Virtuoso harpist Emmanuel Ceysson served as principal harp with the Opéra national de Paris for fifteen years and the Metropolitan Opera of New York for five years. He has been principal harpist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel since 2020.
On this album, he pays tribute to Marcel Tournier (1879-1951), one of the greatest harpist-composers in the history of the instrument. The majority of Tournier’s works are for solo harp or voice and harp, but he later added other instruments to certain pieces and transformed them into chamber works. The works recorded here date from his mature years and show the influence of Debussy, Satie, and Ravel. Included are several previously unpublished versions of some of Tournier’s works, the manuscripts of which have only recently come to light, performed passionately by Ceysson with soprano Véronique Gens and Quatuor Voce.
I only knew of Marcel Tournier through a handful of his pieces for solo harp, so this new album is a revelation — it’s almost like discovering a new batch of music by Debussy, who made such effective use of the harp in his ensemble works. Tournier’s music has its own distinctive style, sometimes evoking the melodies of North Africa and other foreign lands. You may find your mind drifting away to such destinations while listening to this beautiful and atmospheric album.
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