Harfenkonzert C-dur · Harp Concerto In C Major / Konzert-Serenade Für Harfe Und Orchester · Concert-Serenade For Harp And Orchestra

This recording features the harpist Nicanor Zabaleta performing the Boieldieu Harp Concerto in C Major and the Rodrigo Concert-Serenade for Harp and Orchestra. Released by the World Record Club in 1980 under catalog number R-06838, the album showcases Zabaleta’s profound influence on the 20th-century harp repertoire, as he was largely responsible for reviving and popularizing the Boieldieu concerto, a work that had fallen into relative obscurity prior to his advocacy.

The recording pairs Zabaleta with the Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conducted by Ernst Märzendorfer. The World Record Club, known for its subscription-based distribution model, sought to make classical performances accessible to home listeners who appreciated high-fidelity recordings of specific concertos. Zabaleta’s approach to these pieces is noted for its technical precision and elegant phrasing, characteristics that established him as one of the preeminent harpists of his era and ensured this record remains a significant entry in the discography of classical harp music.