Importance of the collection
The collection consists of about one and a half meters of music for harp or around 500 works. The repertoire consists largely of music for harp solo, complemented by chamber music with, as expected, at least one part for harp. In addition there are also several harp concertos.
The repertoire dates from the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly originally written for harp but sometimes arrangements. Nevertheless, the emphasis is on 20th century music, ranging from impressionism and neoclassical to modernist works from 1945.
The collection is, of course, of particlar interest for harpists. Its repertoire is large and contains also lesser known works. In regards to musical interpretation, the scores with personal annotations and fingerings by Susanna Mildonian are particularly useful.
The Mildonian collection fits perfectly into the conservatory's collection plan: it is an important addition to the 18th-century harp music that is already present in the conservatory library. It is also an important addition to the LP collection, as it is very interesting to listen to the recording by Mildonian while reading from her annotated score.
The collection also contains some unique pieces: scores dedicated to her. These dedications show an international sympathy and appreciation for the harpist.
Autograph letters from composers to Mildonian are also a very important piece of the collection.