PRESS: Denbighshire Free Press: 'National Treasure' Elinor Bennett comes out of retirement
A renowned harpist has come out of retirement to perform a series of concerts.
Elinor Bennett, who has been described as a "national treasure," will perform a number of recitals on two historical harps.
The performances will give music lovers the chance to hear 18th and early 19th-century music played on the old harps, which were made in the same period.
The first concert will be at Theatr Twm o'r Nant, Denbigh, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, June 18.
The bilingual concert, Llais Hen Delynau/Voice of Old Harps, will feature music by Handel, blind harpist John Parry, Edward Jones (The King's Bard), Rosetti, Spohr, and contemporaries.
The event is being sponsored by the Pendine Park care organisation through the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT).
Mario Kreft, MBE, co-founder of the trust, said: "Elinor is truly a national treasure, a supremely gifted harpist who has made an unforgettable mark on the world stage.
"We’re incredibly lucky that she is Welsh.
"This year is special for us at Pendine and we were delighted to have the opportunity to support this wonderful concert."
Elinor Bennett, who lives near Caernarfon, said: "I have owned these harps for many years and have long wanted to do something with them.
"They were made to be played and not placed in a corner somewhere.
"So I've decided to come out of my self-imposed retirement to perform a selection of music from the same period as when these harps were made."
She added: "I relied on the old harps - and music from their time - to guide me.
"It has been a revelation - as the sound and playing techniques are very different to the modern harp."
Elinor said the story begins with the triple harp, which was developed in Italy during the Baroque period and was played at the Royal Court in London at the time of George Frederic Handel.
"With three rows of strings, the triple harp was difficult to play, expensive to string, and was forgotten by harpists in other countries.
"Paradoxically, it was adopted by the old Welsh harpists, and became the instrument of ordinary people in Wales during the 19th century.
"The harp played in this programme was made by the famous triple harp-maker, John Richard of Llanrwst in about 1755."
She added the triple harp was replaced in most European countries during the late 18th century by new, beautifully decorated pedal harps from France and Germany, enabling harpists to use their feet to transpose to many keys easily.
"The most renowned maker was Sebastian Erard, who worked in the Court of doomed Queen of France, Marie Antoinette.
"Erard had to flee to London during the French Revolution and opened a workshop in Great Marlborough Street, where my harp was made in 1807."
The recitals are being presented as part of the Noson Allan/Night Out scheme run by the Arts Council of Wales.
In addition to the performance in Denbigh, Elinor will appear at Eglwys Dewi Sant, Cardiff, on June 20 and at a venue in Pembrokeshire in July.
Tickets cost £10, concessions £5, and are available from Siop Clwyd, 33 High St, Denbigh, or call 01745 812349.