Xavier de Maistre to bring full colours of the harp to Abu Dhabi Classics
▶ From the back of the orchestra to centre stage, the French artist talks to Saeed Saeed about his experiences with the instrument
eing a harpist in an orchestra requires as much skill as patience. French player Xavier de Maistre had the talent, but it was the waiting around that got him down.
“In an orchestra, there are times where you wait for hours before you can play extra notes, and people don’t notice you really,” he says. “And that’s the reason I felt quite frustrated. I felt I couldn’t really show what I was capable of.”
That gnawing need for better expression resulted in the 45-year-old Frenchman leaving the Vienna Philharmonic in 2010 to forge a new career as a solo concert harpist, only to find out the industry was initially bereft of opportunities.
It is not down to a form of snobbery, de Maistre says. Instead, the harp’s misfortune stems from composers not appreciating the complex array of colour the instrument provides. “They didn’t know how to write for the harp. I think lots of the conductors and composers are intimidated by the harp because they don’t know it,” he says.
“I noticed that when I tried to commission the pieces, they feel like ‘Oh, it’s going to take me a lot of time. It’s more energy, because it’s a very tricky instrument with the pedals. Also, the harp in the 19th century was not as reliable. The strings were not very good, so tuning was not really possible and the harps were not very powerful. Had composers of the 19th century known the harp as it is now, they would have written more pieces for it.”
This is what makes de Maistre’s coming solo dates in the Abu Dhabi Classics such a fascinating prospect. Through his eclectic programme, ranging from French composer Claude Debussy to Spanish counterparts Isaac Albeniz and Enrique Granados, we not only get an insight into what the harp can provide to these celebrated works, but it also points to a future where it will be normal for the instrument to stand front and centre in front of an orchestra.
The recitals give de Maistre an opportunity to tackle misconceptions about the harp, such as the notion that it can only play ethereal melodies best heard in hotel lobbies and spas.
With 47 strings and various pedals, he says the instrument’s melodic possibilities are endless as they are powerful. “It can talk about joyful and painful moments. The harp has big colours, it casts a sheen on any other instruments but it can also be very colourful, very rhythmical, very holistic, and this is what I try to do in my recitals,” he says.
It is that zeal that gave de Maistre a successful career as a soloist and recording artist. With each new international tour, he says a mental barrier breaks within the audience and within the classical music industry. The result is more invitations to work as a soloist with esteemed orchestras such as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Cologne Philharmonie and the Orchestre National de France under the baton of master Italian conductor Riccardo Muti.
De Maistre is now witnessing a new-found confidence among a new generation of harpists. “I am getting new harpists to try new pieces,” he says. “I feel like a lot of young harpists are performing solo pieces and the demand is there. I feel like I also have a big responsibility in encouraging that.”
Hence, de Maistre hopes his Abu Dhabi concerts will make more people seriously consider taking on the instrument.
Not only are there instructors available in the UAE, harp practice won’t disturb the neighbours as much as errant notes of a violin. While beginner harps range in price from Dh3,600 to Dh18,360 online, de Maistre says it is often a safe investment.
“It can be a sacrifice. I can remember for my family, when they decided to buy a harp for me, I had to choose between the car and the harp,” he says. “The good thing is you can sell the harp in a few years for the same price you bought it.”
Xavier de Maistre will perform at Manarat Al Saadiyat on Thursday and Bin Hamoodah Fort, Al Ain on Friday. Tickets cost from Dh50 at www.ticketmaster.ae