This is the video from the June 25, 2014 performance in New Orleans of my 3-Movement harp concerto “Soñando en Español” with harp soloist Eleanor Turner and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, AND, with special guest conductor Deborah Henson-Conant (ME!).
(This video is unlisted, so it can only be seen through this link.)
If you want to just poke around, the bouncy part starts around 3 min 12sec, there’s a romantic part around 10 min 30 sec and the testosterone kicks in a little before the 20 min mark.
To read more about this performance, see the blog: “And I Adored It” and read Eleanor’s story here.
Perhaps the adorable comes from things like you stomping a boot at just the right times because the seated harpists couldn’t do it the way you would with a worn harp.
I’m sure being there in person was even better but I really enjoyed the video and reading your and Eleanor’s blogs about this journey.
Baroque Flamenco with an orchestra is magical. It’s not better or worse than the solo electric harp version, it is different and both ways are wonderful for their own reasons.
Best of all, the baton didn’t fly from your grip in the high powered finish! Great work.
Thanks so much, Scott! OMG … it never occurred to me that the baton could fly out of my grip … next time I’m using glue! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Oh my gosh this was truly amazing!! I’m in love with this whole concerto, it made me cry! It’s so inspiring to hear AND to watch! Eleanor brought so much to the piece with her expression. I can’t say enough good things about it! Thank you so much for writing this Deborah, and for sharing this!!
AWESOME even with a dozen exclamation points would not begin to express my release, tears, delight in the power and beauty of this music. THANK YOU for writing and presenting this. CONGRATULATIONS! Tremendous!
I am so pleased that you’ve posted this, as it is amazing. I’ve been desperate to watch it and was reading the blogs of you both at the time. It was even more fantastic than expected. Congratulations! (I really love the orchestral section after 20 mins and Eleanor’s cadenza too.)
BRAVO! Absolutely moving, mezmerizing. Achingly beautiful and passionate…..made me cry. As a dancer, it made me want to just soar in places! Love the trumpets. Made my day, and I agree…. you really are adorable!
That was a magnificent performance – I suspect “adorable” may come from the look of pure pleasure on your face much of the time. Some conductors may smile, but how often these days does the composer (who is also the original performer) get to conduct their own work?! About the only person who I can think might have done it is Leonard Bernstein.
Hello Deborah,
I follow your mails and music for some years from Paris / France and REALLY YOU ARE A GREAT ARTIST & A GENIUS !!! You also present harp music with so much pleasure to our ears and the mix with new electrical sound for harp is a good way to propose her voice accompagny with classical instruments ….so good !!! I really love and appreciate this last hour i had the pleasure to ear so nice sounds and music in my head and soul.
BRAVO !!! BRAVISSIMO !!!!!!
Oh, Deborah, what a pleasure!
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing!! I was in the audience the night you presented this and watching the video brought me right back there!! Bravo!!! Youdabest!!!
Chantal
Yay, Chantal!!! I’m so happy you were there! Wow — you have been at some of the most contradictory of my performances! From the rock stage with Steve Vai to my orchestral conducting debut! How wonderful to know you’ve shared both those things LIVE with me!!
Hi Deborah,
I totally agree! You are adorable! It’s not the first word that comes to mind when I think of you… But it’s the summary of my emotion when watching this. Your face shows how much you enjoy conducting your own music and you’re literally in the center of your own creation. And we, the public become a part of that through your emotion…
Furthermore you wave your wand like a fairy, spreading your spirit over the orchestra… You’re very powerful and in control but the emotional journey we may accompany you on is overpowering…
Nelleke – I love hearing that! Since I was a little girl I wanted to be INSIDE the music. And you know also how much I love to experience that deep, expansive embodiment of the way Eleanor plays. It was truly glorious to experience. I felt like Dr. Frankenstein in that moment of ecstasy when he first knew his monster LIVED! (And if you’ve ever read the book of Frankenstein, you know the monster was no ‘monster’)
Deborah, your ‘Sonando’ brought tears to my eyes. Eleanor was fabulous, really performing your concerto beautifully.
Baroque Flamenco is the only non-vocal on my iPod!
Thank you Diane! I’ve been honing the piece for soooo long! It’s so exciting to feel like it’s ready to head out into the world and I must say I think I’m a GENIUS for choosing Eleanor. Actually, it was CAMAC Harps and Elinor Bennet in Wales who first connected us and I can honestly say that I can’t WAIT to see what we do next! Meanwhile, I’m hoping to get the concerto into published form by the end of the summer – it’s time to unleash it on the world!
You didn’t just conduct that, you lived it!!!!!! Stunning performance from Eleanor Turner and a score that took me somewhere quite magical. Those have to be the coolest conducting boots EVER!
Thank you so much, Jude! (Think we can get those boots to be standard issue for conductors?)
Please let us know in your hip-harp email newsletter when this piece is available for purchase including the orchestra parts! I adore this piece and would love to be able to enter a concerto competition with it!
Thanks, Samantha!
The 3rd movement, “Baroque Flamenco” is officially available including a piano reduction to use in auditions, and is often used as a standalone concerto (contact me directly via the Contacts page of my website http://www.HipHarp.com for info and scores/parts licensing). The other two movements are unofficially available. Just contact me if you want to move forward on playing the piece. We’re working on a case-by-case basis for now until everything’s officially published.
Wow ..what a beautiful wonderful work for harp, second movement is stunning ..I wondering if the score available to buy , I truly love to play this concerto .