Unsung Composers

The Music => Composers & Music => Topic started by: SadRobotSings on Saturday 22 November 2014, 19:30

Title: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: SadRobotSings on Saturday 22 November 2014, 19:30
Recently discovered that this guy Verhey wrote a clarinet concerto dedicated to Richard Muhlfeld. Select movements seem to be played fairly often at the student level and for competitions, but there is no commercial recording. The Free Library of Philadelphia seems to have the music, I'll see if I can get my hands on it. Found a pretty good recording of the first movement here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV0sMkMCZs4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV0sMkMCZs4), it seems very charming. There are some videos of the second movement, but to me they all seem almost twice too fast.

Seems like the only thing of his to be recorded is the flute concerto. Anyone have any experience with his music? It would be cool to see a list of works, though IMSLP has a handful, including another piece for clarinet. He has an article on the Dutch Wikipedia but it's pretty spare, http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoor_Verhey (http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodoor_Verhey).
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: saxtromba on Saturday 22 November 2014, 21:08
The flute concerto is worth hearing; it's not at all profound, but has a serenity and cheerfulness which manage to avoid triviality very nicely.  I don't know why it isn't more often heard, at least at the conservatory student level, since it's elegant, sweet, and at least as charming as any equivalent piece in the repertoire.
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 12:18
Verhey's delightful Flute Concerto No.1, Op.43 (all 13+ minutes of it!) is included in this programme:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/floetenkonzerte/hnum/10568723
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: AtzeD on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 14:21
The first and second flute concerto of Verhey was available on a NM Classics cd. Don't know if it is still available:
https://www.discogs.com/Jacques-Zoon-Flute-Concertos-From-The-Netherlands/release/16101561
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 17:34
This is the CD - not sure about availability:
https://www.muziekweb.nl/fr/Link/BDX1350/Flute-concertos
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: eschiss1 on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 19:08
I'm intrigued too by his quintet for piano and winds.
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: Sharkkb8 on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 20:50
The Verhey flute concerto (different performance) and *a* quintet (not yet sure if it's the piano/winds work mentioned above) are available from Presto.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/composers/23370--verhey (https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/composers/23370--verhey)

And this is a perfect example of the observation about an Apple Music subscription (or Spotify, NML, etc).  I would probably not spend full freight for either or both (even though we are all mindful of supporting musicians and labels), but as part of a handful of monthly items for $10/month, it's a great way to acquire new and interesting works, without breaking the bank.  Also seeing the quintet on Spotify.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/nielsen-verhey-fran%C3%A7aix-flute-concertos/1569874617 (https://music.apple.com/us/album/nielsen-verhey-fran%C3%A7aix-flute-concertos/1569874617)

https://music.apple.com/us/album/origins/1024284256 (https://music.apple.com/us/album/origins/1024284256)   (the listed tracks don't specify composers - Verhey's work is tracks 4-7)

https://open.spotify.com/album/3MlOtb5R9dYoViXJ4WCJ4Y (https://open.spotify.com/album/3MlOtb5R9dYoViXJ4WCJ4Y)   (same tracks 4-7)

Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: Alan Howe on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 22:10
Here's the CD that features Verhey's Quintet:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8668767--origins
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: semloh on Thursday 26 August 2021, 00:12
And very charming it sounds too, albeit an instrumental combination that I rarely warm to.
I had no idea that Walter Gieseking had written any music, and these excerpts promise another very fine quintet.
So, this looks like another CD for the wants list!
Title: Re: Theodor H. H. Verhey (1848-1929)
Post by: Simon on Thursday 26 August 2021, 03:58
Quote from: Alan Howe on Wednesday 25 August 2021, 22:10
Here's the CD that features Verhey's Quintet:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8668767--origins

It's worth saying that the guys from Ensemble 4.1 are doing an amazing job regarding music by unsung composers. Beside Verhey's Quintet, they've offered live performances of works by such composers as Herzogenberg, N.H Rice, Arne Oldberg, an early Quintet for piano and winds by (the not unsung, obviously) Holst, and more.

One last thing: Verhey's Quintet Op. 20, if not a masterpiece, was still crowned as one of the winning works of the 1882 Nederlandsche Toonkunstenaars-Vereeniging competition.