On Sunday, January 22, 2017, at 3pm Katherine Siochi played several compositions by a variety of composers on her harp and the piano. The performance took place at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Watertown, New York. The artist, who wore a formal dress in turquoise, brought her own harp from New York City for this recital and the harp stood precisely in front of the altar of the church.
Thirty minutes before the concert started, I arrived. Although, I have seen many different churches over the past years, this particular church is very suitable as a concert location. It is a very beautiful church with enough room to seat numerous people.
As soon as I entered the church, a man handed me the concert program. …show more content…
This composition has two themes that alternate. The first one is the F minor theme; the second one is the F major theme. Starting with the F minor theme, it ultimately returns to it at the end, nonetheless both themes reappear throughout the opus in different variations. At the beginning of this sonata, the F minor theme transports the listener to a gloomier, more melancholic state. The texture is homophonic, the harmony is mostly consonant, and the rhythm andante. Furthermore, the melody is wide-ranged and chromatic. In contrast to this somber melody in F minor, F major appears to be more joyful, playful, and energetic. Towards the end of this opus, the volume of the melody changes. Forceful episodes alternate with soft episodes and contribute to the dramatic appearance of the coda. This masterpiece is a later work of Joseph Hayden and does not sound like his typical compositions, which usually consist of energetic and cheerful creations. Contrary to his other works, this particular piece consists of some melancholic themes instead of Hayden’s usual cheerful …show more content…
Ms Siochi remarked that Carlos Salzedo, a famous harpist, wrote this work specifically for the harp. Interestingly, Salzedo used a new technique in this piece. The actual nail and not the finger will pluck a string, giving the note a percussive sound. Undeniably, one can hear the Latin influence in this vibrant piece. The harmony is dissonant, however, the glissando sounded impressive. This piece differs so much from the other pieces played on the harp and produced amazing hand motion from the artist and fulfilled the expectation of what a harp sound