Four Centuries of Great Music September 27, 2025 Sesquicentennial of the Birth of Henriette Renié (Encore)

Three days ago on September 18th was the sesquicentennial of the birth of French harpist and composer Henriette Renié.  To be totally honest, I had not heard of her prior to my conversation with Emily Levin who is the harpist for the Dallas Symphony orchestra and a member of the chamber group Ember.   I chatted with Emily on last Tuesday’s Contemporary Classics program when we were talking about Ember’s new album “Birds of Paradise” on which they perform Renié’s work “Trio in B-flat Major” for harp, violin and cello.

Henriette Renié was born on September 18, 1875 in Paris, France.  Before the age of five, she played piano with her grandmother. Renié was inspired to learn the harp after she heard her father, who was a singer in the Paris Opera performed a concert in Nice featuring Alphonse Hasselmans, a prominent harpist. She became inspired by the music and she decided that she wanted to play the harp under the instruction of Hasselmans. She began playing when she was eight, but she was still too short to reach the harp's pedals, so her father invented extended foot pedals to assist her.   If yo listen the stream of Tuesday’s episode of Contemporary Classics  you will discover that Emily Levin had the same issue when she started playing the pedal harp.

In 1885, Renié became a regular student at the Paris Conservatoire. At ten, she won the second prize in harp performance. The audience unanimously voted to give her first prize, but the director of the Conservatoire, Ambroise Thomas, suggested she not receive it, because that would consider her a professional and she would no longer be able to receive lessons at the Conservatoire.   By age eleven, she won the Premier Prix.   Her performance at the concours is largely regarded as one of the greatest performances in the history of the Conservatoire.   At a young age, she began performing for many prominent figures such as Queen Henriette of Belgium, Princess Mathilde, and the Emperor of Brazil.   At age twelve and following her success at the Conservatoire, students from all over Paris began seeking her out for lessons, some of them more than twice her age. 

She was allowed to continue courses at the Paris Conservatoire and to take harmony and composition courses at an earlier age than anyone else.  Within the next decade she was awarded both the top harmony and composition prizes at the Conservatoire.

Renie developed an innovative new style of harp playing and her fame had surpassed that of her mentor Alphonse Hasselmans.  And her students were also gaining a reputation.

In 1903 her student Marcel Grandjany (Grahn-jan-knee) was refused entry to the Paris Conservatoire by Alphonse Hasselmans due to the jealousy he held for Renie.  But the next year Grandjany was accepted and went on to win the Premier prize.  A few years later after Grandjany had been introduced to audiences in the United States, he took a faculty position at the Juilliard School and brought the Renie harp method to the United States.    Also in 1903 Renie composed her work solo called Légende, inspired by the poem "Les Elfes" by Leconte de Lisle.  Lets listen to this work performed by Cristina Montes Mateo from her album “Voyage” (CID Music)

Renié began making recordings in 1926 for Columbia and Odeon. Her recordings sold out within three months, and Danse des Lutins won a Prix du Disque.  Here is Henriette Renié recorded performance of Danse des Lutins from the album Henriette Renié Retrospective: Historical Harp Recordings 1927-1955” (MSR Classics)

Renié wrote her “Harp Method”, which became her main focus during the second world war. In two volumes, it is a thorough treatment of harp technique and music. After World War II, students flocked to study with her.  One of those students was Susann McDonald who went on to become the chair of the Harp Department at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.  And Emily Levin studied with Susann McDonald at Indiana University.   So in a sense this past Tuesday I was talking with the musical grandchild of Henriette Renié.  Susann McDonald actually passed away earlier this year in May at 90 years of age.

Henriette Renié received the Legion of Honor in 1954.  The next year, she gave a concert, featuring Légende, saying it was the last time she would play it, and died a few months later in March, 1956 in Paris, France at 80 years of age.

Let’s celebrate her legacy with performances of her music for the rest of this episode .  

