Duo Maria & Kaoru – Early pedal harp and Fortepiano
Maria Christina Cleary: Harp
Kaoru Iwamura: Fortepiano
Wabi-sabi: A Unique Mozart Experience on Historical Instruments
Duo Maria & Kaoru present Mozart’s Sonata KV 448 in their own historically inspired way, performed on harpe organisée—a rare early pedal harp of approximately 200 years old—and fortepiano. In their interplay, they consciously embrace the fragility and natural imperfections of these historical instruments. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, their performance creates a living, intimate musical experience in which stillness and movement exist in harmony.
Program
- Jan Ladislav Dussek – Duet for Harp & Piano Op. 36 in E flat major (English Op.38)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Sonata in D major KV.448
- Allegro con spirito
- Andante
- Molto allegro
- Muzio Clementi – ‘Menuet’ from sonata for two Fortepiano or Harpsichord Op. 1a
- Baldassare Galuppi – Sonata in D-minor Op.1-2 (arranged by duo for Harp & Fortepiano)
Instruments:
Harp: ‘Barry’ circa 1815, London, England
Fortepiano: Zuckermann, 18th century model ‘Stein’
About the duo
Maria & Kaoru – early pedal harp and fortepiano
Maria and Kaoru met in Amsterdam while preparing a Duet for Fortepiano and Harp, performed in 2003 as part of Kaoru’s lecture concert “Concert Life in London and Jan Ladislav Dussek in the Final Decade of the 18th Century”. They remained in contact over the years, across different countries.
In 2025, they resumed their collaboration as a musical duo. Maria performs on an early pedal harp from a private collection. The highlight of the programme is Mozart’s Piano Duo in D major, a work rarely heard in the combination of harp and fortepiano. Working with an early pedal harp (harpe organisée) calls for a historically informed approach to fingering, pedalling, and texture. Drawing on their long experience with Mozart’s music, Maria and Kaoru preserve the original notation while adapting for the piano and harp.
Kaoru performs on a fortepiano after a Stein model from Zuckermann, the instrument type Mozart particularly admired. Known for its clear articulation, in which the sound of wooden hammers and iron strings can be distinctly heard. In combination with the historical harp, this creates a refined sound world, in which the instruments blend naturally.