It is a little known fact that Haydn’s father played the harp, and it must have been at the center of the young Haydn’s first musical experiences at home. Although these well known concerti originally had solo parts for keyboard, and keyboard with violin, it is our guess that Haydn would very likely have approved of these new transcriptions performed on the harp. We definitely know that Haydn himself was an ardent transcriber of his own works, and in the style of Haydn himself, Schrama’s virtuosity combined with the intimacy of the NRCO, make these well-known pieces sound like new compositions. The harp accentuates the vocal and melodic qualities of this music in a manner that is different from the keyboard versions, bringing out entirely different facets of the musical structure to the listener. In addition all the orchestral scores have been newly edited and carefully compared with the original manuscripts by Anthony Halstead, making this version one of the most carefully researched to date.

Reviews
on www.musicalifeiten.nl (Nederlands)
on www.audaud.com (English)
on www.classicalcdreview.com (English)
on www.positive-feedback.com (English)

in Luister, december 2002 (Nederlands, jpg)

in High End Report Magazine (Czech language, jpg)

...Schrama transforms these harpsichord works in a magical way.
Kasper Jansen -NRC Handelsblad