Xavier de Maistre
The first French musician ever accepted into the Wiener Philharmoniker, harpist Xavier de Maistre enjoys vigorous careers as a soloist, recording artist, and educator. He has commissioned new music from Krzysztof Penderecki and Kaija Saariaho.
De Maistre was born in Toulon on the French Rivera on October 22, 1973. He began harp lessons at age nine. Attending the London School of Economics as a political science and economics major, de Maistre commuted to Paris for lessons with Jacqueline Borot and Catherine Michel. Several major prizes, including one at the International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana, helped launch de Maistre's career. He joined the Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic) in 1998, becoming the first French musician to join the ranks of that august institution. That year, he recorded his debut album on the Harmonia Mundi label, featuring music by Henriette Renié. In the 2000s decade, he recorded several albums for the Claves and RCA Red Seal labels.
Remaining with the Wiener Philharmoniker until 2010, de Maistre also appeared with other orchestras, including the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Helsinki Philharmonic, among others. He has performed under such conductors as Simon Rattle, Riccardo Muti, and André Previn. In 2001, de Maistre joined the faculty at the Hamburg Academy of Music; he has also taught at the Juilliard School in New York, Toho University in Tokyo, and Trinity College of Music in London.
Signed to Sony Classical, de Maistre released his debut album for the label, Aranjuez: Concertos and Dances for Harp, in 2010. Performing independently since leaving the Philharmoniker, he has been a frequent guest at top-rank European festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and Verbier Festival, and has served as accompanist to leading singers such as Barbara Bonney, Diana Damrau, and Kathleen Battle. He has continued to record for Harmonia Mundi, Deutsche Grammophon, and Sony Classical, issuing the album Christmas Harp on the latter in 2021.
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Mozart, Gossec, Alvars, Malecki: Concertos for Two Harps and Orchestra
Catherine Michel, Xavier de Maistre, Boguslaw Madey, Polish Radio Simphony Orchestra
Symphonic Music - Released by Egan Records on 22 Aug 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hartmann: Concerto Funèbre & Henze: I Sentimenti di C.P.E Bach
Svetlin Roussev, Xavier de Maistre, Arie van Beek
Classical - Released by Polymnie on 23 Mar 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Silvio Rodríguez: En estos días
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Jun 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Nutcracker, Op. 71: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Arr. for Harp by Xavier de Maistre)
Christmas Music - Released by Sony Classical - Sony Music on 24 Sep 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Serenata Latina
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 2 Oct 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Collection Musique Basque (Volume 8)
Olatz Saitua, Xavier de Maistre, Esteban Elizondo
Classical - Released by Claves Records on 1 Jan 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Silvio Rodríguez: En estos días
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 19 Jun 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Yvette Souviron: Al banco solitario
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 3 Jul 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Adam: O Holy Night (Musical Moments)
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 11 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Eduardo Sanchez de Fuentes: Deseo
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 7 Aug 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jingle Bells (Arr. for Harp by Carlos Salzedo)
Christmas Music - Released by Sony Classical - Sony Music on 8 Oct 2021
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Eduardo Sanchez de Fuentes: Deseo
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 7 Aug 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Yvette Souviron: Al banco solitario
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 3 Jul 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Serenata Latina (Bonus EP)
Rolando Villazón, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 2 Oct 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Feliz Navidad (Extended Edition)
Rolando Villazón, Slovak National Symphony Orchestra, Allan Wilson, Xavier de Maistre
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 16 Nov 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo