18th century, which are also ideally suited as arrangements for her instrument.

Sarah O'Brien, harp

Sarah O’Brien
harp is an extraordinarily versatile harpist who proves that the harp is no longer to be confined to a narrow Romantic frame but has a voice of its own, from baroque to contemporary literature.

Sarah O’Brien has been Principal Harp with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and the Munich Philharmonic for over 20 years. In 2014 she decided to concentrate her work on her teaching and devoting more time to her students, she is professor of harp at the University of Arts Zurich and the University of Music, Basel.

Her students are prizewinners of international competitions and winners to orchestra positions.

Before her positions in Switzerland, Sarah O’Brien was Professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg and the Music Hogeschool in Rotterdam, next to her work in the orchestra.

She has taught as guestprofessor to the Music Universities of Munich and Amsterdam, the Sibelius Academy Helsinki, the Juillard School New York, and the summerclasses in Montepulciano, Italy.

She is member of Jurys at international competitions and orchestra auditions.

Sarah O’Brien studied at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève with Catherine Eisenhoffer and concluded her studies with a premier prix de virtuosité in 1991.

Further studies with Pierre Jamet, Paris and Susann McDonald, Indiana University, School of Music, Bloomington, USA. She was prizewinner of the Concours d’execution musicale (CIEM) Geneva in 1997.

1991-1994 winner of the study grant of the Ernst Goehner Stiftung Zurich.

1988-1998 harpist of the Sabeth Trio Basel. Winner of the Swiss Chamber Music Competition Migros. A number of internationally known composers, such as Kaija Saariaho, Nicolaus A.Huber, Rudolf Kelterborn and Walter Feldmann have dedicated works to the Trio. Concerts at Festivals in Germany and concert series in Switzerland as well as Rome, Paris, Copenhagen.

Her position as principal harpist to two of the worlds most renown orchestras, has led her on tours through Europe, Asia as well as USA. Concerts the most famous halls worldwide.

To work with such conductors as Zubin Metha, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Chailly, Christian Thielemann, James Levine, Lorin Mazel and many many others, is and has been very enriching.

She performed as soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Bernard Haitink and Hans Vonk, with the Munich Philhamronic under Hartmut Haenchen, the orchestra de la Suisse romande under Fabio Luisi, the Radio Sinfonie orchestra Basel and National Polish Radio Orchestra, the Zurich and Basel chamber orchestras and many more.

1992-1998 Sarah was member of the contemporary music ensemble ‘Musikfabrik NRW’”, where she performed at all festivals and concert series for new music.

Sarah O’Brien is working or has worked regularly with such composers as: Luciano Berio, Heinz Holliger, Mauricio Kagel, Wolfgang Rhim, Hans Zender and Klaus Huber.

Numerous CDs and radio recordings as soloist and chamber musician as well as orchestra recordings.

Guest speaker at radio productions or live-emissions.

She is equally a lectorer for new publications in harp literature for the HP editions London and the Henle Verlag Munich.

This album contains no booklet.