Harp takes flight at opener for Bach Festival Society

When the harp is called for in the orchestra, it’s not too hard to spot — rising serenely above less statuesque instruments, perhaps tucked between other strings and the percussion.

Thursday night, though, the harp took center stage. The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park opened its season with the latest in its Insights & Sounds series, a concert titled simply “Harp and Strings.”

Principal harpist Dawn Marie Edwards demonstrated her skillful musicianship in multiple pieces — and also showed how the harp can help create a multitude of moods.

The Insights & Sounds series is a hybrid discussion and concert. “I think of these programs as walking into a museum and taking the art off the wall for a more in-depth look,” said artistic director John Sinclair at the top of the evening.

And the audience had good questions: Why are some strings different colors? (to help the harpist find the right string). How much does a harp cost? (You could spend $30,000-$40,000, though “starter harps” are cheaper). Do you get callouses? (A definite yes from Edwards).

Most of the lively discussion took place after the bulk of the charmingly casual concert, though Sinclair sprinkled facts among the pieces — the longer the harp string, the lower the pitch. The seven pedals are used to modify a string’s pitch, making it sharp (higher) or flat (lower).

The opening work by Marcel Grandjany, “Aria in the Classic Style,” ebbed and flowed in a grand manner. A movement from Catrin Finch’s “Celtic Concerto” was more melancholy. The movement’s title of “Hiraeth” refers to a longing or nostalgia for something that never was, Edwards explained.

Movements from “Suite Lyrique,” by John Rutter were highly melodic – Rutter is best-known for his choral works. “Suite Lyrique” has a lightness, buoyed by Edwards’ delicate plucking, that creates a sound of simple joy.

The program concluded with Rutter’s “Gaelic Blessing” – and the divine was on Sinclair’s mind as he referenced the popular depiction of a harp as the instrument of angels.

“If any musician has job security in heaven,” he quipped, “it surely must be the harpist.”