Julius RÖNTGEN (1855-1932)
Symphony no.6 in C minor, 'Rijck God, wie sal ic claghen', for mixed chorus
and orchestra (1928) [16:31]
Symphony no.19, 'on B-A-C-H' (1931) [16:09]
Symphony no.5 in A minor, 'Der Schnitter Tod', for tenor, mixed chorus and
orchestra (1926) [28:17]
Marcel Beekman (tenor)
Consensus Vocalis/Klaas Stok
Netherlands Symphony Orchestra/David Porcelijn
rec. Musikcentrum, Enschede, Netherlands, 30 June - 4 July 2008.
CPO 777 310-2 [61:02]
An eighth instalment in CPO's series dedicated to the orchestral music of
Julius Röntgen, this is one of the less generous by far in terms of recorded
minutes, yet the first to offer three whole symphonies. Nos. 3, 8, 10, 15
and 18 have already appeared across four CDs, all with David Porcelijn conducting
one of two German orchestras. Here he crosses the border to take charge of
the Enschede-based Netherlands SO, with whom he has most recently recorded
Röntgen's three cello concertos. At the time of writing (summer 2013),
these have just been released by CPO (777 234-2). In recent years the Orchestra
has improved considerably, even before it changed its name from the slightly
odd-sounding Orkest van het Oosten (Orchestra of the East), and under Porcelijn
they are authoritatively cogent throughout.
Though Röntgen took Dutch citizenship after the First World War, he is
German by birth and temperament and his music for the most part is entirely
in the tradition of Schumann, Brahms and Reger. Thus these symphonies are
melodious, stylistically colourful, conservatively dramatic, elegantly unpretentious.
All three here are in a minor key, and their tone can be said to be crepuscular
without ever going entirely dark. The concise, driven single-movement Sixth
incorporates a long central section for chorus, setting a 16th-century Dutch
tune, 'Great God, to whom shall I lament?' Symphony no.19 is perhaps the weakest
of the three, each of its four movements over before it really gets going,
and feeling just a little disconnected. In his defence, Röntgen completed
the work in a mere fortnight - one of an incredible 18 or 19 symphonies written
between 1930 and his death in 1932! - and the music is at least pleasantly
tuneful. It certainly never "verges on the limits of tonality", as CPO claim
in their publicity. The final movement, inevitably a fugue, is easily the
best, as Röntgen underscores his indebtedness to Bach.
The chorus in the Fifth, subtitled 'Der Schnitter Tod' ('Death the Reaper')
and inspired by the Great War, does not appear until the final movement, and
then only relatively intermittently, alternating with Marcel Beekman's silky
solo voice. The text is taken from the collection of German folksongs popularised
first by Goethe and numerous composers subsequently, 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn'.
There is no Mahleresque complexity in Röntgen's Fifth, but it is a striking
work that builds to a compelling climax.
As it happens, there is plenty of scope for further research into Röntgen's
corpus of works. New Grove mentions "21 symphonies", but gives no further
details. The Julius Röntgen Society's website
also lists 21, this time with key signature and year of composition but nothing
more. Wikipedia claims "25 symphonies", but this number is unsubstantiated.
However, in his recent biography, 'Gaudeamus: The Life of Julius Röntgen'
(Waanders, 2007), scholar Jurjen Vis also gives 25, that is, 1-24 with a 10a
and 10b. The numbering of the symphonies is certainly problematic, with a
few of them thought lost and therefore affecting numeration. At least two,
including the Fifth, were rediscovered in the last decade, giving cause for
optimism for a full complement sometime in the future.
Sound quality is pretty good. The booklet notes are dense and informative
in the usual CPO way. These are first recordings; for further information
on what is available, a website
maintained by Röntgen's grandson, also called Julius, has the most detailed,
up-to-date discography. In its detail there is much evidence that Röntgen
is a composer of the highest rank.
Byzantion
Contact at artmusicreviews.co.uk
Symphonies that are melodious, stylistically colourful, conservatively dramatic,
elegantly unpretentious.
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