Hear, Euterpe, the Sweet Song Margret Köll Plays Baroque Harp Music from Italy and England
Michael Horst
An essential part of the orchestra of the Romantic era, the harp as a solo instrument is admired mostly by cognoscenti and fans. Margret Köll, however, came to a wider audience’s attention when she performed during the opening concert of the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg in January 2017. Seated high up in one of the balconies of the new hall, she played two songs, together with the French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky: the famous Amarilli by Giulio Caccini, and Emilio de’ Cavalieri’s Dalle più alte sfere (“From the highest spheres”)—less well-known, but perfectly suited to the occasion. A native of the Tyrol, Margret Köll is one of the most sought-after protagonists of her instrument, and ensembles such as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, London’s Academy of Ancient Music, and Il Giardino Armonico from Italy regularly perform with her. At the Pierre Boulez Saal, she now presents a solo recital that spotlights the entire breadth of the Baroque harp repertoire. “My program has everything harpists of that era used to do,” she explains, “including harpsichord literature, lute literature, original compositions for harp, but also arrangements specially created for the instrument.” Margret Köll brings two harps to the Pierre Boulez Saal, selected from the five instruments she currently keeps at her Berlin home.
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