Emil Bohnke

[Kriton]

Dear all,

Are there people here who are familiar with the Polish/German composer Emil Bohnke? He didn't die as young as Guillaume Lekeu, but didn't leave us much music alltogether. A couple of years ago I got my hands on what I thought was the only recording of his music; a 2-CD-set with most of his chamber works. I remember liking not all of it, but my attention was immediately grabbed by the slow movement of his B Flat Minor Piano Trio. The rest of the music (well, at least the solo sonatas) I found rather strange, and I consequently decided not to pursue this composer. Now, years later, I've returned to the trio (and to his other chamber works) and I'm hooked. The music still has strange twists and turns, but apparently, over time, I've come to appreciate this more. Looking on wikipedia, I saw that Bohnke did not compose a great many things, but there's pieces in almost every favourite genre of mine: sonatas for piano, violin & cello, a piano trio, a string quartet, concertos for piano & violin, a symphony...

Really unknown, wikipedia only has entries in German, Russian and some Asian language. Sadly, his violin sonata remains (if I've done my research well) unrecorded, but I've discovered 2 "old" CDs on Koch with his concertos and orchestral works. The CD with the piano concerto & symphony is still available, and I've ordered a copy immediately. Does anyone of you have this CD? The concerto appears to be played by the composers son (deceased). The second CD, with his violin concerto and the remaining orchestral works seems to be not only out of print, but unavailable on Amazon as well. Any ideas on how to get this? Anyone know if it's any good?

The MD+G-set with chamber works I can heartily recommend to any lovers of (over-)ripe Austro-German romantic music - think along the lines of Rudi Stephan and Karl Weigl - and especially the piano trio is surely (IMHO...) one of the most beautiful examples of that medium around 1910. I reckon that anyone who likes Reger, gets along with Bohnke pretty well.

[Marcus]

Hello Kriton,
Emil Bohnke's music is , as you say, hard to assimilate upon first hearing, but it does "grow"on you, after a few years ! Rich neo- classical music with hints of Reger & Hindemith.
Although he was born in Poland, (nr Lodz) in 1888, his family were living in the "German" quarter, and spoke german & polish. At age 13, he was sent to Leipzig to study with Hans Stitt, & Stephan Krehl, and in 1908 entered Friedrich Gernsheim's composition class.He played viola, being a member of the Busch Quartet, before devoting his time to conducting & composition. He & his wife Lilli, were killed in a motor accident in Pomerania on 11/5/1928, leaving behind an 18 month old son Robert-Alexander, (1927-2004),who was also a composer,(Piano Concerto etc ), pianist & teacher at Freiberg Conservatory.
His opus total 16 works, the last work written was the Symphony op16, a work which he never heard. The first performance took place under Erich Kleiber on 9/11/1928.
The following works have been available on CD:
-Symphony op16 & Piano Concerto op14 ( Koch-Schwann3-6420-2)
-Violin Concerto op11,Theme & Variations for large Orchestra op9,Symphonic Overture op2(Real Sound # RS 051-0035)
-Piano Sonata op10, Nocturne, Piano Pieces op6, Piano Pieces op8, Six Sketches op12 (Real Sound CD# RS 051-0032)
-Trio op5,Sonata for Violin Solo op13 no1, Sonata for Viola Solo op13 no2, Sonata for cello Solo op13 no3, String Quartet in C minor op1, Ciacona for Violin Solo op15 no2, Sonata for Cello & Piano op7 (MDG #325 0531-2)
I purchased all of the above cds in 1994, and the Theme & Variations op9, is the only one available, (JPC), the Piano Sonata ($10.00)& Symphony/Piano Concerto ($68.00 !)_available on Amazon,although I have only looked at a few sites. There are many good second-hand shops in England, which may carry copies of the Symphony at a more realistic price.
Hopefully, CPO or MDG will take up the baton one day.
Marcus.

[Kriton]

-Symphony op16 & Piano Concerto op14 ( Koch-Schwann3-6420-2)

That's the one I've ordered. But, thankfully, a copy of "only" € 25,- on the austro-german Amazon.

