Few musicians leave behind a legacy as impressive as that of harpist Alphonse Hasselmans. Born in Belgium in 1845, he became one of the great harpists of his era.
But his impact went beyond audiences who swooned over his playing. He taught countless students. He also composed many pieces for the instrument, and created harp arrangements of music written for other instruments. And other composers who loved his playing wrote for Hasselman and dedicated pieces to him.
Here’s a young Colorado musician who continues to learn and take inspiration from Hasselmans. Fifteen-year-old Lily Primus recently visited the CPR Performance Studio to record Hasselmans’ graceful, lyrical “Gitana.”
Primus recently won recognition at the American Harp Society's National Competition in Minnesota, playing in the 15-and-under category. She also performs with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra and is a 10th-grader at Denver School of the Arts.
More exclusive music from the CPR Performance Studio:
