Various Composers - Amalie's Cosmos (Anne-Sophie Bertrand)

Information

1. Franz Liszt - 3 Études de concert, S.144 (arr. Henriette Renié): No. 3, Un Sospiro
2. Mikhail Glinka - A Farewell to Saint Petersburg: No. 10, The Lark
3. Niccolò Paganini - 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op. 1: No. 9, Caprice in E Major, 'La caccia' (arr. Luigi Maria Magistretti)
4. Nimrod Borenstein - Capriccio, Op. 107
5. Fanny Hensel - Notturno in G Minor, H.337
6. Louis Spohr - Fantasie in C moll, Op. 35
7. Carl Maria von Weber - Die Aufforderung zum Tanze (arr. Anne-Sophie Bertrand): Rondo Brillant, Op. 65
8. Elias Parish Alvars - Nobil Signor (from Meyerbeer's opera Les Huguenots)
9. Pauline Viardot - Sérénade (arr. Anne-Sophie Bertrand)
10. Albert Zabel - Fantaisie Op. 12 sur les motifs de l'opéra Faust de Charles Gounod
11. Franz Liszt - Le Rossignol, S.250/1 (arr. Henriette Renié)
12. Claude Debussy - Estampes: I. Pagodes (arr. Anne-Sophie Bertrand)
13. Claude Debussy - Estampes: II. La soirée dans Grenade (arr. Anne-Sophie Bertrand)
14. Claude Debussy - Estampes: III. Jardins sous la pluie (arr. Alys Lautemann)

Anne-Sophie Bertrand, harp

Date: 2026

Label: PentaTone

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Amalie’s Cosmos, performed by harpist Anne-Sophie Bertrand, explores the cultural atmosphere of early nineteenth-century European salons, centering on the influential Berlin salon of Amalie Beer. A prominent patron and intellectual, Beer fostered artistic and intellectual exchange while supporting figures such as Fanny Hensel and Pauline Viardot, alongside her son, composer Giacomo Meyerbeer. The album reflects the creativity and diversity of this salon culture through a carefully selected program featuring works by composers including Hensel, Glinka, Debussy, Parish Alvars, and Nimrod Borenstein. Through these pieces, the recording evokes the spirit of artistic dialogue and inspiration that defined the salons, creating a musical journey across time, style, and cultural influence.

French harpist Anne-Sophie Bertrand was born in Paris and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Skaila Kanga, at the Royal Conservatoire in Brussels, and with renowned teachers Germaine Lorenzini and Catherine Michel. A prize winner of the Cardiff International Harp Contest, she was appointed Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in 2018 and has served as principal harpist of the hr-Sinfonieorchester (Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra) since 2000. As a soloist, she has performed internationally at venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room in London, and the World Harp Congress. An active chamber musician and educator, she teaches at the Academy of Music in Darmstadt, gives international masterclasses, participates in major competition juries, and is recognized for her commitment to contemporary harp repertoire.