Corri's Daughter, Dussek's Wife.

Corri's Daughter, Dussek's Wife.

That is, largely, how history remembers Sophia Corri, Madame Dussek, Mrs Moralt... books on harp history write her off as a second rater who rode her husband's coat tails, and some even suggest he really wrote her compositions.

Well, this is a woman who played concerti onstage on both harp and pianoforte when she was 16, sang the soprano parts in the London performances of Haydn's Oratorios, published 2 books of sonatas for harp, 12 books of airs and variations for harp, 2 sonatas for piano, 4 songs with accompaniments and sundry other pieces, and when the partnership between her father and husband failed, and her husband literally left her holding the baby, and her father in debtors prison, she opened a music school, and got him out.

This project is to record the four songs, 2, or 4 sonatas, depending on length/time, three piano and harp duets and 2 sets of variations, using an 1808 Erat single-action harp, and an 1806 Stoddart and Stoddart square piano.... the instrumental tone colours that Sophia would be hearing in her head as she composed them. We want to give her the attention, and credit ehr music deserves, and help to dispell some of the myths about her.

The music written for domestic performance at the end of the 18th C has a particular flavour, amnd set of musical colours that we want to bring to life, but music of this period is overshadowed by a few big names, and works by women composers are often neglected. There is little practical chance of a recording of Sophia's compositions being released by a record label, but we still want the world to have a chance to hear her work played by people who have made a study of period performance, and on instruments she would ahve been familiar with.

The magnificent voice of Elin Harries will be accompanied by Luke Houriet Bradley on square piano, and Mike Parker on single-action harp, and Mike and Luke will be joined by Lewis Jones on single-keyed flute.

the recording will be made in a domestic setting, rather than a commercial studio allowing for the natural sound of the instruments, but will still need rehearsal, and production, and the production of hard copy of the recordings

The performers will be contributing their performances, so we are able to keep costs down, but still need help to make this become a reality