La Source, Op. 44
by Alphonse Hasselmans
A staple of the harp recital repertoire and one of the most performed solo harp pieces ever written, La Source was composed by Alphonse Hasselmans — professor of harp at the Paris Conservatoire from 1884 to 1909 and teacher of Marcel Grandjany and Carlos Salzedo. The work's flowing arpeggiation and crystalline harmonics evoke a rushing spring, exploiting the instrument's unique timbral palette with idiomatic brilliance. Its technical demands — sustained melody within rapid arpeggiated accompaniment, precise pedal changes, and delicate harmonics — make it a standard teaching piece at conservatoire level while remaining musically satisfying in professional performance. The piece exemplifies the French Romantic harp tradition at its most refined.
Editions
Hamelle
Alphonse Hasselmans, 1902
Original Hamelle edition; the authoritative text, still widely circulated and used in conservatoire instruction.
International Music Company
Alphonse Hasselmans, 1960
Standard American reprint edition based on the original Hamelle text; widely distributed and used in North American harp pedagogy throughout the later twentieth century.
Alphonse Leduc
Henriette Renié, 1935
Revised edition with fingerings and pedalling by Renié, Hasselmans's most celebrated student; invaluable for understanding the French school tradition.