Harp Concertino

Germaine Tailleferre's Harp Concertino (1927) is a sparkling neo-Classical gem by the only woman member of Les Six, the group of French composers -- with Milhaud, Poulenc, Honegger, Auric, and Durey -- who dominated French music in the 1920s. Written in three compact movements, the work combines Tailleferre's characteristic melodic wit and rhythmic elegance with idiomatic harp writing that honors both Ravel's color and a distinctly gallic sense of proportion. The outer movements are vivacious and transparent; the central Andante has a wistful, bittersweet character that reveals the deeper emotional range beneath the surface brilliance. It is one of the most charming harp concertos in the classical repertoire.