The Riff

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Music for the Golden Hours, 3

Steven Hale
The Riff
Published in
2 min readJan 2, 2025

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Photo by Lisa Yount on Unsplash

Floraleda Sacchi

The harp may be the most relaxing of all instruments — something about the slow decay of its plucked strings, perhaps. There’s a reason why (in Western tradition) it’s so often associated with heavenly music-making.

Classical harpist Floraleda Sacchi is no servant to tradition, often playing contemporary or classical works in unusual settings. Her 2023 album of compositions by Japanese maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto (who died in the same year) explores the calming spirit that underlies the composer’s characteristic delicacy and tact.

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Relentlessly innovative, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s works (over 98 albums and soundtracks — chances are you’ve heard at least one of his film scores without knowing it) defy classification yet are typically recognizable in their unbounded celebration of creativity.

The Album

The title Ryuichi Sakamoto by Floraleda Sacchi suggests that the album is a blending of the spirit of both artists without sacrificing the individuality of either one. Though each tune has its own character, the album flows like a symphony, vanquishing any worries or tension you may have begun with.

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Steven Hale
Steven Hale

Written by Steven Hale

Music: Discovering the lost and forgotten. Politics: Exposing injustice. Screenwriting: Emotional storytelling.

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