Most of the music on Preludes & Romance is French and at its best, in Marcel Grandjany's opening Automne, there is a refinement and lightness of touch that reminds one that esquisse, the French word for sketch, is closely related to the adjective exquisite.
However, Mills' own transcription of a Debussy curiosity, written in 1915 for a benefit concert to clothe battle-worn soldiers, doesn't quite catch its throwaway waltz, without the resonant bass notes of the piano original.
While two compositions by Americans Nicolas Flagello and Kevin Kaska are disappointingly slight, it's to Mills' considerable credit that, by including eight preludes by Bernard Andres, she makes one eager to hear the remaining pieces from the Frenchman's three collections of these works.
Finally, it is not only NZ composers to whom she has given a voice. The booklet's cover, an image of a translucent raurenga leaf, rendered by Auckland artist Maureen Lander, both catches the eye and complements the sonic finesse of Wayne Laird's sympathetic production.
What: Carolyn Mills, Preludes & Romances (Atoll, through Ode Records)
Rating: 4/5
Verdict: New Zealand harpist forges French-Kiwi connection
