Harpist Challenges Norms with Old Meets New

Parker Ramsay recently performed at Merkin Hall, offering a program that juxtaposed deeply old and brand-new music. His performance highlighted his versatility as both a harpist and harpsichordist. The concert was initially intended to feature world premieres by Georg Friedrich Haas and Christopher Trapani.

However, due to a significant snowstorm impacting travel and rehearsal time, Trapani's "Luci Bizantine" was not performed. Ramsay commenced the evening on the harpsichord with a selection of 17th-century works, including pieces by Sweelinck, Rognoni, Schmelzer, Buxtehude, Muffat, and Rossi. This rigorous framework allowed him to showcase tonal, harmonic, and rhythmic invention.

The program's centerpiece was Haas's "Annäherung" for violin and harp, featuring violinist Miranda Cuckson. The piece explored themes of proximity and convergence, with the musicians' parts orbiting each other before synchronizing. Haas's microtonal fascination led to a unique tuning of Ramsay's harp, with strings pitched slightly higher or flatter than the standard A at 440 hertz.

Cuckson also engaged with microtonal elements, sometimes matching the harp's tuning and at other times exploring her own microtonal realm. This exploration of proximity, both musically and thematically, underscored the program's intellectual drive. Ramsay's performance illuminated the sonic and artistic potential of his instrument.