First let’s listen to the work that introduced me to Henriette Renié, her “Trio in B-flat Major” for harp, violin and cello.  The work is in 4 movements.  The first movement marked Allegro risoluto begins a characteristic we will see through 3 of the 4 movements, a wide variation in tempo.  Although marked allegro, this movement has a number of slow sections.

The second movement marked Scherzo: Vivace scherzando con spirito cannot be played at more than an allegro pace because of its complexity.  And rather than having a single trio in the middle of the movement, it has a series of slow passages mixed in between the faster, lively passages.

The third movement is marked Andante and is the passionate slow movement of the work.

The 4th movement marked Finale: Allegro is a reflection of the whole work with alternating fast and slow sections. I jokingly referred to it as rubato on steroids for all the changes of tempo in this movement.

Here is a performance of Henriette Renié “Trio in B-flat Major” for harp, violin and cello by the ensemble Ember composed of Emily Levin, harp; Julia Choi, violin and Christine Lamprea, cello from their album “Birds of Paradise” release a week ago Friday on September 12th. (Azica Records)

You have been listening to Henriette Renié “Trio in B-flat Major” for harp, violin and cello by the ensemble Ember composed of Emily Levin, harp; Julia Choi, violin and Christine Lamprea, cello from their album “Birds of Paradise” 

Today on Four Centuries of Great Music I a celebrating the sesquicentennial of the birth of French harpist and composer Henriette Renié which was three days ago on September 18th.  

Lets open this second hour of this celebration with her Harp Concerto in C Minor.  It is in  4 movements:
I. Allegro risoluto - Un poco meno mosso
II. Adagio
III. Scherzo
IV. Finale: Allegro con Fuoco


Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor: I. Allegro risoluto - Un poco meno mosso
Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor: II. Adagio
Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor: III. Scherzo
Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor:IV. Finale:Allegro con Fuoco

Here is a performance of Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor by Emmanuel Ceysson, harp and the Orchestre Régional Avignon Provence conducted by  Samuel Jean from the album Belle Époque (Naive Classique Records)

You have been listening to a performance of Henriette Renié: Harp Concerto in C Minor by Emmanuel Ceysson, harp and the Orchestre Régional Avignon Provence conducted by  Samuel Jean from the album Belle Époque (Naive Classique Records)

Today on Four Centuries of Great Music I a celebrating the sesquicentennial of the birth of French harpist and composer Henriette Renié which was three days ago on September 18th.  

Next on this celebration the sesquicentennial of the birth of French harpist and composer Henriette Renié we will move away fro her harp music to listen to her Sonata for cello and piano.  It is in three movements: 
Allegro appassionato
Andante
III.  Allegro con Fuoco

Henriette Renié:  Sonate pour violoncelle et piano: I. Allegro appassionato
Henriette Renié:  Sonate pour violoncelle et piano: II. Andante
Henriette Renié:  Sonate pour violoncelle et piano: III.  Allegro con Fuoco

Here is a performance of Henriette Renié:  Sonate for cello and piano with Aude Pivôt, cello & Flore Merlin, piano from the album Renié: Chamber Music (Ligia Records)

You have been listening to a performance of Henriette Renié:  Sonate for cello and piano with Aude Pivôt, cello & Flore Merlin, piano from the album Renié: Chamber Music (Ligia Records)

I would like to lose this episode of Four Centuries of Great Music
with its celebration the sesquicentennial of the birth of French harpist and composer Henriette Renié with her music played by her.   

Henriette Renié:   Andante religioso for harp and violin
Henriette Renié with unnamed violinist
Henriette Renié Retrospective: Historical Harp Recordings 1927-1955 (MSR Classics)


Henriette Renié:   Scherzo-Fantaisie for harp and violin
Henriette Renié with unnamed violinist
Henriette Renié Retrospective: Historical Harp Recordings 1927-1955 (MSR Classics)


Henriette Renié:   Contemplation 
Henriette Renié
Henriette Renié Retrospective: Historical Harp Recordings 1927-1955 (MSR Classics)