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Nathalie
CHATELAIN
Born in Geneva, began to study the harp at the age of eleven.
At the Lausanne Conservatoire, she continued her studies with
Chantal Mathieu-Balavoine and obtained a Teaching degree in
1986, the Virtuosite first Prize in 1988 and a Licence de Concert
(Performing Arts degree) in 1990. She participated in master
classes given by Nicanor Zabaleta. Germaine Lorenzini, Jacqueline
Borot and Marielle Nordmann.
In
1988 she was appointed harpist in the Lausanne Sinfonietta orchestra
and substitute harpist in the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande.
In
1989 Nathalie Chatelain was the winner of the Maurice Sandoz
Prize as well as the scholarship granted to young performers
by the Radio Suisse Romande. From 1989 to 1992 she was the recipient
of the grant given by the Federation des Cooperatives Migros.
Nathalie
Chatelain has formed duets with flute and cello as well as with
another harp and she is a member of the harp quartet "Harpège",
which she founded in 1990, as well as of the quartet "Appassionata
de Geneve" (Panflute, violin, cello, harp). However, her
main interest is in the harp solo recital.
In
addition to her solo concertizing, Nathalie Chatelain dedicates
part of her time to teaching. She has been at the Bern Conservatory
since 1990 and organizes summer master classes as well.
Nathalie
Chatelain has recorded several CDs with various chamber music
groups.
Mateo
ALBENIZ (1755-1831)
Mateo Albeniz was born in the Spanish Basque Country. He was Choirmaster
in San Sebastian till 1795. During the French invasion, he escaped
to Logrono. Afterwards, he came back to San Sebastian where he
was again Choirmaster until 1829. He composed many pieces, vespers,
masses and other sacred works. He also composed many pieces for
the piano and wrote a book on music theory. This short one- movement
sonata was originally written in D major.
Bernard
ANDRES (1941)
Bernard Andres was born at Belfort. He studied at the Conservatoire
de Paris where he obtained a Performing Arts degree in harp. He
was engaged as a soloist in the Orchestre Philarmonique de Radio-France,
while pursuing a composing career as well. His compositions for
harp are many and at all levels, among which a concerto first performed
by Lily Laskine. He has won several composition prizes. His piece "Duke",
is an example of jazz-harp.
Pearl
CHERTOK (1918-1981)
Pearl Chertok was an American harpist to whom many contemporary
composers dedicated their works. This piece, little known by the
public, shows various aspects of the harp and lets the instrument "swing".
The following are the texts referring to each movement from the "Around
the Clock" suite.
Ten past two: "Early
afternoon and you walk along the avenue. You look in
the shop windows and are fascinated by the glitter
and the new styles. You stop at one window and a gown
- shimmering with sequins - makes you tingle with delight.
Then you walk again - taking in the displays made just
for you."
Beige
nocturne: "Evening. You are at your vanity
- choosing your perfume from the array of bottles - There is
a faint suggestion of a waltz but only for a fleeting instant.
The beige melody brings you back to the fragrance of the evening
mood."
Harpicide at midnight: "The
dance begins and the rhythm grows more and more insistent.
The melody is lost and finally there is only the
pulse of dancing feet."
The Morning after: "The
alarm clock. You stretch and wish it
could be ignored. Then you see the sun
striking through the windows and the
day begins in clear melody."
Jose
GALLES (1761-1836)
Jose Galles was a Catalan composer and organist. He was both a
priest and an organist at the "Vich Cathedral". This
one-movement sonata for harpsichord was re-discovered by Joaquin
Nin.
Felix
GODEFROID (1818-1897)
Felix Godefroid was born in Belgium. He was a harpist, pianist
and composer. He studied the harp with Nadermann at the Conservatoire
de Paris. He mastered the double movement harp with Theodore Labarre
and Elias Parish-Alvars. He was a great harp virtuoso and toured
allover Europe. His opera, "La Harpe d'Or" was performed
at the Theatre-Lyrique in Paris, in 1858. His harp method is still
used today and his compositions have an important place in the
19th century harp repertoire.
