Harpist Anna Maria Mendieta

VIRTUOSIC HARP RECITAL AT SPRING LAKE VILLAGE SERIES

Not within memory has there been a formal North Coast harp recital, but Santa Rosa’s Spring Lake Village Concert Series produced one Jan. 24 with virtuoso harpist and consummate entertainer Anna Maria Mendieta.

Before a full house Ms. Mendieta performed a catholic recital of works from mostly known composers, in classy arranges for her instrument. The tall golden Lyon and Healy concert harp was placed on the hall’s stage with a silk cloth shielding the seven pedals from view.

Sonics in the non-reverberant hall were clear and the artist gave an extended verbal introduction to her program, and then ample verbal information on each of the 11 works, beginning with the ever popular Greensleeves and Dussek’s lively and charming Sonatina. Apart from Piazzolla’s long and fascinating Introduccíon al Ángel Ms. Mendieta played without score. Three small bells were sporadically heard in the menacing Piazzolla. Finger technique and control of the instrument’s sonority were exemplary, even with the difficult high treble strings.

Highlights were frequent: Debussy’s shimmering En Bateau; Albéniz’s Asturias with flamenco flavors and potent volume from concentrated close hand technique; and the closing Lecuona Malagueña’s many tempo changes and sweeping arpeggios.

Audience favorite seemed to be the Robert Maxwell’s Ebb Tide and a spiced up variations mélange from Rogers and Hammerstein’s iconic 1959 Broadway show The Sound of Music. Schmaltzy stuff? Certainly not in Ms. Mendieta’s virtuosic and charming interpretations.