Quest
Albany, 2021
8/10
The harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson takes on an impressive project here, where she interprets works from the 19th and 20th century that were originally created on piano. Johnson represents 12 women composers on the listen, and she certainly does justice to the pieces while putting her inimitable spin on them that includes many solos.
“Niloufar Nourbakhsh” starts the listen with a soft, mesmerizing execution of delicate string manipulation, and “Cécile Chaminade” follows with sublime, melodic instrumentation that’s both dreamy and absorbing in its beauty.
In the middle, “Mel Bonis” unfolds across 5 movements that illustrate diverse and cautious techniques that are often gentle enough to be faint, but also firm to the point of being commanding, while “Romanze” certainly does carry a romantic spirit in its pretty, agile climate.
Further still, “Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies” emits a soothing, even meditative quality with its meticulous song craft, and “Spindrift” exits the listen with 8+ minutes of dizzying, sometimes forceful and always captivating dynamics that are as unpredictable as they are admirable.
Johnson has played with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 1995, and has also played with many orchestras across the country as well. She brings her vast experience and timeless vision to songs that many of us are hearing for the first time, and it’s delivered in a way that few others could articulate.
Travels well with: Doug Bielmeier- Ambient Works; Dave Walther- Distance