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Carlos Salzedo

Charles Moïse Léon Salzedo (6 April 1885 – 17 August 1961) was a French harpist, pianist, composer and conductor. His compositions presented the harp as a virtuoso instrument. He influenced many composers with his new ideas for the harp's sounds, and was influential in New York's new music scene through his work leading the International Composers' Guild with Edgard Varèse.

Salzedo began studying at the Paris Conservatory at age nine and won the premier prix in harp and piano when he was just 16. He started his solo recital career at age 18, and was brought to the United States of America six years later, to perform as solo harpist with the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. He toured extensively with the Trio de Lutèce, with Georges Barrère, flute and Paul Kéfer, cello. After being drafted into the French Army during World War I, Salzedo returned to the United States and continued touring with the trio.

In consultation with Vaslav Nijinsky during a summer in Maine, together they developed a system of esthetic gestures to be used while performing on the harp. Subsequently, he was instrumental in raising money to save Nijinsky by funding his residence in a Swiss Sanatorium. Aside from touring with his trio, he organized The Salzedo Harp Ensemble, utilizing his students, which toured extensively, often in collaboration with singers from the Metropolitan Opera.

He co-founded the International Composers' Guild with Edgard Varèse in 1921, and founded the National Harp Association to promote the harp. In addition to forming a summer harp colony, first in Seal Harbor, then later in Camden, Maine, he founded the harp department at the Curtis Institute of Music in 1924. He continued to teach privately in New York City until his death. He developed new techniques and notations for these techniques, which he used extensively in his compositions after 1919.

Birth and Death Data: Born Arcachon (commune in Gironde, France), Died August 17, 1961 (Waterville (city in Maine, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1912 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: harp, composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 33 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor CS-92233 12-in. 6/11/1935 Short stories in music Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-92234 12-in. 6/11/1935 Short stories in music Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-92235 12-in. 6/11/1935 Short stories in music Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-92236 12-in. 6/11/1935 Short stories in music Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-98602 12-in. 12/31/1935 Rocking horse Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-98603 12-in. 12/31/1935 The kitten and the limping dog Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-98604 12-in. 12/31/1935 Memories of a clock Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-98605 12-in. 12/31/1935 Goldfish Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-98606 12-in. 12/31/1935 On stilts Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor BS-010042 10-in. 5/24/1937 La Timide Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010043 10-in. 5/24/1937 La pantomime Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010044 10-in. 5/24/1937 La cupis Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010045 10-in. 5/24/1937 Tambourins Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010046 10-in. 5/24/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010047 10-in. 5/24/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010048 10-in. 5/25/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010049 10-in. 5/25/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010050 10-in. 5/25/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-010051 10-in. 5/25/1937 Children's corner Georges Barrère ; Horace Britt ; Carlos Salzedo Flute, cello, and harp arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor CS-010236 12-in. 5/21/1937 Irridescence Carlos Salzedo Instrumental trio instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-037646 12-in. 6/14/1939 Londonderry air Carlos Salzedo Harp solo arranger, instrumentalist, harp  
Victor BS-037647 10-in. 6/14/1939 Whirlwind Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor BS-037659 10-in. 6/19/1939 Iridescence Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, composer  
Victor CS-046032 12-in. 12/27/1939 The harmonious blacksmith (Air with variations) Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp, arranger  
Columbia 19849 10-in. 4/9/1912 Priere Carlos Salzedo Harp solo instrumentalist, harp  
(Results 1-25 of 33 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Salzedo, Carlos," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106233.

Salzedo, Carlos. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106233.

"Salzedo, Carlos." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106233

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