Hinner, Cardon, Nadermann: The Queens' Harp

The Queens’ Harp

Angelic music in French salons, from the Ancien Régime to the Restoration.

In the decadent twilight of the Ancien Régime, the Parisian salons were suffused with the harmonious strains of the harp, an instrument delicately mastered by the aristocracy's young maidens. The harp's introduction to the capital in the 1750s by the German Goepfert marked the beginning of its fashionable status. Adorned by the hands of French luthiers, the harp afforded noblewomen a prestigious means to exhibit their grace. Indeed, its form was deemed most becoming for a youthful and beautiful lady, a sentiment captured by Mme de Genlis in her esteemed 'Nouvelle méthode pour apprendre à jouer de la harpe'. She remarked, "Such elegance the instrument bestows, such grace it lends; it seems it is only suited to a lady in the prime of youth and beauty." Mme de Genlis herself was a pioneer in translating harpsichord music for the harp, sparking a fervent interest in the instrument among the aristocracy.

Marie Antoinette, upon her arrival in Paris, took up the harp as an essential means to ingratiate herself with French customs and courtly expectations. In her skilled hands, the harp was elevated to a symbol of her reign, becoming the musical embodiment of the French monarchy. Consequently, composers were inspired to devise intricate and brilliant compositions for the harp, elevating it beyond its conventional role as a mere accompanist for simple songs. They crafted concertos, chamber pieces, and especially duets for two harps, allowing the angelic melodies played by the aristocratic ladies to please both the ear and the eye.

Among the composers who excelled in creating harp duets were Hinner, Cardon, and Naderman, each a master of the instrument. Their duets often provided a vast canvas for creative expression. Jean-Baptiste Cardon (1760-1803), in particular, adapted three opera arias into harp arrangements, reflecting the contemporary custom of transposing popular opera pieces for solo or chamber settings, thus bringing the grandeur of the opera house into the intimacy of the salon. These arias, extracted from André-Ernest-Modeste Gretry's 'La fausse magie', illustrate the period's fascination with the harp's charm. Gretry himself, a distinguished figure of the opéra comique during the reign of King Louis XVI, was not impervious to this allure, as evidenced in his works where the harp was prominently featured.

After the Revolution, Cardon moved to St. Petersburg, but not before publishing his 'L’art de jouer de la harpe' in 1785, a comprehensive method for playing the single-action harp tuned to E-flat. This publication encapsulated the type of harp that dominated the aristocratic salons at the century's end, a style passionately upheld by François Joseph Naderman (1781-1835) against the emerging double-action harps introduced by Érard in England in 1811. François Joseph, son of the acclaimed harp maker Jean Henri Naderman, to whom Marie Antoinette herself had commissioned instruments, staunchly advocated for the single-action harp at the Paris Conservatoire upon his appointment as Professor in 1825.

Despite the sweeping changes of his era, including the Revolution, the rise of the Napoleonic Empire, and the Restoration, Naderman's reputation as a harpist, teacher, and composer remained intact. His standing was further cemented when he became the first harpist to the Emperor in 1813 and was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 1821. His contribution to harp music was significant, with a repertoire rich in duets, such as those found in his 'Trois duo en fantaisie', which showcased a variety of structural forms. This collection, bearing the dual inscription 'pour deux harpes ou harpe et piano forte', reflected the versatility of harp publications at the time, catering to both harpists and pianists alike.

The duets of Philipp Joseph Hinner (1754-post 1805) take us back to the pre-revolutionary era, with his 'Trois duo op. VIII' embodying the splendor of the old monarchy. Distributed in Paris by the Cousineaus, prominent rivals of Naderman in harp manufacturing, these duets each consist of two movements with a commonality in their E-flat Major tonality and structural form. Hinner's service as harp instructor to Queen Marie Antoinette suggests these duets might have filled the halls of Versailles with their elegant harmonies.

Hinner, a German native, became an integral part of the Parisian musical landscape early in his career, performing at the Concert Spirituel from 1769. His renown only grew with his performances in London and Naples, yet Paris remained his true home, where he returned in 1783 and continued to contribute to its musical life even after the Revolution.

Although men like Hinner held the roles of composers and educators, women were the true harp virtuosos of the era. Their performances, enhanced by the instrument's ornate 18th-century decorations and the required elegant posture, cast a bewitching spell. The image of these women, reclined in concentration, their hands dancing across the strings and their ankles subtly engaging with the pedals, was nothing short of enchanting.

It was in these salons that the harp solidified its place as a symbol of aristocratic taste, a medium through which the nobility could express their sophistication and cultural prowess. As the harp's strings resonated with the nuanced touch of Paris's finest musicians, it became clear that this instrument was not just a tool for music, but a symbol of the grace and cultural refinement that defined an era on the cusp of monumental change.

Album notes by Alice Talignani. Original English translation by Chiara Damia; text revised from the complete booklet.

Recording credits

Alchimia Duo: Alice Caradente and Alessandra Ziveri, harps. Recorded at Ermes Studio, Vignola (Modena), Italy, in January 2017. Paintings: Martin Johnson Heade. Design, art direction and production: Osaka Mozart Association / Da Vinci Publishing. Copyright in the recording and artwork: Osaka Mozart Association. ℗ and © Da Vinci Classics. DDD. Manufactured in Japan.