If the king of instruments is said to be the organ, the harp is surely the queen of the orchestra. Stockbridge Music, ever keen to explore fresh or unusual musical territory to place before its growing corps of connoisseur members, was proud to offer ‘Christmastide’, a solo harp concert performed by Harriet Adie, the accomplished international chamber musician, harpist and composer, before a 100-strong audience in the regency elegance of Stockbridge Town Hall, with every ticket sold.
Harriet, a former Instrumental Exhibitioner and graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, has been described by MusicWeb International as ‘playing with character and total understanding” and is known for “her intense musicality, creativity and focus”. All these attributes were fully on display in a programme devoted to Christmas music, much of it deriving from her own adaptations and compositions. Her repertoire ranged from variations on traditional carols (“Ding Dong Merrily on High”; “I saw Three Ships”) to Britten’s interlude from A Ceremony of Carols and the Allemande from Bach’s Partita no. 4 in D Major.
By way of introduction between offerings she introduced us to her stringed companion occupying much of the stage, the magnificent and majestic golden instrument (all 40 kgs of it) which she nonchalantly carted up and down the Town Hall stairs. She told us that it boasts no fewer than 7 separate pedals whose functions range from loud-soft, to supplying accidental notes (sharps and flats to us lesser mortals) at appropriate moments. Playing such an instrument with the concentration necessary to play it as it should be, seemed to require the skills of a concert pianist combined with those demanded of a top range airline pilot. The audience watched and listened in utter fascination – and total silence. We last saw her near midnight stuffing her faithful instrument into the back of her station wagon, preparing to drive to Leicester, 120 miles from Stockbridge, for a lunchtime concert in Yorkshire. These concert harpists are not found among the faint-hearted.
And we very much hope we have not seen the last of her. Apart from being recognised as a highly talented performer, she is the kind of interesting artiste who delights the audiences of Stockbridge Music.
– Guy Boney
