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

Released by Deutsche Grammophon in the early 1960s under catalog number 138 118 SLPM, this recording features the legendary Spanish harpist Nicanor Zabaleta performing the harp concertos of François-Adrien Boieldieu and Joaquín Rodrigo. The collaboration with the Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, conducted by Ernst Märzendorfer, was intended to showcase Zabaleta’s virtuosic command of the instrument and his role in expanding the harp repertoire beyond standard salon music into the realm of major orchestral concertos.

The production is emblematic of the mid-century Deutsche Grammophon aesthetic, favoring high-fidelity capture of delicate instrumentation. Zabaleta is widely credited with reviving interest in the harp as a solo concert instrument, and his interpretation of Rodrigo's 'Concierto serenata' is considered a definitive account. Critics of the era frequently praised the balance between the soloist and the ensemble, noting the clarity and warmth of the recording which helped solidify this album as a cornerstone of the harp discography.