Harp
Home » Concert Music » Solo and Chamber Works » HarpI am a composer in love with the harp! My first TV score, written when I was twenty, was scored for flute, oboe, harp and accordion and contained an extensive harp part, and many of my early TV scores featured flute and harp. Latterly the harp has assumed centre stage in my output and I am building an extensive catalogue of solo, chamber and concertante harp works, including the four-movement Concerto Romantico for harp and strings.
In the course of my long career both as a TV/film and concert composer I have worked and recorded with many distinguished harpists, among them Marie Goossens; Jean Bell, legendary Halle Orchestra Principal Harp; Sheila Bromberg of The Beatles "She's Leaving Home" fame; Skaila Kanga, renowned session harpist; Frances Kelly, leading exponent of early harp music; Elizabeth Jane Baldry, who discovered Victorian Fairy Harp Music and is the world's only silent movie harpist; Camilla Pay, leading film session and concert harpist; Gabriella Dall'Olio, Head of Harp Studies, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and famous international soloist; Alexander Rider, recital soloist and musicologist and David Snell, famous jazz and session harpist. In addition, Israeli harpist and recording star Rachel Talitman has recorded a CD of my harp works including Concerto Romantico for harp and strings which she commissioned.
My aim in composing for the harp is to allow the instrument to sound as beautiful and as idiomatic as possible, with equal emphasis on mellifluousness of melody, richness of sound, and, where appropriate, sheer entertainment value!
SOME APPRECIATIONS
"If you're not familiar with his harp music, Paul has an incredible gift for melody, a mastery of emotional development, a breadth of historical sound, and great joy! His pieces have wit and inventive spark. So much to choose from." Kara Dahl Russell, harpist, actress, teacher and writer, March 2024.
"Your composition has a unique style and sound that sets it apart from other harp pieces." Zarina Zaradna, 12 year-old Polish harp prodigy on Concerto Romantico, February 2024.
"Your addition to the the world of harp repertoire is a tremendous gift for generations. Flowers at your feet." Kara Dahl Russell, harpist, actress, teacher and writer, April 2022.
"Swooping filmic gestures and luscious harp writing fill this music (Concerto Romantico) with rich sentiment in the best sense of the word.....A joyous celebration of the harp in soloistic and chamber settings, and of the highest order." Alexander Rider reviewing Rachel Taltman's CD 'Paul Lewis Romantic Music for Harp' in the UKHA magazine, November 2021.
"This record is a journey alternating passion, sensitivity, reveries, the whimsical with sensitive melodies." Carlo Schreiber reviewing Rachel Talitman's CD 'Paul Lewis Romantic Music for Harp' on Crescendo magazine website, October 2021.
"Full of all those things to delight in, real feelings, what makes us human - what music is all about." Veerle Deknopper reviewing Rachel Talitman's 'Paul Lewis Romantic Music for Harp' CD on Culturpakt web page, August 2021.
"Yesterday was a unique emotional experience for me, we recorded the World Premiere of "Concerto Romantico" by the brilliant British composer Paul Lewis, which he dedicated to me. I feel so honored. Thank you so so much for enriching the harp repertoire with such inspiring music." Rachel Talitman, Tel Aviv, 8th June, 2021.
"Altogether a heart-warming, feel-good CD." Sioned Williams reviewing Harpscenes solo harp CD in the UKHA magazine, November 2020.
"If you want harp music that is idiomatic, tuneful and lyrical then this is the disc for you." Gary Higgins reviewing Harpscenes CD for British Music Society CD reviews, November 2020.
"Paul Lewis' prolific output for the harp is fed by a passionate adoration of the instrument....This often luscious oeuvre has found an ideal interpreter in Dall'Olio........A delicious collection of truly lovely music, lovingly played." Alexander Rider reviewing Harpscape solo CD in the UKHA magazine, autumn 2018.
Of Paul Lewis's harp solos: "Beautiful, lyrical and sometimes nostalgic pieces, stepping back in time to showcase the harp at its stylish best." Gabriella Dall'Olio, international soloist and Head of Harp Studies and Harp Chamber Music, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London.
Of Saturday Night Jazz Suite: "Fun, enjoyable and entertaining: the perfect music to brighten your mood, and the mood of your audience!" Gabriella Dall'Olio, London.
"Paul's compositions for the harp are well written, full of charm and they are never obvious. It is a new way of playing and listening to the harp!" Alessandra Ziveri, harp soloist and recording artiste, Italy.
"I've been playing your music and enjoying myself immensely. I like your humour and fantasy." Gloria Joyce Burt, harpist, Sweden.
