Topic: Osian Ellis, harpist passes away at age 92.

[pjme]

https://nation.cymru/culture/tributes-to-welsh-harp-legend-osian-ellis-who-passed-away-aged-92/

Ellis was Professor of the Harp at the Royal Academy of Music. For many years he was the Principal Harpist with the London Symphony Orchestra.
Osian Ellis was not only a harp teacher, composer, arranger, penillion singer and scholar, he contributed also widely to the nation’s traditional music as well as to developments in the European classical music of his day.

“He encouraged many contemporary composers from Wales and farther afield to write new works for harp – including William Mathias, Alun Hoddinott, Rhian Samuel, David Wynne, Malcolm Arnold, Robin Holloway, Elizabeth Machonchy, William Alwyn, Carlo Menotti and Jorgen Jersild.

“As a scholar, he published several seminal works on the history of the harp in Wales and he contributed to a myriad of television and radio programmes in Wales and London."
In 1960 he met Benjamin Britten with whom he had a long association.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/KcxVfDH5PjQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/KcxVfDH5PjQ</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/elHA8sPmHM4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/elHA8sPmHM4</a>

[Mirror Image]

A real shame. I’ve always loved his playing. This recording he did of Alwyn’s Lyra Angelica is particularly noteworthy. I also like the recording he did with David Willcocks of Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. RIP, Mr. Ellis.

[Irons]

A legendary recording which would be first on my desert island list.

[pjme]

 
Indeed, a great recording and lovely music.

Now as a cd

[vandermolen]

Sad news but a long and accomplished life. His IMO was the best performance of Alwyn's eloquent and poetic 'Lyra Angelica':

[knight66]

Britten wrote the harp part in the Ceremony of Carols for him. He is on the Willcocks version and one from Vienna.

Mike