...from Nimbus:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/rontgen-julius-piano-music-volume-1-mark-anderson-nimbus-records.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/rontgen-julius-piano-music-volume-1-mark-anderson-nimbus-records.html)
Very interesting indeed!
This is a wonderful release which deserves more attention.
Is Röntgen's Piano Music groundbreaking? Definitely not, but that was not his intention in the first place. What we have here is a thouroughly enjoyable selection of his piano oevre. The Suite in Four Movements opus 7 (1873) reminds us, no surprise, of Schumann. Pleasant, melodious, subtle. Especially the Andantino is quite serene and lovely. The Variations and Finale on a Hungarian Czardas (a traditional Hungarian folk dance), opus 25 (1885) shows Röntgen's skills to play with a simple theme. The Three Romances opus 32 are my favourite pieces of this disc, because of the harmonic melodies. All very memorable. The ten parts of his opus 65, Buiten (translated as 'Outside', but I prefer the word 'Outdoors'), are all based upon frivolous melodies.
Good to see that this CD, well played by Mark Anderson, is Volume 1. No in-depth piano music, but it will give you nearly 71 minutes listening pleasure. Warmly recommended!
I have this Cd in my hands. I will listen it's! I like the Röntgen music :D
Volume 2 on its way soon from Nimbus:
http://www.mdt.co.uk/rontgen-julius-piano-music-vol-2-mark-anderson-nimbus-records.html (http://www.mdt.co.uk/rontgen-julius-piano-music-vol-2-mark-anderson-nimbus-records.html)
Good news, thoroughly enjoyed the first volume!
I'll be particularly interested to hear the Piano Sonata on vol.2.
"Some thirty piano sonatas and sonatinas from 1922-1932 alone" quotes the MDT write-up. Röntgen really took fecundity to a new level, but what is more phenomenal is the quality of so any of these works seemingly dashed off in his old age. This is certainly a must-buy for me.
The Piano Sonata No.2 in D flat from 1875 is yet another of the astonishing compositions written by the young Röntgen. The stylistic template seems to me more Schubert than anyone else, although, as with much of his early and middle-period music it just seems to grow naturally out of the conservative German tradition. It's profoundly satisfying music with little in the way of romantic neurosis, often wonderfully sonorous and restful. Do get hold of this disc if you can...