Joseph
HAYDN (1732-1809)
Joseph Haydn was born in Basse-Autriche at Rohrau an der Leitha.
At the age of six Joseph Haydn went to Hainbourg to study singing,
harpsichord and violin. In 1740 he was admitted as a chorister
at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. In 1748, after his voice
had changed, he lived on his own in a loft where he studied the
principles of composition and discovered the works of C.P.E. Bach
which had a strong influence upon him. In 1755, a rich benefactor
took him up and Haydn composed his first symphony and first 12
quartets. He was appointed Musikdirektor to count Morzin in Bohemia
in 1759, but his big break came in 1761 when he was nominated to
the Esterhazy court. In Vienna he came into contact with W.A. Mozart,
whose works he highly esteemed. In 1798 and 1801 "The Creation" and "
The Seasons" were first performed. In 1808, Haydn made his
last public appearance on the occasion of the performance of "The
Creation" under the direction of Salieri. For the perfection
of his style and spontaneity of his works, Haydn is a great musician.
Elias
PARISH-ALVARS (1808-1849)
Elias Parish-Alvars was born at Eli Parish in Teignmouth, England.
He studied under F.J. Dizi, N.C. Bochsa and Theodore Labarre. In
1834 he settled in Vienna and toured mainly in Europe. This great
virtuoso, referred to as the "Liszt of the Harp" by Hector
Berlioz, tested out all the technical possibilities of his instrument,
and composed more than a hundred pieces. This serenade is one of
the three pieces which he published after having spent a winter's
day in Italy (1844-45); it reminds us of the "Dolce Vita" atmosphere
of the mid-19th century.
Giovanni
Battista PESCETTI (1704-1766)
Giovanni Battista Pescetti was born in Venice, where he studied
organ under Lotti, a composer and 'organist at the San Marco Basilica.
From April of 1736, we find him in London as a harpsichordist,
where he substituted Porpora as director of the "
Opera of the Nobility", Haendel's rival Company. He wrote
operas and pastiche arias and, in 1739, published a series of sonatas
for harpsichord. In 1747 he returned to Italy. His lyric arias
are known for their unadorned melodic lines, with simple and short
accompaniment, and clearly articulated phrases. The second movement
of this harpsichord sonata is a good example of this technique.
Ottorino
RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Ottorino Respighi was born in Italy. He studied composition under
Torchi and Martucci. During his stay in Russia he took lessons
from Rimsky-Korsakov who had a great influence on his compositions,
especially regarding orchestration. In 1913 he was appointed professor
of composition at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. In 1924
he was nominated director of that institution. During the last
years of his life, he continued teaching and performing his works
in various countries, as well as accompanying his wife, the singer
Elsa Oliviri-Sangiacomo. His famous orchestral compositions are:
Fontane di Roma, Pini di Roma, Sinfonia drammatica and Trittico
Botticelliano. He composed opera as well: Belfagor, Re Enzo, Semirama.
This Sicilienne was arranged after a 16th century lute piece.
Franz-Anton
ROSSLER-ROSETTI (1746-1792)
Frantisek Antonin Rosetti was born in Bohemia. He was ordained
priest but in 1775 he left the monastic life to dedicate himself
entirely to music. In Paris he was Director of Prince Wallenstein's
orchestra where he met regularly Gluck and Piccinni. He wrote several
symphonies, a Requiem in memory of Mozart, serenades and oratorios.
Rosetti was a prolific composer. In his early works, he combines
both baroque and classical elements; his style is quite close to
Haydn's early compositions. His harp sonatas, published in 1785,
are charming and elegant in style. |
A
solo harp recital album by Swiss harpist Nathalie Chatelain
with works such as Chertok (1918-1981) - Around
the Clock Suite, Pescatti (1704-1766)
- Sonate en do mineur and the beautiful Serenade
Op. 83 by Elias Parish-Alvars (1808-1849).
