Composer: Charles François Gounod, Gioacchino Antonio Rossini, John Thomas, Giuseppe Verdi
Performer: Duo Praxedis
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata Classics
Catalogue: TOCC0578
Release: 2023
Size: 500 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Gounod: Soldiers’ Chorus from Gounod’s Faust
02. Gounod: Duet on Subjects from Gounod’s Faust
Verdi: Six Gems from Verdi’s Operas
03. No. 1 ‘Miserere’ and ‘Tu vedrai che amore in terra’ from Il Trovatore
04. No. 2 ‘Il balen’ and ‘Di tale amor’ from Il Trovatore
05. No. 3 ‘Or co’ dadi’, ‘Squilli e cheggi la tromba’ and ‘Sì, la stanchezza m‘opprime’ from Il Trovatore
06. No. 4 ‘D’amor sull’ali rosee’ and ‘Di quella pira’ from Il Trovatore
07. No. 5 ‘Un dì, se ben rammentomi’ (Quartet) from Rigoletto
08. No. 6 La Sicilienne (Boléro) from Les vêpres siciliennes
Rossini: Mosè in Egitto
09. Prayer from Mosè in Egitto
10. Thomas: Le Désir. Rhapsody
11. Thomas: Coronation March
12. Venzago: La Gassier Valse
Harpist to Queen Victoria, the Welsh composer John Thomas (1826–1913) also wrote prolifically for his own instrument, both for solo harp and for duos of two harps or harp and piano – a combination where the different sounds of the two instruments enhance the clarity of the texture. Thomas’ original works use the elegant Romantic style of his own day, but he also left a generous legacy of transcriptions, especially of operatic favourites. Although some of his music was intended for the Victorian drawing room, other pieces require a virtuoso technique – and all of it has a thoroughly engaging melodic appeal.