Neue Westfälische, Rainer Gerbaulet

"In the Magical Realm of the Harp
Lydie Römisch filled the standing-room-only Apostle Church with melody.

Gutersloh. The audience of the Apostle Church were treated to a concert of an extraordinary sort by the well-known French harpist Lydie Römisch of Bielefeld. The expansive sound spectrum of the double-pedal and Celtic harps entranced the audience in the widely diversified program of works spanning from the classical to the modern periods.

After a brisk opening with a Hungarian dance from Ferenc Farkas, Ms. Römisch performed Sofia Cori-Dussek’s “Sonata for Harp,” providing an excellent opportunity for her to display the diverse tones and moods of the classical harp, from the deep meditativeness of the slower movements to the sprightliness of the finale.

Film music also reached the ear
Her expression in the ‘Greensleeves’ Variations revealed their range from the slow and romantic to the lively and playful. Here, the Celtic harp made its appearance, which the former solo harpist of the Bielefeld Philharmonic masterfully played with the same virtuosity as the concert harp.

In the second half of the program, the Celtic harp was again featured in Römisch’s interpretation of the “Amelie’s Waltz” from the wonderfully whimsical film, “Amelie,” a rendition certain to have conjured up mind’s eye images for those who have already enjoyed the film.

The distinctive sounds of Phillip Hersant’s “Bamyan,” with its flageolet motifs enriched with oriental sounding chords, off-key harmonies, and brusque tones, piqued the listeners’ interest as it released music perhaps uncharacteristic of what one expects of a classical harp. The perfect sound of the harp was made even richer with this unusual compositional work of art.

Displaying the fullness of a conventional harp tone-coloration, Ms. Römisch closed concert program with Ernesto Lecuona’s famous Moorish melody, “Malaguena,” from the Spanish suite “Andalucia.” Her interpretation coaxed guitar sounds and Spanish rhythms from the strings, conjuring up rising waves of southern Spain’s summer heat.

The audience’s long and enthusiastic response in applause earned the joy of two encore performances. In the first, French composer Bernard Andrès’ “Duke,” revealed Ms. Römisch’s jazzier side as well as another flexibility of the classical harp. In the second, the audience’s ear was filled with ethereal beauty of Debussy’s “Claire de Lune,” a quintessential piece for the harp’s tender tones.

After the concert, a Q&A session
Lydie Römish presented herself as an accomplished master of her instrument and its various forms and voice expressions as she – with her unique French charm – guided the audience through the program and as she answered the many questions of the curious concert visitors afterwards. This well-rounded event also renewed concert-goers appreciation for the cultural contributions of the School of Music and Arts in Gütersloh, where Ms. Römisch is an instructor."