CD RECORDINGS
ROMANTIC MUSIC FOR HARP - PAUL LEWIS Songs of Israel, Memories of Amboise, Concerto Romantico. Rachel Talitman with the Israel Strings Ensemble, cond. Doron Salomon. Harp & Company CD 5050-46.
HARPSCAPE Four solo suites performed by Gabriella Dall'Olio: Postcards from Paris, Decospherics (Four Jazz Age Dances,) Musings on a Maori Lullaby, Saturday Night Jazz Suite. EM Records EMR CD048.
HARPSCENES A selection of suites and solo pieces performed by Camilla Pay, Fiona Hosford and Alexander Rider. EMR CD063.
CREPUSCULE British works for flute, viola and harp, including my joyful, Gallic-flavoured three-movement Divertimento, performed by the Aurora Trio: Emma Halnan, flute, Jordan Sian, viola and Heather Wrighton, harp. EMR CD069.
SERENADE AND DANCE Romantic music for harmonica, harp, piano and string quartet with harpist Elizabeth-Jane Baldry. Includes three harmonica and harp duos: Serenata, Impromptu and Norfolk Rhapsody AKA Norfolk Idyll. CAMEO 2024.
ORIGINALS Contemporary music for harp and guitar, including my Trois Preludes, performed by Duo Clarascuro: Morgana Rudan, harp and Roberto Guarnieri, guitar. C00822.
SHEET MUSIC & PDF FILES
Click on the titles below to read about them on the publishers' websites, and in the case of Goodmusic publications see the score and hear a computer-generated performance, though you listen at your peril: computers cannot play with feeling or do rubato, bisbigliando, harmonics or chordal glissandi!
Most works are available as printed copies or pdf files.
SOLO HARP
Two Songs Without Words
Harping Angel
Oast House Serenade
Saturday Night Jazz Suite Associated Boards & Trinity/Guildhall Exam Syllabuses
Valses formerly Trinity/Guildhall Exam Syllabus
Musings on a Maori Lullaby - Variations on Hine e Hine
Two for Fi
Two Soliloquies
Slavic Dances
Tintinnabulations
Jane Austen Suite
Lullaby and Music Box Waltz
Cradle Song and Music Box Polka
Ballade Romantique
Postcards from Paris
Postcards from Bologna
Decospherics - Four Jazz Age Dances
Two Laments
Four Anticke Dances
Girl with Harp and Roses
Hope
Adieu Michel
Improvisations on "The Ash Grove"
Paris Parapluie
Suite Jazzeresque
Two Soliloquies
Cantilena (Theme from Concerto Romantico)
Valse Lente
Rue de la Harpe
TWO HARPS
Toccata for Two Harps
Aubade
Trois Preludes
Adieu Michel
Jumeaux
HARP QUARTET or ENSEMBLE
Adieu Michel
LEVER HARP SOLO
Sonatina
Rye Rambles
LEVER HARP BOOKS (nine pieces in each)
Echoes of Olden Times
Contemplation and Comedy
Jazz-n-Jive
Celtic Dreams
Melodic Moments
FLUTE & HARP
Pink and White Terraces
Two Waltzes
Norfolk Idyll
Impromptu
Serenata
Rhapsody on Scarborough Fair
Perfume Notes
Whatlington Waltzes
Rue de la Harpe
FLUTE, VIOLA & HARP
Divertimento
Two Soliloquies
OBOE & HARP
Harping Angel
BASSOON & HARP
Two Portraits
Valse Lente
VIOLIN & HARP
Harping Angel
Impromptu
Serenata
Reluctant Heroines
Perfume Notes
Whatlington Waltzes
VIOLIN, VIOLA & HARP
Two Soliloquies
VIOLIN, CELLO & HARP
Trio Romantico
CELLO & HARP
Two Portraits
Valse Lente
HARP & STRING QUARTET
Girl with Harp and Roses
HARP & STRING QUINTET (quartet + bass)
Songs of Israel
GUITAR & HARP
Trois Preludes
Valse Lente
HARMONICA & HARP
Impromptu
Serenata
THEREMIN & HARP
Whatlington Waltzes
VOICE & HARP
Perfume Notes - three arias for soprano vocalise
Adieu Michel - vocal version (words in French and English)
CHOIR & HARP
Harping Angel - 2-part or ttwo solo upper voices
Child's Carol - 2-part or two solo upper voices
Four Antique Dances - chral version
CONCERTANTE WORKS
Concerto Romantico harp & strings
Kaimai Sunset harp & strings
Norfolk Concerto flute, harp & strings
Devonshire Dances harp & small orchestra
Rye Festival Suite harp & strings
Seaford Sketches harp & strings
Ecclesbourne Glen - an elegy for strings and harp
