This year I had the pleasure to record such a beautiful and evocative piece by the young French composer Corentin Boissier, titled L’Enfance de l’Art. He presented to me the piece a while ago and as soon as I played it I wanted it to be part of my repertoire, and finally this year I managed to record it. I truly believe that the great challenge for a composer is being able to express deep emotions in a few notes, and I should say he really achieved that.

Therefore I wanted to ask him a small interview to know more about his music for harp, so here are five Q&A!

– When did your passion for composing start?

Composing has always been my vocation. From a very young age, I listened to classical music. I started improvising at the age of six, when my parents gave me an electronic piano. Then I took music theory lessons at the Conservatory of Puteaux (in the Parisian suburbs), and around the age of eight or nine I wrote down my first compositions. Since then I have never stopped composing, and after having getting my baccalaureate at the age of sixteen I have devoted myself to music full time.

– Which was your inspiration when writing this piece and why did you chose the harp?

Well, it’s really not easy for a composer to tell about his inspiration – and I prefer not to give any instructions and to leave the performer and the listener the freedom to have his/her own feelings and mental images when playing or listening to my work. The thing that I can tell is that I always seek to compose music that conveys emotions and that can directly speak from the composer’s heart to the listener’s heart. Why did I choose the harp? Well, I have written works for almost every instrument (solo, chamber and orchestral music), and I find the harp to be a truly special instrument. It was perfectly suited to the delicate and poetic feelings I wanted to express in my L’Enfance de l’Art.

– What is the meaning of the title? Can you explain your journey through the movements of this beautiful piece?

“L’Enfance de l’Art” is a French expression that means both something simple and natural, and the beginning of an artistic creation. This title was quite logical for a composition which is my official “opus 1” (the first of the 39 opus numbers that I have written to date, as of September 2024). L’Enfance de l’Art describes and recounts four sensations that everyone can experience: the first movement, “Lady of the Lake”, evokes the pleasure of discovering Nature, of being united with it and of letting oneself be carried away by the impetus it gives us. “Nostalgia” presents the ephemeral aspect of everything; time passes too quickly for us to tire of it. “Every Life has its Melody” is the first melody I composed and expresses a certain calmness. The final movement, “A Sea Poem”, is a miniature symphonic poem that blends several complementary atmospheres.

– How did you find to write for harp (compared for writing for other instruments)?

Although I’m primarily a pianist and have always written for the piano, I love the harp and I enjoy writing for it! I know that many non-harpist composers consider writing specifically for this instrument frightening because of the pedal positions; but I’ve had several opportunities to work with excellent harpists, and I’m happy that many harpists have complimented me on my writing for the harp!

– Did you published other music for harp? Where can we find it?

Oh yes: to date I’ve written six works for the harp (not counting orchestral works with harp): in addition to the aforementioned suite for solo harp “L’Enfance de l’Art”, there’s in my catalogue a 6-minute “Autumn Ballade” for solo harp (2023) that is going to be premiered in Paris on November of this year; a three-movement concertino for harp and chamber orchestra entitled “Alice in Wonderland” that has been recorded in a quartet version for harp, flute, cello and piano and in a duo version for harp and piano; a nocturne and dance for cello and harp, “La Fontaine aux Naïades”, premiered in July 2021 in the South of France; an Aubade for Guitar and Harp, premiered in Germany in August 2022; and a recent “Capriccio for Alto Saxophone and Harp” that is going to be premiered in late 2024 or early 2025. Except for the two works that have not yet been premiered, all can be listened to on my YouTube channel and on my website. The score of L’Enfance de l’Art is available on Harp Column Music; the scores of my other harp works have not been published to date, but I will gladly send them to any interested harpist… 

If you are interested in buying the music you can click here.

To know more about Corentin Boissier and his music click here.

You can listen to the piece in the link below, a would like to give a warm thank you to him for bringing new beautiful music to the harp world and for this tiny interview!