Floraleda plays a contemporary harp | Floraleda Sacchi | TEDxLakeComo

Translator: Cristina Bufi-Pöcksteiner Reviewer: Muriel de Meo

I’m this instrument.

Something is still missing, to do it,

but we get to that in a moment.

There are musicologists who say that the first time, in prehistoric times,

when a man shot the first arrow and pulled a bow,

he invented the harp, which is the musical Bow.

Well, this instrument, of course, throws sounds, it doesn’t throw arrows.

Sounds which can move us.

In history we have Orpheus, who calms down animals,

David, who calms down the human soul.

And they are art exceptions.

But till today, this instrument

basically maintains its primitive soul.

But what would happen if we, instead, would like to change its image?

A very standardized image,

why do we all have an image of the harp

as it’s so linked to the human history?

Eh, peculiar things happen.

First, we move the mind, we change our image,

and this is always interesting.

Secondly, instead, is working on the sound.

and then moving a bit further the sound that you have in mind

or you have always heard from the instrument.

And that’s what I’m here to do, today,

showing you what would happen

if we link ancient and modern

and what are the differences.

It’s nice to work on the sound,

because it’s the matter of which we are made, I believe.

The vibration is the universe, everything.

That’s why the musician

has a big responsibility in handling this thing.

And the first piece I’ll play, in fact, is about this.

It’s named, “Temple of sound.”

It’s a piece by Roberto Cacciapaglia,

he works a lot with this magical meaning,

the power of the sound.

I’ll try to do the same, with my vision of this piece.

And therefore I invite you to enter in the temple of sound.

(Applause)

(Applause)

Thank you.

Always for “What if …” there is another piece.

It’s a “What if …” a bit different from the previous one,

in fact here we talk about a very famous piece written in ‘900:

“Adagio for strings”, by Samuel Barber.

It’s a piece which I believe is included in all “Best of” classical music.

But a few years ago

a Dutch DJ, one of the most famous in the world,

his name is DJ Tiësto,

created a pop version.

That’s how a classical piece for strings

has become one, has been voted

as one of the most beautiful dance pieces of all times.

I’ve decided to create a version for the harp.

I believe that it’s a very dance instrument, as you can see.

(Applause)