Flute and harp duos have a history stretching back hundreds of years. The combination of instruments was very popular in the salons and courts of France in the mid-18th and early 19th centuries, mainly as a result of the harp’s most famous patron Marie Antoinette. Many courts and chateaux around France owned a harp and evening recitals of solo harp, or harp together with flute or violin, were commonplace. Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp K299 was composed in 1778 for the Duke of Guines and his daughter, helping establish this pairing in the concert repertoire.

The combination fell out of favour in the mid-19th century, but experienced a renaissance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when French composers, drawn to its impressionistic colours and delicate textures, rediscovered its possibilities. Debussy in particular used the flute and harp’s capacity for creating shimmering, atmospheric soundscapes, while subsequent composers including Ravel, Roussel and Fauré contributed works that cemented the duo’s place in modern repertoire. Today, the pairing continues to attract composers across all styles, from neoclassical to contemporary, who are captivated by the instruments’ complementary timbres.

Jo Towler © 2026