This album of A. Francis Pinto’s pieces has been computer-engraved and reissued to enable harpists to enjoy playing and performing them again. They were originally published between 1917- 27. Some of the original arrangements available to us were difficult to read. The original publishers printed the pieces with scant pedal markings but with profuse dynamic markings that we no longer use or recognize today. Included is a companion CD performed by Gail R. Lyons of Syracuse, NY.
The arrangements reflect the way music of the time was performed – embellished, flowery, and very very harpistic. The recording is quite realistic, and you might even think it is Pinto himself playing. Many chromatics and pedal changes, scales, arpeggios, glissandos, rolled chords. Everything HARP. Full and beautiful arrangements reflecting the harmonic structure popular at the time. The Beethoven is in the key of Eb. Believe Me… Charms, Traumerei, Moonlight Sonata, Nearer My God to Thee, Largo (Handel).
Linda P. Kaiser is a performing harpist in Syracuse, NY. and Mt. Dora, FL. She is the author of Pulling Strings: The Legacy of Melville A. Clark, Syracuse University Press, 2010. She published Lullabies for Earth Children, Lyra Press, 1992, duet arrangements for the lever or pedal harp. She studied harp with Gail R. Lyons.
Gail Rupert Lyons has spent her career as a harpist and teacher in Syracuse, N.Y. Mrs. Lyons is Professor Emeritus at Onondaga Community College and Professor of harp at Syracuse University for more than 40 years. She was Principal Harp with the Syracuse Symphony from 1967-1971. Her teachers include Sr. Eloise Emm, O.S.F. and Carolyn A. Hopkins (Syracuse area), Sr. Clare Kelly I.H.M. (Marywood College), Marcel Grandjany and Pierre Jamet.