-Violin Concerto op11,Theme & Variations for large Orchestra op9,Symphonic Overture op2(Real Sound # RS 051-0035)

That's the one I've tried to order. It has been deleted from the Amazon catalogues, and I guess I'd really have to find this one in a second hand shop somewhere. Can't wait 'till I have; especially the concerto I'm very curious about!

-Piano Sonata op10, Nocturne, Piano Pieces op6, Piano Pieces op8, Six Sketches op12 (Real Sound CD# RS 051-0032)

Marcus, how is the piano sonata?

-Trio op5,Sonata for Violin Solo op13 no1, Sonata for Viola Solo op13 no2, Sonata for cello Solo op13 no3, String Quartet in C minor op1, Ciacona for Violin Solo op15 no2, Sonata for Cello & Piano op7 (MDG #325 0531-2)

That's the one I have, and which made me a Bohnke-fan!

You're right, it would be time for CPO (or MD+G?) to record the complete works; they're not that many, anyway, so I guess they'd be done with 6 CDs...

[Marcus]

Hello Kriton,
The Piano Sonata in B minor is available from Amazon, and the price quoted was $10.00USD.
It is, together with the symphony, one of his  best works.
It is in 3 movements, and lasts 33'.
Bohnke's music is said to resemble that of Reger & Heiz Tiessen. I do not know the Reger or Tiessen sonatas, but I have Tiessen's Symphony no2.
Bohnke's sonata is tonal (B minor), and neo-romantic in character, reminiscent of the sonatas of Stravinsky, Scriabin & Hindemith in places , with lots of interesting harmonies. Like all of Bohnke's music it requires repeated hearing.
Marcus.

[Peter1953]

He didn't die as young as Guillaume Lekeu, ...

Off-topic, but coincidentally the Belgian Guillaume Lekeu (1870-94) is this week's Composer of the Week on Radio 4 in the Netherlands. I'm just listening to a movement of his String Quartet. Quite sombre and not very impressive. In his short life he composed a wide variety of music. I'm especially interested in his Piano Sonata in G Minor.

[Alan Howe]

The PC and Symphony on Koch are now available cheaply here:

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Emil-Bohnke-Symphonie-op-16/hnum/4092674

[khorovod]

Referring back to the original post I have seen Rudi Stephan discussed here but not Karl Weigl. Is he another Reger stylistically? Any recommended starting points with his music? I have seen discs of his symphony and string quartets but reviews seem mixed.

[eschiss1]

Referring back to the original post I have seen Rudi Stephan discussed here but not Karl Weigl. Is he another Reger stylistically? Any recommended starting points with his music? I have seen discs of his symphony and string quartets but reviews seem mixed.

Probably deserves a thread of his own too- though for my own part I can only say I've heard a few of his quartets (in radio broadcasts of live performances in some cases and of commercial recordings in others) and of one of the symphonies on BIS.  Enjoyed the quartets especially. Was reminded of Zemlinsky more than Reger on recollection.
Eric

[khorovod]

Referring back to the original post I have seen Rudi Stephan discussed here but not Karl Weigl. Is he another Reger stylistically? Any recommended starting points with his music? I have seen discs of his symphony and string quartets but reviews seem mixed.

Probably deserves a thread of his own too- though for my own part I can only say I've heard a few of his quartets (in radio broadcasts of live performances in some cases and of commercial recordings in others) and of one of the symphonies on BIS.  Enjoyed the quartets especially. Was reminded of Zemlinsky more than Reger on recollection.
Eric

Thank you, Eric. I might start with the quartet recording on Nimbus.

[Kriton]

Karl Weigl does deserve a topic of his own, the problem is, there's not much to discuss. The situation with this composer is ever sadder than with Rudi Stephan and Emil Bohnke, who's musical language he to some degree shares: he wrote quite a lot of music, and hardly anything is available.

I have the 2 BIS CDs with his 5th & 6th symphonies, a Nimbus CD with his 1st & 5th string quartets (a good place to start, indeed!), an Orfeo CD with his 3rd string quartet (coupled with Berg's string quartet & Lyric Suite) and an Albany CD called "Darkness & Light Vol. 3" - the latter only because of Weigl's short piano trio, since the rest is rather uninteresting to me.

I know of no more Weigl recordings - perhaps one of you has further recommendations?