Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Carlos Salzedo was the single most important figure in the history of the harp. He broke new ground in playing technique and discovered new timbres; he explored new sound worlds and brought forth new kinds of beauty; he took an instrument that was already magical and raised it to new virtuosic heights.

In 1938, Salzedo published two Christmas pieces: Concert Variations on Adeste Fidelis (O Come, All Ye Faithful) and an arrangement of Silent Night. A virtuoso transcription of Jingle Bells followed a few years later. These three works were so popular that Salzedo was asked to write more - a whole album's worth, in fact, recorded by Salzedo himself on the Mercury label in 1956. For this disc, Australian virtuosa Alice Giles has recorded all of those pieces, plus two earlier Salzedo works: the ethereal Poem of the Little Stars and the gloriously joyous Recessional.

Completing this disc are four beloved Australian Christmas carols by W.G. James: Carol of the Birds, The Silver Stars are in the Sky, The Three Drovers and Christmas Day, arranged by Alice Giles especially for this recording.