Julius Engelbert Röntgen (1855-1932) – Solo Concertos

[Peter1953]

I have acquired the Donemus CD (1997) with the D major concerto, op. 18. What a delightful, grandiose piano concerto. It’s just astonishing. The piano is in complete balance with the orchestra. The 32 minutes lasting three movement concerto features beautiful, subtle dialogues between the piano and orchestra. What an amazing work, really. The whole atmosphere is very reminiscent of Brahms’s PC2. But… Brahms’s 2nd dates from 1881 and Röntgens masterpiece from 1879.

Now I understand more about the Zwei Konzerte für Klavier und Orchester (1929-30). Konzert I (16:10) is a one movement concerto, followed by Konzert II in three movements (6:13, 5:13 and 7:05). It is as if you listen to a beautiful concerto in four complementary movements. The opening bars could have been written by Franck.

I can very warmly recommend this CD, which is maybe more difficult to acquire, but the searching and money is absolutely worth while!

[Peter1953]

Julius Röntgen has impressed me again. My find of last year was his PC op. 18, a few months ago I got overwhelmed by 3 of his beautiful VCs (on cpo) and recently his Complete Cello Concertos (on Etcetera). Just beautiful, especially the First. There are a few very Brahmsian passages. The usage of wind instruments in the second movement reminds me of Raff.
What is it that makes Röntgen so special to me? His well-crafted compositions? The (late) romantic atmosphere he creates? I suppose it must be the melody of his works.
I have his symphonies (that is to say the few which are released so far), but nothing of his chamber music yet. Who knows what a hidden treasures there are.
Röntgen can be considered as a Dutch composer, although he was German. His music is seriously neglected by the Dutch classical radio station Radio4.

I have promoted Röntgen to my favorite unsung composers. The family names of the other three also start with an R.

[Peter1953]

Just an addition. It concerns the PCs 6&7. Röntgen said that these two concertos are a unit: Das Erste – mehr eine Phantasie – bereitet das Zweite vor. (Gaudeamus, p.270).

[Revilod]

Yet the 6th and 7th concertos are different in style and there are no thematic connections between them. They work well as two self-contained works. ( I reviewed the disc on Amazon.co.uk a while ago.) I wonder if Rontgen thought there was more a chance of performance of these two short concertos (which together last as long as the average concerto)  if he suggested they belong together.

[Peter1953]

That’s a very interesting assumption, Revilod. Röntgen was in March 1930 still in Edinburgh when he received a message from Dr Curt Rudolf Mengelberg, director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and a second cousin of conductor Willem Mengelberg. Röntgen was offered a celebration in honour of his 75th birthday (9 May) and honorary degree at Edinburgh (27 March), to be held in the Concertgebouw on 10 April.
Willem Mengelberg wanted to conduct a piano concerto composed by Röntgen, but then Röntgen should send Mengelberg immediately a complete score. Mengelberg wanted a beautiful, grand concert. And now it comes, Revilod. Röntgen send his two short PCs 6&7, one and a half week earlier premiered at Edinburgh. Mengelberg wanted another work, but Röntgen made a firm stand because he said that the two concertos form a unit (see my earlier post and quote). Mengelberg agreed…
(Gaudeamus, p.269-270).

[eschiss1]

Are these the two dedicated to Tovey?

[Peter1953]

Yes indeed, Eric.