Elias Parish Alvars

Introduction and Variations on Bellini’s Norma

In a way, this piece requires no introduction, but since subscribers are writing to me privately, I will say a little more because it does relate to music therapy as well as the soul and its journey through many incarnations.

In the mid-sixties, I was engaged to someone who played the cello. We had a little routine. When we were able to see each other after an absence, we played the Boieldieu Harp Concerto, and when we parted, we played his choice, obviously a cello concerto.

Time went by, destiny showed its might, and then one day, I remembered a past life in which I heard a harp. Years passed, lots of years, and then Gail Barber came into my life, very long and wonderful story, but she departed this plane some years ago. I still run a little website for her. We spent many years developing a system of music therapy, and I learned a lot more about the harp. Gail said that Parish Alvars was the Chopin of the harp. This remarkable performance by Veronika Grabovskaya certainly makes this clear. Prof. Grabovskaya is harpist with the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus.

Obviously, after the Casta Diva, this is a sort of encore, but now on my favorite instrument by a very talented harpist.

@ 0:00 Intro

@ 2:03 In mia man alfin tu sei

@ 3:15 I Variation

@ 4:08 II Variation

@ 5:38 III Variation

@ 6:30 IV Variation

@ 8:14 Cadenza

@ 8:35 Sì, fino all'ore estreme

@ 9:12 Finale