Description
Erdeli — ELEGY in MEMORY of GLINKA
Edited by Milda Agazarian
ISMN 979-0-9000036-1-4
HarpMasters Edition, 2011
Elegy is one of the most popular original compositions of Xenia Erdeli. The renowned Russian musician and critic B. Dobrokhotov, a close friend of Erdeli, wrote in one of his reviews: “…Elegy in Memory of Glinka – a piece of noble music, a real Russian harp classic, poetical thoughts about the great Glinka, a tribute to his genius, but also admiration of the beauty of Russian human nature and of the Russian soul – brings great joy to the listener”.
A devoted admirer of Russian music and an active propagandist, Xenia Erdeli wrote the composition in 1905 after being truly moved by Glinka’s touching music while attending a concert of his compositions. Elegy is written in the classical 3-movement form with an expressive, typical harp cadenza. The dramatic and lyrical mood of the piece demands from the performer true sincerity and playing “legato” on the harp while balancing melody and accompaniment. Xenia Alexandrovna Erdeli, whose last student at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory I was fortunate to be, performed Elegy throughout her life until the end of her performing career. I remember her advice for playing the middle contrasting episode: “play freshly, youthfully!”
I hope that your interest in this charming piece will give you pleasure, enrich your repertoire and advance your idea and knowledge of the Russian classical harp repertoire.
Milda Agazarian
