Renowned Powys harpist comes out of retirement for shows
AN INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed harpist from Powys is coming out of self-imposed retirement to give a series of performances featuring two historical harps.
The recitals by Elinor Bennett, who hails from Llanidloes, will give music lovers an opportunity to listen to music from the 18th and early 19th centuries played on two wonderful old harps, made in the same period.
The first performance will be at Theatr Twm o'r Nant, Denbigh at 7.30pm on Wednesday, June 18.
The bilingual concert, Llais Hen Delynau/Voice of Old Harps, will feature music by Handel, blind harpist John Parry, Edward Jones (The King's Bard), Rosetti, Spohr and contemporaries.
It's being made possible thanks to the generosity of the main sponsor, the arts-loving Pendine Park care organisation through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT).
The trust was set up to support arts and community events by Pendine Park proprietors, Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, who live in Denbigh.
The performance will be a special occasion for them because Pendine - which has nine award-winning care homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon - is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
Mario said: 'Elinor is truly a national treasure, a supremely gifted harpist who has made an unforgettable mark on the world stage. We're incredibly lucky that she is Welsh.
'She has also found time to teach and inspire generations of young harpists following in her illustrious footsteps.
'This year is special for us at Pendine and we were delighted to have the opportunity to support this wonderful concert.
'It chimes perfectly with our ethos because music and the arts in general are the golden thread running through daily life at Pendine, helping to enrich the lives of our residents and staff alike.'
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Elinor, who lives near Caernarfon, said: I have owned these harps for many years and have long wanted to do something with them. They were made to be played and not placed in a corner somewhere.
"So I've decided to come out of my self-imposed retirement to perform a selection of music from the same period as when these harps were made.
"Having played the modern concert harp professionally for many years, I wish to share the joy of playing music on authentic, original instruments and discussing aspects of playing two historic harps from my collection.
"I relied on the old harps - and music from their time - to guide me. It has been a revelation - as the sound and playing techniques are very different to the modern harp. I am grateful for the help that I have received from distinguished early music experts and try to follow their advice."
Elinor said the story begins with the triple harp, which was developed in Italy during the Baroque period and was played at the Royal Court in London at the time of George Frederic Handel.
The recitals are being presented as part of the Noson Allan/Night Out scheme run by the Arts Council of Wales. In addition to the performance in Denbigh Elinor will appear at Eglwys Dewi Sant, Cardiff on June 20 and at a venue in Pembrokeshire in July.
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