Stuart Karow wrote:

>Other pieces were featured on the disc and I particularly enjoyed
>Romberg's Das Lied von der Glocke.  What are other people's view of
>Romberg and can anyone suggest further composition and recordings?

For clarification, it might be best that I note that I'm aware of three
classical composers named "Romberg".  There's Sigmund Romberg, born in 1887,
who is of "Student Prince" reputation.  Then there's Bernhard Romberg, born
in 1767.  That leaves Andreas Romberg, also born in 1767, who composed the
work Stuart is pleased with, Das Lied
von der Glocke.  Maybe Andreas and Bernhard were twins?

I bought Das Lied von der Glocke a few years ago (Spering) and thought well
of it.  I haven't played it for some time, but I remember it as a fine work
which just didn't rise to greatness.

I have another disc containing Romberg's clarinet quintet, Fuch's clarinet
quintet, and two fantasies of Stanford's on Hyperion; it features Thea King
and the Britten String Quartet (HYP 66479).  I play this more often than the
Opus 111 disc; there's more variety with the three composers and I have a
warm spot for clarinet chamber works.  The Romberg quintet is at the level
of "Das Lied".

I have not heard a Jecklin-Disco recording of two Romberg flute quintets
coupled with a Ries quintet.

Overall Assessment of Andreas Romberg: Good music if you're in a "light"
mood.  But, I prefer Crusell, Spohr, Reicha, and Krommer.
They wrote better melodies and were more structurally varied.


Don Satz
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