Bell' Alma Flute and Harp Duo ~ Flute and Harp

Bell’ Alma Duo

flute and harp

Flutist and harpist play as one ‘beautiful soul’
Click here to listen to the Minnesota Public Radio interview from February 2, 2008.

“A delightful CD with wonderful tunes, excellently performed.” ~~~ Trevor Wye

The Gramophone declares O Bell’ Alma one of the “Best New Recordings from North America”. The flute and harp duo dazzles with “thoughtful artistry, solid technique, and…glowing tone”. Michele Frisch, principal flute, Minnesota Opera Kathy Kienzle, musicfromtheopera.jpgprincipal harp, Minnesota Orchestra “This fine recording…is just dazzling in its clarity, emotional intensity, and singing performances. Frisch’s flute tone emulates the expressive nuances of the human voice with subtle shading, a variety of colors, and soaring vocal lines…she transcends the instrument and communicates the intentions of the composer and the emotion of the song. Harpist Kienzle provides accompaniments, interludes, and duets that match the flute with surety and interpretive freedom. These two outstanding musicians clearly have digested their operatic experiences in the pit. In addition to an excellent choice of brilliant variations on opera themes, entr’actes, dances, best loved melodies, and extracts of famous operatic gems, this recording contains Daniel Sturm’s new work, Musetta Dreams, which…is a poignant, moving, and totally original composition that deserves to enter the main body of the flute repertoire.” -The Flute Network

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Just released December 1, 2007, new on The Schubert Club’s Ten Thousand Lakes label. La Belle Vie follows the Duo’s critically acclaimed first album, O Bell’ Alma, and includes opera arias and fantasies from the French Romantic period, all newly arranged for the Bell’ Alma Duo. This is flute and harp duo music of great passion and lyricism, with two original works by the composers Laurent Petitgirard and Daniel Sturm. Also programmed on this enchanting CD are rarely heard arias of Debussy and Duparc, as well as two fiery fantaisies by Taffanel and Demmerseman.

“These are fresh and engaging major works that deserve a wide audience and repeated hearings. The performances are first rate and have the singing quality we have come to expect from this exceptional duo.” -The Flute Network