Godefroid, Felix, Venise, Barcarolle
Composer Felix Godefroid (1818-1897) was a Belgian harpist who was also a prolific composer. He studied the single-action pedal harp in Paris with François Joseph Naderman and then the recently developed double-action pedal harp with Elias Parish Alvars. Godefroid's music falls naturally into the harpists' hands. Melody - whether in the right or left hand - reigns supreme, rising out of shimmery repeated note patterns such as cross fingering, trills and thumb slides and singing out in harmonics or imitating the dark tones of the cello. Arpeggios prolong the ringing of pivotal chords, quick grace notes render heroic or elfin moods. Delightful filigree climbs over the whole range of the harp, while tremolo and bisbigliando effects over synonym notes whisper and quiver.
Godefroid's subject matters evoke the beauty of nature, the moods or popular tunes, romantic myths and fairy legends, exotic locales and sentimental religiosity. A master enchanter, he blazed a magic trail and, in retracing his steps, the works republished here will reveal, like sleeping beauties, the spell hiding behind their deceptive simplicity. Venise is a simple yet evocative barcarolle in ternary rhythm, reminiscent of a slow gondolier's song. On the third page, the pace quickens with a transition in 16th note-patterns that brings back the main theme with an accompaniment woven directly into the tune, which then culminates in a cadenza of descending arpeggios.
5 pages
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